'Five-star' BBC crime drama based on top-selling book is 'best series ever'

BBC viewers have discovered a new crime drama they have hailed as one of the very best. Strike follows a former war veteran turned private detective, who uses his unique expertise gained from his time in the Special Investigation Branch to solve complex cases that have baffled the police. Cormoran Strike is a highly intelligent detective with a keen eye for detail, often noticing clues others overlook. While he is determined to bring elusive criminals to justice, he also struggles with the physical and emotional scars of his military past, including the loss of part of his leg.

Operating a small agency in London's Denmark Street, Strike is assisted by Robin Ellacott, who gradually becomes more involved in the investigations. The series stars Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike and Holliday Grainger as Robin Ellacott, with supporting performances from Kerr Logan, Ben Crompton, Natasha O'Keefe, and Killian Scott.

Since its launch in 2017, Strike has aired six seasons, with all 19 episodes available on BBC iPlayer. Each season adapts one of J.K. Rowling's bestselling Cormoran Strike novels, starting with The Cuckoo's Calling (2013) and most recently The Hallmarked Man (2025). The series now includes eight books in total.

By February 2024, over 20 million copies of the novels had been sold worldwide, with translations into 43 languages and publication in more than 50 countries. The seventh book, The Running Grave, topped bestseller lists in the UK, US, and Australia. The TV adaptation has matched the books' success, with some fans even preferring the show over the original novels.

Praising the series online, one wrote: "One wrote: "Absolutely utterly brilliant. Not having watched it until the latest series, series 5, came out, my wife and I have binge-watched the first four series on iPlayer and all I can say is that it is probably one of the best detective stories we've watched in years. And the latest series is the very best. Well done the Beeb and of course J K Rowling. Amazing characters, great performances. Hope there's a series six at some stage and JKR writes the promised last four books."

Another agreed: "Absolutely loved this series. The best thing about it are the two leads, great acting and great chemistry between the actors! I binge watched the 4 seasons over a few days, apparently there will be one more as there is a 5th book in the series, so I look forward to that!! It's funny because I tried several times to get into reading the first novel, and it just didn't pull me in. Usually I much prefer a book to a dramatization, but in this case it's the opposite!"

A third echoed: "The relationship between Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacot is really amazing. This TV series -Strike (2017-2020) is surely one of the best ever. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a complete series. Romance, Spy, Action, Mystery, Thriller and Suspense. I will be waiting for the next series."

Alongside a five-star review, a fourth declared: "A superb series, with excellent acting from the two main leads, a private detective and his assistant. Their acting is so natural that you often feel like you're with them, especially in their team meetings. The plots progress in a logical and straightforward manner, which is refreshing these days. I think the series is excellent."