Murder in a Small Town

A cozy mystery with a dash of romance, set in a gorgeous coastal town in British Columbia? Sign me up. Actually, sign up my husband, too. We both enjoyed the first season of this Canadian import watchable to Americans on Fox or Hulu.

Based on a nine-book series of mystery novels by Canadian author L.R. Wright, Murder in a Small Town hinges on three things—its quaint harbor town of Gibsons, B.C., which anchors the show as more of a character than a setting; its stoic and offbeat chief of police, Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland), whose melancholy kindness somehow works; and its leading lady, the perky yet no-nonsense Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk).

The rather rumpled Alberg has fled the big city where he had a brilliant career as a detective for the supposedly slower pace of Gibsons. Unfortunately for him and the victims, a dead body appears without fail regularly. Because this is a cozy (kind of) show, the murders take place off camera. Alberg must, with the help of his crackerjack team of detectives, puzzle out who did what when. Often, it's his uncanny eye for details missed by 99% of other detectives that helps solve the mystery. Played with a low-key quietude by Sutherland (Donald’s son and Kiefer’s brother, though he resembles neither), Alberg’s unusual, slow-but-methodical pace sets him apart from other TV cops. I was drawn to his unique vibe and the way he conveyed a wounded man who still has good things to contribute, personally and professionally.

Kreuk is all intensity and vim in comparison, and she provides a good foil for Alberg’s careful, watchful ways. She plays the town librarian who has some secrets of her own and is reluctant to get into another failed relationship. Both characters have rocky relational pasts yet seem inexorably drawn to one another. Their romance ignites sooner than I would have liked, but there is plenty of push and pull later on as the relationship has its ups and downs.

It’s the town that elevates these common elements to a higher level. Misty and moody, and featuring an endless supply of clapboard cottages and rocky shores, Gibsons is a delight to visit each episode, however dangerous it might be for the fictional characters. I love that the showrunners showcase the real diner, Molly’s Reach, also the community hub on the Canadian sitcom classic, The Beachcombers.

High-caliber guest stars such as James Cromwell and Stana Katic (whose icy turn as a mysterious woman sent chills up my spine—not in a good way) also raise the bar.

Though it has been compared to a blend of Murder, She Wrote and Sullivan’s Crossing, it’s something different. It’s not as cozy as the first and not as romantic as the second. As the season progresses, the murders get grittier and the tone darker. Since it appears on network TV, you know things will not devolve into total depravity, but it’s still not as charming as I wanted it to be. Ah, well, maybe next season. Murder in a Small Town has been picked up for season two. (Rated TV-14 for violence, mild language. Fox, Hulu, StackTV, and other streaming platforms)