Streaming service Amazon Prime Video is the home to many popular detective series, keeping viewers up to date with the latest crime mysteries in the world of television. Amazon Prime Video launched in 2011, offering a huge catalog of films and TV shows to stream straight to the screen, effortlessly. Since the soaring popularity of the crime drama genre in recent years, Amazon has commissioned an array of nail-biting mysteries.
As the war between streaming services continues to rage, Amazon Prime Video continues to stand out among the bunch. Though the offering of original series on Prime Video isn’t quite as broad as certain other competitors, Amazon Prime Video more than makes up for it with a vast library of TV shows and movies, including mysteries. Here are the best fifteen detective series available on Amazon Prime Video right now.
15 Gracepoint
An American remake of the British crime drama Broadchurch, Gracepoint sees David Tennant reprise his role as Detective Emmett Carver (Alec Hardy in Broadchurch) in the ten-part series. Tennant appears opposite Breaking Bad star Anna Gunn, as the two investigate the death of a local boy after his body is found washed up on a nearby beach. Both exciting and tense, Gracepoint shines a light on trusting the local community, and how one death changes a small town forever.
14 Harlan Coben’s Shelter
From author Harlan Coben, Shelter is based on the novel of the same name, and follows the story of Mickey Bolitar (Jaden Michael). Following his father’s death, Mickey moves across the country, and upon joining his new school, immediately gets wrapped up in the mysterious disappearance of his classmate. The first season ran for eight episodes and concluded in August 2023, with rumors of a renewal for season 2 of Harlan Coben’s Shelter.
13 Grimm
After a homicide detective finds that he’s a descendant of a group of hunters who spent their days chasing down supernatural creatures, Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) reluctantly finds himself pulled into this new world. Grimm combines elements of a typical detective drama with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, following Nick as he battles against an array of dangerous, mythical creatures in order to protect humanity. The show ran for six seasons, from 2011 to 2017, and was praised for its use of humor with a chilling, eerie atmosphere.
12 Monk
Monk is a mystery comedy series that initially aired on the USA network in 2002. It follows ex-detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), who returns to the force as a consultant as a person with OCD spectrum disorder. On the more lighthearted side compared to a typical detective show, Monk received praise during its run, winning eight Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. 2023 saw streaming service Peacock commission a film sequel of the show, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, with confirmation that the original cast would be reprising their roles.
11 Upload
In the very near future, Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) suddenly dies at the age of 27, and finds his consciousness uploaded to a virtual afterlife. Struggling to adjust to his new digital world, Nathan befriends his support agent Nora (Andy Allo), who is still alive. As the two grow closer, Nora begins to suspect Nathan was in fact murdered, leading her down a rabbit hole to find the truth. Upload combines crime drama with science-fiction, developing a modern and futuristic terror throughout.
10 Carnival Row
Carnival Row follows a group of oppressed mythical beings living alongside humans, with the two species trying to coexist among tension and fear of one another. Hybrid human-fae detective Philo (Orlando Bloom) is left to investigate a string of murders connected to the mythical beings, while trying to avoid revealing his origin to his human counterparts. Carnival Row ran for two seasons and concluded in March 2023, following delays in filming due to the coronavirus pandemic.
9 Absentia
When missing FBI agent Emily Byrne (Stana Katic) is suddenly found alive after six years, her memory lost, she embarks on a journey to find out what happened to her and who she is. On top of the loss of her identity, Emily’s return lands her as the prime suspect in a murder investigation, fighting to prove her innocence. Absentia first aired in 2017 and ran for three seasons before its cancelation in 2021, but it was well-received during its time.
8 Unforgotten
After the body of a young man is found in an abandoned building, DCI Cassie Stuart and her partner Sunny are called in to investigate. The show ran for five seasons, with each focusing on a different murder, and was well-received by critics. Unforgotten is a staple of British crime drama, with a dark and moving performance from Nicola Walker up until her departure in the fourth season.
7 Endeavour
A prequel of the world-famous Inspector Morse, Endeavour is a British crime drama spanning nine seasons before writers decided to bring it to a close in 2023. Endeavour follows the story of Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) as he joins the police force as a constable, eventually rising through the ranks and making it to detective. Endeavour presents an interesting commentary on corruption in law enforcement, while still staying true to the original creations of Colin Dexter.
6 The Terminal List
Starring Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt, U.S. Navy SEAL James Reece returns as the only survivor of an ambush on his platoon. Upon returning, he finds that darker forces are at work against him, and is left doubting his own memories while trying to protect his family. A second season of the show was ordered in February 2023, as well as The Terminal List prequel series, with Taylor Kitsch reprising his role of Ben Edwards.
5 Outer Range
Outer Range follows the story of the Abbott family as they mourn the disappearance of their daughter-in-law, while also fighting off the neighbors trying to make a play for their land. Set in the outskirts of Wyoming, Royal Abbott stumbles across a mysterious black void on his ranch, leaving him with more questions than he started with. The show sees actor Josh Brolin return to television screens after a twenty-year departure, and he will return again for Outer Range season 2, which saw principal photography begin in April 2023.
4 The Devil’s Hour
The Devil’s Hour features Doctor Who and The Thick of It star Peter Capaldi as a crazed serial killer who is approached by social worker Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine), searching for an explanation for her terrifying visions and her connection to his crimes. The Amazon Original was well received by critics, and was renewed for both a second and third season, only one month after its initial release in October 2022. In particular, Capaldi is a standout, and truly chilling in a brand-new kind of role for him.
3 Case Histories
Starring British icons Jason Isaac and Amanda Abbington, Case Histories follows the story of a tough-guy private investigator and his assistant as they try and bring closure to families of the victims of unsolved crimes. Case Histories is based on the Jackson Brodie book series, with the first episode taking inspiration from the 2010 novel Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson. The series was canceled after two seasons, but was praised by critics for its character-focused narrative.
2 Three Pines
Set in quiet, picturesque Quebec, the village of Three Pines is plagued with mystery, most of which can only be spotted by Chief Investigator Armand Gamache (Alfred Molina). Three Pines is based on a novel of the same name, however, the Amazon Original added its own storylines, including Gamache’s investigation into a missing woman. The show stands as a four-part miniseries, with Amazon announcing in March 2023 that it wouldn’t be renewed for another season.
1 Dahaad
Hindi-language crime drama Dahaad is inspired by the story of real-life serial killer Cyanide Mohan, and follows the journey of Anjali Bhaati (Sonakshi Sinha), as she discovers and investigates a pattern of missing women. While off duty, Anjali struggles with her mother’s insistence for her to find a husband, unaware there is a serial killer in the shadows targeting women looking to wed. Dahaad has been well received by critics, and that success has continued since it was brought to Western audiences.
