Inside A Taste for Murder: Unpacking ITV’s Sun-Soaked Italian Mystery Series
If you have navigated past that hyper-charged, sensationalized social media marketing copy, you are looking at A Taste for Murder, a six-part British crime-drama series created by Matt Baker for ITVX and BritBox.
Capri, Family Grief, and Local Homicides
Moving away from standard gritty domestic procedurals, the series blends a sun-drenched Mediterranean resort aesthetic with a classic fish-out-of-water investigative setup:
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The Setup: The story follows DCI Joe Mottram (played by Warren Brown), a grieving metropolitan police detective trying to cope with the loss of his wife. Seeking a fresh environment and a way to repair his relationship with his teenage daughter, Angelica (played by Beau Gadsdon), he travels to the island of Capri, Italy, to stay with his estranged in-laws (played by Phyllis Logan and Urbano Barberini).
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The Interrupted Holiday: What was meant to be a quiet retreat quickly unravels when Joe finds himself inevitably drawn into local law enforcement matters.
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The Local Partnership: Working alongside local Italian police inspector Lara Sarrancino (played by Cristiana Dell’Anna), Joe navigates a string of bizarre, high-stakes crimes across the island—ranging from suspicious tourist deaths off cliffs and murders at private estate events to mafia-linked discoveries.
Key Cast & Production Scale
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Warren Brown (The Responder, Trigger Point) anchors the series with a weathered, empathetic performance as a father juggling personal grief with investigative compulsion.
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Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) and Cristiana Dell’Anna (Gomorrah) provide powerful supporting weight, grounding the local family friction and procedural dynamics.
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Co-Production: Produced by Eagle Eye Drama and ITV Studios, the series makes extensive use of striking coastal backdrops, filming on location across Italy and Croatia.
The Verdict
While internet marketing blurbs always dial the hyperbole up to 11 to pitch every new sunshine-laden import as an exact clone of established cozy hits, A Taste for Murder leans a bit heavier into personal grief and familial drama while still delivering a gorgeous, easy-watching Mediterranean mystery. If you enjoy picturesque island backdrops paired with breezy international crime-solving, it makes for a very satisfying watch.
