Seven years after its original broadcast, Dublin Murders has become an unexpected sensation on Netflix, captivating a brand-new audience and reigniting debate about its twisty mysteries and haunting characters. The crime drama, adapted from Tana French’s acclaimed novels and first aired on BBC One and RTÉ One in 2019, has leapt to the top spot of Netflix UK’s trending chart as of March 23, 2026, drawing in viewers with its heady blend of psychological suspense, supernatural suggestion, and unresolved trauma.
At the heart of Dublin Murders are two detectives: Rob Reilly (played by Killian Scott) and Cassie Maddox (Sarah Greene), both of whom are as battered by their pasts as they are by the cases they investigate. The story, adapted for television by Sarah Phelps—known for her gripping Agatha Christie adaptations—combines the plots of two of French’s bestsellers, In the Woods and The Likeness, into a single, eight-part season. This narrative decision means there’s a lot to unpack, with overlapping mysteries and character arcs that keep viewers guessing until the very end.
The series opens with an emotional gut punch: Detective Rob Ryan, who as a child was known as Adam Ryan, is forced to confront the trauma that has haunted him for decades. When he was 12, two of his friends vanished without a trace in the woods near Knocknaree—a mystery that was never solved. Fast forward to the present day, and Rob is called to investigate the murder of a young girl, Katie Devlin, whose body is found in those very same woods. The chilling coincidence draws Rob back into the darkness of his own past, as he attempts to solve both the current case and the lingering mystery of his friends’ disappearance.
Fans of the original novels will notice significant differences between page and screen, particularly in how these mysteries are resolved. According to Birmingham Mail and Express, while Katie’s killer is revealed to be her own sister Rosalind in both the series and the books, the fate of Rob’s childhood friends is left unresolved in French’s original work. The TV adaptation, however, offers a tantalizing hint: Rob’s old acquaintance Frank (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) hands him a piece of wood, claiming it bears a picture of the “Child Snatcher,” suggesting a possible answer to the decades-old question. This moment, ambiguous as it is, adds an extra layer of intrigue for viewers who crave closure.
One of the most talked-about departures from the books is the introduction of supernatural elements. Throughout the series, Rob is haunted by visions of a mysterious wolf and a sense of a “dark force” lurking in the woods—a motif absent from French’s more grounded novels. As Killian Scott told the BBC, “There’s also a quality of the supernatural that runs through the show—it doesn’t shy away from the darker recesses of the human mind and the scripts are very authentically convincing.” These spectral touches serve to heighten the show’s atmosphere, blurring the lines between psychological trauma and otherworldly menace.
The second major plotline centers on Detective Cassie Maddox and the murder of Lexie Mangan, a woman who is Cassie’s exact double. Lexie’s body is discovered at an abandoned farmhouse, and in a daring move, Cassie goes undercover, pretending to be Lexie in order to infiltrate her enigmatic circle of housemates. This storyline is adapted from The Likeness, French’s second novel in the series, and it’s here that the television adaptation diverges most sharply from its source material.
In the show, it is ultimately revealed that Lexie’s housemate Justin (Charlie Kelly) is responsible for her death. The books, however, present a more tangled web: multiple housemates are implicated, though Justin is still the one who delivers the fatal blow. Additionally, Lexie’s true identity is left unexplained in the books, as “Lexie” was an alias Cassie herself had used during a previous undercover operation. The television series leans into the uncanny doppelganger aspect, with Cassie’s undercover work blurring the boundaries between self and other, reality and performance.
Critics have heaped praise on Dublin Murders for its complex, twist-laden storytelling and its refusal to offer easy answers. The Daily Telegraph called it a “knotty Irish crime thriller” with “countless plot twists” and a “compelling conclusion,” while Screenrant (via Rotten Tomatoes) described it as “a satisfyingly dark and twisty crime thriller, anchored by strong performances from Scott and Greene.” Even those who found the overlapping plots a bit bewildering—like Observer in its Guardian roundup—acknowledged its atmospheric power and relentless suspense.
Viewers, too, have been vocal in their admiration. Social media buzzed after the show’s Netflix debut, with one fan exclaiming, “Such a great opening episode,” and another adding, “Very impressed with #DublinMurders literally can’t wait for tomorrow night’s episode.” The show’s ability to keep audiences guessing, and its refusal to tie up every loose end, has only fueled its popularity.
The series is set against the backdrop of Ireland’s Celtic Tiger economic boom, a period of rapid growth and social change that serves as a subtle but important undercurrent to the characters’ struggles. As Sarah Greene noted at a screening, “Cassie and Rob are the keepers of each other’s secrets and that kind of catches up with them.” The show’s exploration of memory, identity, and the scars of the past resonates far beyond its central mysteries.
Alongside its central duo, Dublin Murders boasts a strong supporting cast, including Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Frank Mackey, Moe Dunford as Detective Sam O’Neill, Leah McNamara as Rosalind Devlin, and others. The ensemble’s performances bring depth and nuance to a story that’s as much about the investigators as the crimes they seek to solve.
All eight episodes of Dublin Murders are now available to stream on Netflix UK and BBC iPlayer, inviting new viewers to immerse themselves in its labyrinthine mysteries. The series joins other beloved dramas on the platform, but its unique blend of psychological complexity and supernatural suggestion sets it apart.
For those who appreciate a whodunnit that keeps you guessing—and who don’t mind a few lingering questions—Dublin Murders offers a captivating journey into the shadows of memory and the secrets that refuse to stay buried.