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Published 12:55 4 Feb 2024 GMT
Updated 12:55 4 Feb 2024 GMT

Disney+ has just added Black Cake, a murder mystery series with a whopping 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based on a bestselling book by Charmaine Wilkerson and executively produced by Oprah Winfrey, the show is described as "a family drama wrapped in a murder mystery" with a story that takes place in Jamaica, Italy, Scotland, England and Southern California.
"In the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey (Mia Isaac, Not Okay) disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica and is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder," the plot synopsis reads.
"In present day California, a widow named Eleanor Bennett (Chipo Chung, Silo), loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children, Byron (Ashley Thomas, Top Boy) and Benny (Adrienne Warren, The Woman King), a flash drive that holds previously untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America.
"These stories, narrated by Eleanor, shock her children and challenge everything they thought they knew about their family’s origin."
Created by Marissa Jo Cerar (13 Reasons Why and The Handmaid's Tale), Black Cake aired in the US over last November and December and was praised for its emotional story, its rich themes and its lavish production design.
You can check out a sample of some of the positive reviews the show received from critics below:
Autostraddle: "Part family drama and part murder mystery, Black Cake is about family, identity, and the ways our choices reverberate through our future. It’s about the stories we tell and more importantly, the ones we don’t..."
AV Club: "There’s deliciousness to be found in the specificity of Black Cake’s story, in being submerged in its island flavors and cultural complexities."
The Guardian: "This highly intelligent, skilful novel adaptation might tackle heavy themes around race, grief and gender, but it’s an elegant, striking watch, featuring scenes with exquisite period costuming."
Variety: "A beautiful and gutting mystery drama led by rising star Mia Isaac, Black Cake is a thoughtful tapestry of what we conceal so we might remain whole."
The eight-episode series is now available to stream on Disney+ in Ireland and the UK in its entirety.
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