Karen Pirie is officially coming back for a third series, with Lauren Lyle returning as the Scottish detective for another cold case on ITV and STV. Following the success of Series 2, the new six-part run will adapt The Skeleton Road, the third novel in Val McDermid’s Karen Pirie series. Filming is due to begin in 2027, with Scottish screenwriter Gillian Roger Park taking over the adaptation and Lyle also joining the production as an executive producer.

ITV says the second series averaged 5.3 million viewers and reached a peak of 5.6 million, while generating 11 million streams across ITVX and STV Player. The drama has also picked up awards from BAFTA Scotland, RTS Scotland and the Celtic Media Festival since first arriving in 2022.

What Is Karen Pirie Series 3 About?

The new investigation begins when a man’s remains are discovered hidden in the roof of a derelict building in Edinburgh. Karen learns that the victim fled the Balkans conflict during the 1990s and later came to Scotland, where he married a woman who has since become a famous author.

The discovery quickly attracts attention, but as Karen digs into the man’s past, she uncovers old secrets and a cycle of revenge that has followed people across decades. With someone apparently taking justice into their own hands, Karen must work out who is behind the killings before there is another victim.

Lauren Lyle said returning to the role has become “one of the most delicious thrills” of her career, adding that she is especially excited to step into an executive producer role for Series 3. She also teased a “wilder story” with more twists, thrills and, naturally, plenty of Karen’s trademark eye rolls.

Who Is Making Karen Pirie Series 3?

Gillian Roger Park, whose credits include The Young Offenders, Avenue 5 and The Bombing of Pan Am 103, will lead the adaptation. She takes over from Emer Kenny, who adapted the first two series, with Deli Segal also writing an episode.

Val McDermid will return as an executive producer alongside Park, Lauren Lyle and World Productions CEO Simon Heath. Marcus Wilson, who produced Series 2, will also return as producer. Park said she was especially happy to continue showcasing modern Scotland through the series, while McDermid described The Skeleton Road as a favourite among many readers and said she was excited to see the story brought to television.

When Will Karen Pirie Series 3 Be Released?

There is no release date yet, with filming set to begin in 2027. The third series will consist of six hour-long episodes and will air on ITV and STV, with episodes also available through ITVX and STV Player.

For CultureCues, we’re so happy Karen Pirie is coming back. Lauren Lyle is brilliant in the role, and as a Scottish series, it is always one we’re especially excited to see return. We love the humour she brings to Karen as well as the darker side of the cases, and Series 2 was such a strong return for the show. We’ll definitely be watching when Series 3 arrives.

Karen Pirie Series 3 will begin filming in 2027, with a release date still to be announced.

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