BBC’s Scottish detective drama Granite Harbour returns with a dark new case
Fans of Scottish crime dramas have another murder mystery to sink their teeth into as Granite Harbour returns for its third series.
The Aberdeen-set police drama, which first arrived in 2022, is back with a new case that quickly becomes far more complicated than it first appears. Series three follows two years after the second series, which aired in May 2024. The new run premiered on BBC Scotland on July 23, with BBC One following on Friday, July 24.
For viewers who enjoy Shetland, the comparison may feel familiar. Both dramas combine murder investigations with striking Scottish surroundings and tightly connected communities. Granite Harbour, however, has its own setting and characters, with the latest story taking detectives into Aberdeen’s traveller community.
A birthday celebration ends in tragedy
The opening episode centres on Lisa Sterling, a teenage café employee who disappears into woodland surrounding the upmarket estate of Richard Loughty after a birthday party for Rose Gough, head of the local traveller community.
By morning, Lisa is found dead at the bottom of a ravine.
What initially looks like a tragic accident is quickly confirmed to be murder, sending DCI Cora MacMillan and her team into a difficult investigation.
The case also threatens to deepen longstanding tensions between the traveller community and more traditional Aberdonian residents. Detectives call on the assistance of an experienced liaison officer as they attempt to understand the community and work out what happened to Lisa.
The investigation becomes even more complicated as the police come under increased scrutiny themselves.
Following their previous high-profile case, Chief Constable Alan Willis has commissioned an inquiry by the Special Police Investigations Service, or SPIS. That means the team are dealing with pressure from inside the force while trying to uncover the truth about Lisa’s death.
As DC Davis Lindo, DS Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett and the rest of the team get closer to the answers, a major revelation forces them to reconsider what they thought they knew about the killing.
The third series consists of three episodes, with the story continuing through July and concluding on August 6.
How does Granite Harbour compare with Shetland?
The return has inevitably prompted comparisons with Shetland, another popular Scottish crime drama known for its atmospheric locations and murder mysteries.
Viewers have taken to IMDb to share their opinions, and the response has been mixed.
One viewer said the series was an easy watch and praised its central mystery, explaining that after three episodes they had not managed to work out the ending despite usually guessing the outcome of shows of this type.
Another viewer focused on the scenery, saying the sweeping Scottish landscapes reminded them of Shetland, although they were less convinced by the show’s musical choices.
Not everyone thought the comparison worked.
One viewer welcomed the chance to watch a crime drama set in Aberdeen and Scotland but argued that Granite Harbour should not be considered another Shetland, Taggart or Vera.
Others placed it in a broader category of accessible crime dramas. One viewer summed up their impression as “Death in Paradise meets Taggart.”
A new mystery for Lindo and Bart
The third series continues to follow Lindo and Bart as they investigate a case that reaches beyond a single murder.
The story brings together Lisa’s death, the traveller community and Richard Loughty’s estate, while the detectives are forced to navigate tensions that have existed long before the investigation began.
The returning cast includes Romario Simpson as DC Davis Lindo, Hannah Donaldson as DS Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett and Dawn Steele as DCI Cora MacMillan. New and returning guest characters include Alastair Mackenzie as Richard Loughty, Ellie Haddington as Rose Gough and John Gordon Sinclair as Chief Constable Graeme Willis.
With its Aberdeen setting, close-knit communities and increasingly tangled murder investigation, Granite Harbour has plenty to offer viewers who enjoy Scottish detective dramas. Whether it can live up to the comparisons with Shetland is another question, but the third series certainly gives the detectives a case with enough secrets and complications to keep the mystery moving.