The latest streaming mysteries are the ones that make headlines. Because there’s a large appetite for what to stream next, older series are gaining traction. One to watch now: A Place of Execution starring award-winning British actor Juliet Stevenson. The three episodes pack a punch and deliver more than one surprise.
Based on the 1999 best-selling novel by Val McDermid, the series debuted on ITV in Britain in 2008, then in the U.S. on PBS. Now it’s available to watch on Acorn TV as well as on Amazon Prime. The story bounces between 1963 when 13 year-old Alison Carter disappears from Scardale, a small, insular village in Derbyshire, and 2008 when a documentary by an investigative TV reporter revisits the crime.
George Bennett, a young, newly promoted inspector, is assigned the case. Alison, who lives with her mother and stepfather, disappears while walking her dog. There are no witnesses and no body. Bloodied clothes found in a cave and photos soon focus Bennett’s attention on the stepfather, Philip Hawkin (Greg Wise). Although all the evidence is circumstantial, Hawkin is charged with the murder.
Because Alison’s body was never found, interest in Alison’s disappearance has never waned. Catherine Heathcote (Stevenson), a TV journalist has been interviewing Bennett and others for her film. (Think something like NBC’s Dateline.) Suddenly, Bennett stops cooperating, telling Catherine that “mistakes were made.” Catherine, however, is too deep into the project to let it go. While still pressing Bennett, she reaches out to the other detective involved in the case, DS Tommy Clough (Tony Maudsley), who, like Bennett, is reluctant to talk. More unsettling are those still living in Scardale who criticize Catherine for opening old wounds. But Catherine can’t shake the feeling that someone knows what happened to Alison and is afraid to talk.
Catherine’s boss, Keith Slocombe (Danny Sapani), pressures her to wrap up the filming. But without Bennett’s help, the project is stalled. Her assistant, Nicola Curry (Zoe Telford), seeing an opportunity to promote herself, tells Keith that Catherine is protecting Bennett. If the former inspector was responsible for charging the wrong man for Alison’s death, his legacy would be ruined and old cases reopened. There’s a lot at stake, not only for Catherine, but for Bennett.
Adding to Catherine’s stress is dealing with her rebellious teenage daughter, Sasha (Elizabeth Day), who escaped being jailed for vandalism when her mother called in a favor from a friendly cop. Catherine’s mother refuses to look after her granddaughter, so Sasha comes along as Catherine seeks out Bennett and other sources. Some of the encounters are upsetting, worrying Catherine that she is adding to Sasha’s issues. But when Sasha sees the bravery her mother shows dealing with an angry crowd in Scardale, her admiration begins to grow.
Stevenson is known for her performances on TV, film, and the stage. As the centerpiece of A Place of Execution she turns in a nuanced, intense performance. She’s also surrounded by an experienced supporting cast, including Lee Ingleby, as the young Bennett, and Philip Jackson, as the older inspector. Wise, as the beleaguered Philip Hawkin, remains steadfast in claiming his innocence, even through a tense trial. Emma Cunniffee as his wife, Ruth, turns in a good performance in what is an underwritten role. Also a standout is Elizabeth Day as Catherine’s obstinate daughter.
The three episodes race by but conversations about the ending will continue long into the night.
Top: Lee Ingleby, Juliet Stevenson, and Greg Wise in A Place of Execution.
Stream on Amazon Prime
