Forget Sherlock Holmes — this historical series takes us into 19th-century London, following the very first female detective

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8 Jun 2026 • 1:50 AM MYT
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Image from: Forget Sherlock Holmes — this historical series takes us into 19th-century London, following the very first female detective
Forget Sherlock Holmes — this historical series takes us into 19th-century London, following the very first female detective ©2020 A+E Studios, Element 8 Entertainment, ShinAwil Productions

Forget Miss Marple — make way for Eliza Scarlet, a young private detective determined to uncover the secrets and mysteries of those willing to do anything to keep them hidden. This little-known series immerses us in the foggy London of 1882.

19th-century London, a Scotland Yard inspector, criminal investigations... No, this is not Sherlock Holmes, but a more female-driven historical drama. Set in Victorian London, Miss Scarlet, Private Detective follows the fictional story of an unconventional heroine: Eliza Scarlet, a young woman who refuses to accept the fate society expects of her after her father’s death. It may not be widely known, but it is certainly a series worth discovering.

Image from: Forget Sherlock Holmes — this historical series takes us into 19th-century London, following the very first female detective
Kate Phillips stars as Eliza Scarlet, the first female detective in London – © 2020 A+E Studios, Element 8 Entertainment, ShinAwil Productions

A crime drama set in Victorian London

London, 1882. Eliza Scarlet finds herself on the brink of ruin following the sudden death of her father, a private detective. Although her family makes it clear that marriage would be the most sensible solution, the young woman instead decides to take over the family agency on her own. A particularly bold decision in a society where women are rarely welcomed into criminal investigations.

To conduct her enquiries, Eliza frequently teams up with William Wellington, a Scotland Yard inspector known as 'The Duke'. Gruff, charming and occasionally uncontrollable, he gradually becomes her closest ally.

Each episode centres on a different case, often difficult investigations that Eliza, short of money, cannot afford to turn down. Alongside these standalone mysteries runs a longer investigation into the murder of her father and the motive behind the crime. Beyond its engaging plotlines and richly detailed settings, the character of Eliza Scarlet — inspired by Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice — proves especially courageous in this male-dominated world. In short, it is an entertaining series where mysteries, investigations and social criticism intertwine, all set against the backdrop of a foggy London worthy of the finest English novels. All five seasons are now available to watch on Prime Video.