by Anne Brodie
Knocked out by the gripping new conspiracy drama series Down Cemetery Road starring Emma Thompson who also exec produces and Ruth Wilson; they play Zoë Boehm, a private investigator who runs a small detective agency with her husband in Oxford, and Sarah Trafford, a woman who becomes concerns when a child disappears in a home explosion. Sarah lives in a quiet street rocked by a shattering firebomb blast in a neighbour’s house. The homeowners are killed, but little Dinah Singelton survives: Sarah sees her being packed into a car and driven off. However, official reports claim all three were killed, and news footage shows a child’s covered body placed in an ambulance. Sarah’s deeply disturbed and scans the news – all outlets claim she died of smoke inhalation. So why the blast? The home’s gas supply was cut off, so it must have been a deliberate act.
Sarah seeks out Zoë to tell what she knows, and shows her the photos and video her husband had taken at the scene. Zoë acts quickly to find the “disappeared” child they believe is in danger and come up against nothing but obstacles. Men are following them. And Zoë’s husband dies apparently by suicide but she knows better; she’d told him everything about the case and realises he was murdered. Zoë and Sarah continue their fruitless search until one day a little girl on the street waves at her – her former neighbour Dinah. Sarah’s kidnapped and held captive and Zoë uncovers information that leads to a long-ago failed military operation in a far-off land and the upper reaches of English government. So well written, witty, sparing, with very occasional jolts of humour, it’s high tension, brainy stuff that will keep you engaged, horrified and amused over eight episodes. And Thompson who continues down her new acting path of straight, serious roles contrasts with Ruth Wilson to create intuitive, dramatic flair. Adapted from Mick Herron’s award-winning novel from the Oxford book series. Streaming on Apple TV+ Oct 29. Wow.