British mystery shows have gained quite the reputation for American audiences, and we here at Murder & Mayhem have even covered crime dramas from other countries across the way, like Ireland and New Zealand. But what about Wales, the often forgotten country on the southwest coast of Great Britain?
These gritty, captivating shows will make sure you never overlook the "Land of Castles" again. Whether you like strange disappearances, serial murder, or good old-fashioned procedurals with detectives lugging around dark secrets, there's something for everyone here. Streaming now on Acorn TV, Netflix, and BritBox, here are seven Welsh crime dramas you won't want to miss.
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Hinterland
In Aberystwyth, Wales, DCI Tom Mathias (Richard Harrington) is a brilliant man on the run from his London past. The loner isolates himself along the edges of a close-knit village, trying to find redemption for his dark secrets. But he's not completely alone—local girl DI Mared Rhys (Mali Harries) is there to help unravel the town's murders, knowing Aberystwyth inside and out.
Hidden
In North Wales, a young woman is found dead in a lake. The evidence on the body suggests she'd been held prisoner prior to her death. This discovery leads DI Cadi John (Sian Reese-Williams) to a string of disappearances in a remote part of Wales full of sinister secrets.
Bang
This bilingual crime drama is told in English and Welsh, with subtitles. Sam Jenkins (Jacob Ifan) is a loner whose whole life changes when he comes into possession of a gun. His new life of crime is definitely complicated by the fact that his sister, Gina (Catrin Stewart) is a police officer. As Gina's ambition pushes her to uphold the very law that Sam is breaking, the shooting of a local businessman raises questions about their past...
Keeping Faith
Faith Howells (Eve Myles) is a lawyer in a small Welsh town. Her happy marriage and extended maternity leave are turned upside down when her husband and business partner, Evan (Bradley Freegard), abruptly vanishes. Faith is eyed by the police as the prime suspect, but as she digs into her husband's disappearance, she finds herself thrown into the criminal underbelly of her quiet town.
Requiem
A small child disappeared from a Welsh village back in 1994, never to be seen again. More than 20 years later, cellist Matilda Gray's (Lydia Wilson) mother commits suicide. As Matilda looks through her mother's things, she uncovers evidence linking her to the toddler's disappearance in Wales all those years ago. Determined to find out who she really is, Matilda takes a journey to Wales, digging up secrets long-buried by the community. But the danger that's brewing is beyond our natural world.
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35 Days
Everything you know about traditional investigative dramas has been turned inside out. Each season of this unique crime drama begins with a murder, before turning the clock backward to 35 days prior to unraveling the events that lead the victim to their untimely end. The first series begins with the death of Jan Richards, murdered in the suburban estate she just moved into.
The Pembrokeshire Murders
This gripping drama brings the true story of the most notorious serial killer in Welsh history to your small screen. When two unsolved murders from the 1980s are reopened, forensic evidence links these crimes to a string of burglaries. It's up to DCS Steve Wilkins (Luke Evans) and his team to gather enough evidence of the perpetrator's past crimes to keep him in prison.
