7 murder mysteries better than The White Lotus to watch completely free
Here are more thrillers to keep you busy.
The White Lotus season 3 is in the bag after a bloody and heartbreaking finale but don’t fear, murder mystery fans – we’ve got you covered.
If you’re looking for your next binge watch and fancy a crime thriller to keep you going, there are plenty of options to watch for free thanks to some streamers here in the UK.
There’s need to pay for a subscription, with all of these shows available to stream in full on either BBC iPlayer or ITVX.
From raunchy murder mysteries to black comedies, there’s something for everyone.
So here we are – seven of our top picks to fill the White Lotus gap without having to fork out.
Towards Zero – BBC iPlayer Towards Zero had fans clutching their pearls (Picture: BBC/Mammoth Screen/James Pardon)Last month, the BBC iPlayer added all three episodes of its latest Agatha Christie TV adaptation Towards Zero.
With a cast boasting the likes of Ajelica Huston and Sex Education’s Mimi Keene, the ‘scandalous’ drama follows an ‘explosive love triangle, a formidable matriarch and a house party of enemies’.
Viewers were left gobsmacked by some of the steamy action, including that moment on the stairs, while the series was praised for turning the Christie style on its head.
Ludwig – BBC iPlayer David Mitchell made his detective debut as John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (Picture: BBC / Big Talk Studios / Colin Hutton)David Mitchell’s turn as John Taylor flipped the murder mystery genre last year as BBC finally found what was hailed as the new Jonathan Creek.
His character, who is a world-class puzzle solver writing expert books under the nom de plume Ludwig – has to pose as his twin brother when his sister-in-law Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin) reveals the police officer has mysteriously disappeared.
The Beeb balanced comedic awkwardness with genuine intrigue without relying on a bunch of cliches.
The Bay – ITVX The Bay recently returned for season five (Picture: Ben Blackall)The Bay returned to ITV for its fifth season last month – and now it’s all available to binge (or rewatch).
The crime and police drama started in March 2019 with Morven Christie and Marsha Thomason as detectives and family liaison officers in Morecambe.
With audiences of up to six million people, the show was initially centre on two missing teenagers, but now follows various deaths in the Lancashire seaside town.
Inspector Lynley Mysteries It might be time to start bingeing The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (Picture: BBC)This is a bit of a deep cut which aired between 2001 and 2008, but now’s the right time to revisit The Inspector Lynley Mysteries on iPlayer.
Based on Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley crime novels, the original show aired on BBC One, starring Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small.
Almost two decades after it went off air, a new adaptation is on the way with Leo Suter and Ted Lasso star Sofia Barclay are taking over as ‘brilliant police detective’ Inspector Tommy Lynley and DS Barbara Havers, ‘a sergeant with a maverick attitude and a working-class background’.
North Shore – ITVX North Shore features a fantastic cast (Picture: ITV)Fans have been raving about North Shore for a while now ever since Cold Feet creator Mike Bullen’s creation first aired in Australia in 2023.
The six-part series follows a British and Australian detective forced to team up and investigate the murder of the British trade minister’s daughter after her body is found in Sydney Harbour.
It’s a cracking cast, with Downtown Abbey and Breathtaking’s Joanne Froggatt playing politician Abigail Crawford, while London based detective Max Drummond (Game of Thrones’ John Bradley) has to partner up with DS Meg Driscoll (Kirsty Sturgess) in a clash of cultures.
Black Snow – BBC iPlayer Black Snow is another top Australian show (Picture: BBC)We’re staying Down Under for Black Snow, another Australian show which has captured the attention of viewers.
The crime drama starring Vikings’ Travis Fimmel – which first launched in 2023 – is set in 2019 and followed Detective James Cormack as he investigates the cold case murder of 17-year-old Isabel Baker in 1994 in the fictional Australian town of Ashford.
Viewers hailed it as ‘suspenseful’ and ‘superb’, while the second season recently arrived in the UK with all episodes on iPlayer.
Vigil – BBC iPlayer Rose Leslie stars in Vigil(Picture: BBC/World Productions)Earlier this year, BBC announced crime drama Vigil would be returning for a third series.
Filming is set to get underway later this year, with Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie’s characters DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre heading to a remote Arctic research station where ‘A member of a covert British special forces mission has been shot dead’.
There’s a bit of a wait until the third season hits our screens, but the first two series are available to watch in full now.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
