Netflix has just released a brilliant, twisty new crime thriller series

The show has been called the 'best law enforcement mystery since Mare of Easttown'.

Based on the beloved Department Q book series by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the show follows DCI Carl Morck (Matthew Goode, Watchmen), a sarcastic and troubled cop in Edinburgh still reeling from a shooting that left him injured, his partner paralysed (Jamie Sives, Guilt) and a young PC dead.

Returning to work on the condition that he sees a therapist (Kelly Macdonald, Trainspotting), Morck is ordered by his chief inspector (Kate Dickie, The Witch) to manage a newly formed cold case unit.

Deriving its name from the unit's shabby basement office, Dept. Q was established as a PR stunt, designed to distract the public from the failures of an under-resourced police force.

However, can Morck - aided by Akram (Alexej Manvelov, Chernobyl), an IT expert and Syrian refugee with a mysterious past, and Rose (Leah Byrne, Nightsleeper), a young cadet shaken by a recent mental health crisis - actually make a difference in his new role?

This plot line is juxtaposed with the story of Meritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie, Black Mirror), a high-profile and ambitious prosecutor who starts receiving threatening messages.

Also, co-starring Mark Bonnar (Catastrophe) and Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter), Dept Q. was created by Scott Frank (Godless, The Queen's Gambit) and Chandni Lakhani (Dublin Murders, Vigil).

JOE has seen the first two episodes of the show and can say that it is full of the tropes that made series like Sherlock and Slow Horses modern classics: a grumpy detective with a dark past, a lovable supporting ensemble and a carefully calibrated blend of humour and thrills.

However, having written all the episodes, as well as directing most of them, Frank brings to Dept Q a cinematic, gloomy atmosphere; a more slow-burn, thoughtful approach to storytelling; and a wealth of jaw-dropping twists - all of which set the Netflix crime thriller apart from its contemporaries.

You can read a sample of some other positive reviews for Dept. Q below:

The Age (Australia): "But without fail, this enthralling drama, which becomes an unstoppable procedural driven by resuscitation and redemption, transcends the recognisable. Every element is finely honed, making Dept. Q the best law enforcement mystery since Mare of Easttown."

Entertainment Weekly: “'Broken people healing themselves by providing closure for crime victims' can be an especially effective sub-genre if the writing, directing, and casting align — and in Dept. Q everything gels beautifully."

The Guardian: "The script is sharp and lean, and especially good at channelling Morck’s spitting sarcasm."

The Hollywood Reporter: "Solid mystery, great ensemble, ample ongoing potential."

Variety: "Dept. Q is engrossing because its pace and narrative structure portray the detail and patience needed to bring an investigation full circle."

Holding a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, all nine episodes of Dept. Q are streaming on Netflix now.