Today, BritBox shared a first look image from the new adaptation of Elizabeth George’s New York Times best-selling Inspector Lynley crime novels, announcing the start of production on the four-part series, Lynley, from Colin Callender’s award-winning production company, Playground (Wolf Hall, All Creatures Great and Small).

Leo Suter (Vikings: Valhalla) as “DI Tommy Lynley” and Sofia Barclay (Ted Lasso) as “DS Barbara Havers” star as the unconventional detective duo in the thrilling, sophisticated crime drama currently shooting in Ireland. The series will explore timely themes of gender, class and ethics, all while under the pressure of seeking justice.

Tommy Lynley is a brilliant police detective but an outsider in the force – simply by virtue of his aristocratic upbringing. He is paired with Barbara Havers, a sergeant with a maverick attitude and a working-class background. With seemingly nothing in common and against all odds, the mismatched duo of Lynley and Havers become a formidable team, bonded by their desire to see justice done. His brain and her spirit – his knowledge and her instincts. It is only through working side by side do they both find where they truly belong.

Daniel Mays (Magpie Murders) plays DCI Brian Nies, the astute, suspicious Senior Detective at Three Counties Major Incident Team, whose aversion to Lynley is partly born of his own insecurities about class and partly because he knows he’s no longer the smartest person in the room.

Rounding out the cast are Niamh Walsh (The English Game) as Helen Clyde, an estate agent and Lynley’s former Oxford classmate whose romance with Lynley is sparked when their paths fatefully cross on a case; Michael Workeye (My Lady Jane) as tech specialist Tony Bekele; and Joshua Sher (Vera) as forensic scientist, Simon St. James.

Lynley is powered by a stellar creative team. Created, written and executive produced by Steve Thompson (Vienna Blood, Sherlock), Ed Bazalgette (Marie Antoinette S2, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die) serves as lead director with Suzanne McAuley (Magpie Murders, Love/Hate) as Series Producer. David Stern and Colin Callender are executive producers for Playground with Robert Schildhouse, Stephen Nye, Jon Farrar and Jess O’ Riordan executive producers for BritBox, Kate Woods executive producer for BBC Studios and Sue Deeks as executive producer for the BBC.

Robert Schildhouse, President North America and GM BritBox International said, “Fueled by best-selling IP and the creative genius of Steve Thompson, Colin Callender and the team at Playground, Lynley is sure to be a hit with BritBox viewers. We look forward to bringing this polished, sharp take on an iconic series to the screen for devoted and soon-to-be fans.”

Executive Producer and Joint Managing Director of Playground, David Stern said, “Elizabeth George created an iconic, timeless detective duo who serve not only as a thrilling and often humorous mismatched team, but the perfect way into a television series that explores important topics such as class, gender and the nature of good police work. Steve Thompson’s adaptation boldly embraces Elizabeth’s books while bringing new twists and turns and an incredible amount of heart to both the mysteries and characters. We’re grateful to our partners at BritBox, BBC Studios and BBC for their enthusiasm and can’t wait for audiences to embrace and fall in love with Lynley.”

Writer and Executive Producer Steve Thompson said, “It's a privilege and a thrill to have the opportunity to adapt these wonderful books for television. Elizabeth George's iconic characters are greatly loved and her gripping stories are smart and ingenious.”

Author Elizabeth George said, “I'm thrilled to see Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers come to television again, especially through the participation of the BBC and BritBox and the production expertise of Playground. Watching my characters brought to life on television is a real celebration.”

Elizabeth George, the NYT-bestselling author of the original source material, serves as an executive producer on the series. The Inspector Lynley books have been translated into over 30 languages and adapted into a BBC series, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, which ran from 2001-2007 and is currently available on BritBox.

Lynley will premiere on BritBox in the U.S. and Canada and on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK. The drama will be distributed internationally by BBC Studios.