Lynda La Plante and Prime Suspect

We owe Lynda La Plante a debt for creating the hard-bitten character Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison so well played by actress Helen Mirren. Each entry in the series stands alone although following the progression from number 1 to number 7 in order is a particular treat. I found that it took some time for my ear to adapt and 'hear' what was being said. The language may be English but it is not the English spoken 'ere in Kansas. Once the language barrier (?) has been breached the series is a delight.

Screenplays for Prime Suspect 1 and Prime Suspect 3 were written by La Plante and in 1993 she received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for the work. A second Edgar was earned by Allan Cubitt who did the screenplay for Prime Suspect 2. Each entry runs between 3 1/2 and 4 hours and is intense and gritty. The first entry features sexism in the workplace and the uphill battle DCI Tennison must face to form a cohesive investigative team. A serial killer becomes the prey for her team. The second Prime Suspect involves child abuse, pedophilia, and prostitution and DCI Tennison and her team follow the leads to surprisingly high places in the British government.

Prime Suspect 3 sees DCI Tennison facing the personal ravages of alcohol in her life and the effects of an unwanted pregnancy on her professional career.

In Prime Suspect 4, which lasts nearly 41/2 hours is actually 3 short episodes and follows DCI Tennison 's no-nonsense investigations into child abduction, home invasion with murder, and a murdered woman whose case brings a shadow to the guilt of Marlowe who was the prime suspect and convicted killer in the first Prime Suspect - is he really guilty or did Tennison make a mistake?


The Prime Suspect 5 finds Detective Chief Superintendent Tennison demoted and underutilized until she gets a case involving a 12 year old who confesses to murder.

Prime Suspect 6, The Last Witness, has Tennison investigating the murder of a Bosnian refugee leader which then leads her to finding some Serbian war criminals trying to silence the last witnesses to a massacre in the war.

Prime Suspect 7, The Final Act, I think shows Tennison at her best and at her most human. With no life of her own to show for her dedication to her career, she finds herself with a serious alcohol problem. Her father takes ill and her alcohol induced blackouts make her investigative skills suffer. Her final case involves a missing 14 year old girl, a dying father, a retirement, and coming to terms with her own alcoholism.

Helen Mirren won Emmy accolades for this role. Prime Suspect 7 won three Emmy's - Direction, Writing, and Dame Helen Mirren for Outstanding Lead Actress.

The entire series is available in DVD format at the library.

"Perhaps the greatest role and performance of a female police detective, ever"--San Francisco Chronicle