British TV Crime series, it transpires, have much in common with the UK staple of bangers & mash; both usually feature simple ingredients that add up to a greater delectable whole. Your typical British TV crime drama may have you thinking of aristocratic tea drinking heroes, peering through the hedges at some suspicious goings on about the Village green. But there's a whole other side to British Crime Dramas - a tough contemporary side where hardened detectives battle it out with society's most depraved and disturbing criminals. The British seem to have a talent for depicting the complicated and sometimes compromised nature of coppers. This is a complete collection of my favourite gritty, funny and suspense filled British crime shows produced since 1980. Over a number of years the author has taken the time to watch and carefully evaluate each series described in this book. Rather than simply providing an overview, this compilation offers reviews intended to illuminate key issues as well as ratings and other detailed information on over 100 British TV crime drama series.