The first six series of the Victorian detective drama starring Brian Cox and Siobhan Redmond

Based on the real-life memoirs of the 19th Century investigator who inspired Sherlock Holmes, Inspector James McLevy, this atmospheric mystery series features the fictional casebook of Edinburgh's finest thief-taker. Accompanied by his loyal partner, Constable Mulholland, McLevy prowls the murky streets of 1840s Leith bringing criminals to justice—assisted by the madam of Edinburgh's finest bawdy-house, the deliciously immoral Jean Brash.

In this collection of thrilling episodes, he goes on the trail of an ingenious cat burglar; contemplates a game of golf with desperate stakes; and joins Her Majesty's protection squad to hunt down a deadly assassin. He also faces trouble in the shape of a runaway bridegroom and a blackmailer; probes a judge's murder as his allegedly cheating wife claims her innocence; and looks into the curious case of the Italian aristocrat found dead at Waverley station. Meanwhile, Jean Brash plans revenge on a sadistic client—but her deadly battle with the malign Caleb Grant has heartbreaking consequences...

Also included is the original pilot show, introducing us to the dour detective; and a Christmas Special, in which McLevy forswears Yuletide revelry to hunt for a supernatural thief...

Brian Cox stars as McLevy, with Siobhan Redmond as Jean Brash, Michael Perceval-Maxwell as Constable Mulholland, David Ashton as Lieutenant Roach and Colette O'Neill as Hannah.

Produced and directed by Patrick Rayner
Image credit: © Pete Hambling/BBC

Cast
Inspector McLevy - Brian Cox
Jean Brash - Siobhan Redmond
Constable Mulholland - Michael Perceval-Maxwell
Lieutenant Roach - David Ashton
Maguire - Stuart McQuarrie

With Irene Allan, Steven Atholl, David Bannerman, Maureen Beattie, John Bett, Paul Blair, Kenny Blyth, Mark Bonnar, Carolyn Bonnyman, Ewen Bremner, Liam Brennan, Tam Dean Burn, James Bryce, Jimmy Chisholm, Andrew Clark, Sandra Clark, Tom Cotcher, Alan Cox, Susan Coyle, Carol Ann Crawford, Graham Crowden, Emma Currie, Ron Donachie, Sheila Donald, Simon Donaldson, Tom Fleming, Monica Gibb, Tom Goodman-Hill, Stella Gonet, Sandy Grierson, Shirley Henderson, Lewis Howden, Jenny Hulse, John-Paul Hurley, Molly Innes, John Kielty, Kananu Kirimi, Claire Knight, Robin Laing, Eliza Langland, Vicki Liddelle, Phyllis Logan, Bryan Lowe, Angus MacInnes, Patrick Malahide, Forbes Masson, Helen McAlpine, Clare McCarron, Mark McDonnell, John McGlynn, Robert McIntosh, David McKall, Jayne McKenna, Steven McNicoll, Anna McPhail, Andrew Neil, Jamie Newall, Colette O'Neil, James Anthony Pearson, Matthew Pidgeon, Gabriel Quigley, Malcolm Rennie, Ralph Riach, David Robb, Struan Rodger, Dominic Di Rollo, Wendy Seager, Sean Scanlan, Laura Smales, Tom Smith, John Stahl, Simon Tait, Robin Thomson, Frances Thorburn, Joanna Tope, Jim Webster-Stewart, Finlay Welsh, Tracy Wiles, Jordan Young, Paul Young, Jimmy Yuill

First broadcast BBC Radio 4: 26 July 1999 (Pilot), 21 December 2000-11 January 2001 (Series 1), 19 June-10 July 2002 (Series 2), 1-22 December 2003 (Series 3), 3-24 April 2006 (Series 4), 25 December 2006 (Christmas Special), 27 January-17 February 2009 (Series 5), 21 December 2009-11 January 2010 (Series 6)