It’s been a long wait for the bumbag-wearing, no-nonsense DI Karen Pirie to return to our screens. Honestly, following the 2022 debut, most of us were starting to think the case had gone cold in real life. But the second series finally dropped late in 2025, and if you've just binged the whole thing on BritBox or caught the Sunday night slots on ITV, you know it was a massive step up in scale.
Basically, while the first season took us into the student life of St Andrews, Karen Pirie season 2 episodes drag us into the gritty, politically charged atmosphere of the 1984 miners' strike. It’s based on Val McDermid’s second book, A Darker Domain, which many fans consider the best in the series. Lauren Lyle is back, obviously, and she’s finally been promoted to Detective Inspector, though she’s still getting plenty of grief from the higher-ups.
The Three-Part Structure of A Darker Domain
Like the first outing, this season is split into three feature-length installments. It's a format that works. It gives the story room to breathe without the "filler" feel you get in those ten-episode American procedurals.
Episode 1: The Kidnap and the Cold Case
The season kicks off with a bang—literally. We’re introduced to the 1984 kidnapping of Catriona Grant, played by Julia Brown. She’s the daughter of a billionaire oil tycoon, Brodie Grant (James Cosmo), and she’s taken along with her young son, Adam. In the present day, Karen is tasked with a "secret" review when new evidence surfaces. You've got the classic Pirie vibe here: Karen and "The Mint" (Jason Murray, played by Chris Jenks) digging through dusty archives while trying to dodge the office politics of DCS Simon Lees.Episode 2: The Tuscan Connection
This is where the scale gets "epic," as writer Emer Kenny promised. The investigation moves beyond the borders of Fife. We learn about a body found in a cave and a mysterious tip-off from Tuscany. This episode really dives into the dual-timeline stuff. We see the 1984 strike, the tension in the mining communities, and the secret relationship Catriona had with Mick Prentice. It’s not just a "who-dunnit"; it’s a "why-was-it-covered-up."💡 You might also like: Actor Most Academy Awards: The Record Nobody Is Breaking Anytime Soon
Episode 3: The Heartbreaking Finale
The finale is a gut-punch. If you didn't tear up during the final scenes between Karen and the survivors, you might want to check your pulse. We finally get the answer to who shot Catriona in that cave. It turns out the villain wasn't some shadowy political figure, but someone much closer to home. Lady Mary Grant (Frances Tomelty) was the one who pulled the trigger, intending to hit Mick but killing her own daughter instead.
What Most People Get Wrong About Season 2
A lot of viewers expected a direct continuation of the Rosie Duff case, but that’s not how Val McDermid’s world works. Karen Pirie is an anthology-style detective. Each season is a fresh start.
One thing people keep questioning is the promotion. Karen went from DS to DI between seasons. Some fans thought they missed an episode, but no—it’s just a time jump. It’s a smart move because it gives her more authority to tell people to "shut it" when they get in her way.
Another sticking point for some was the shift from Scotland to Malta in the finale. It felt a bit sudden, right? One minute Karen is in a rainy Fife car park, and the next, she’s in the Mediterranean sunlight tracking down the truth about Cat’s death. It’s a bit of a whirlwind, but it pays off when we see Brodie Grant finally face the music.
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The Cast: Old Faces and New Rivals
Lauren Lyle is still the soul of the show. Her chemistry with Chris Jenks is what keeps the heavy subject matter from becoming too bleak. But the addition of Saskia Ashdown as DC Isla Stark adds a great new layer of friction. Isla is basically brought in to spy on Karen, which goes about as well as you’d expect.
James Cosmo brings that "old school power" vibe to Brodie Grant. You spend most of the episodes wondering if he’s a grieving father or a master manipulator. Spoilers: he’s kinda both.
Why the 1984 Setting Matters
This isn't just window dressing. The miners' strike is the backbone of the mystery. The show does a great job of showing how the community was torn apart—families split between those on the picket line and the "scabs" going south to work. Mick Prentice wasn't just a missing person; he was a symbol of that betrayal.
By weaving the kidnapping of an oil heiress into the struggles of a mining village, Emer Kenny (who writes and stars as River Wilde) managed to make a police procedural feel like a social history lesson.
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Real Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Karen Pirie now that you've finished the season, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Read the Source Material: If you can't wait for Season 3, pick up The Skeleton Road. It's the third book and likely where the show is headed next.
- Watch the Bumbag: It’s basically a character at this point. In Season 2, it’s a bit more "professional," but it’s still there.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: Stephanie Taylor’s score for this season is haunting, especially during the 1984 flashback sequences.
The best way to experience Karen Pirie season 2 episodes is to pay attention to the small details in the background of the 1984 scenes. The clues for the finale are hidden right there in the first thirty minutes of Episode 1.
Check your local listings for any "Behind the Scenes" specials on ITVX, as they often release extended interviews with Emer Kenny and Lauren Lyle about the filming process in St Andrews and Italy.