First Look: THE LONG CALL Trailer, Riveting Rural Crime Drama

We big-city dwellers love to dream about moving to a place where people are scarce and beautiful landscapes are abundant. Scenic landscapes are not exempt from the crime of murder, however, as our exclusive first look at The Long Call trailer reminds.

Launching exclusively in North America as a BritBox Original, the series is inspired by the same-titled novel by Ann Cleeves, first published in 2019. (Cleeves' past crime novels have inspired the series Vera and Shetland.) Set in North Devon, a coastal region in South West England, where the crime writer grew up, The Long Call follows Detective Matthew Venn (Ben Aldridge, Fleabag) as he investigates a major crime.

From the official synopsis: "The day Matthew turned his back on the strict evangelical community in which he grew up, he lost his family too. Now he's back, not just to mourn his father at distance but to take charge of his first major case in the Two Rivers region; a complex place not quite as idyllic as tourists suppose. A body has been found on the beach near Matthew's new home: a man with the tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death."

The four-episode series will enjoy its North American premiere on Thursday, October 28, exclusively on the BritBox streaming service. I've watched the first three episodes already and found them quite gripping.

As portrayed by Ben Aldrich, Detective Venn makes for a strong lead; he's a quiet sort of chap who is not given to shouting, or even speaking loudly, but he has a commanding presence, and it's easy to see him leading an investigation, even poking boldly into the strict religious community in which he grew up. The cast is up to his level of performance. As more than a bonus, North Devon itself has the advantage of looking incredibly gorgeous and autumnal, which is fitting for this time of year.

Have a first look at the trailer below, and then mark your calendar to begin watching the series on October 28.