Audiences are being encouraged to catch up on the enthralling crime series hailed as a "must-see" by enthusiasts, with the second series set to premiere in mere days. The ITV series Karen Pirie, featuring Outlander star Lauren Lyle in the titular role, is gearing up for its return, promising to delve into another intriguing cold case. Debuting in 2022, the drama draws inspiration from Val McDermid's series of books centred around Inspector Karen Pirie . In its inaugural series, viewers watched Karen tackle a decades-old murder of a barmaid, navigating through a labyrinth of secrets and falsehoods to pinpoint the true culprit amidst numerous possible motives. With production credits shared with hit shows like Line of Duty and Bodyguard, the upcoming series will adapt McDermid's novel A Darker Domain, reports the Express . Lauren returns as a young, fearless Scottish investigator "with a quick mouth and a tenacious desire for the truth" alongside the likes of Emer Kenny and Chris Jenks, as well as a host of newcomers. The show garnered critical acclaim upon its initial release, boasting an impressive 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earning Lauren the title of Best Actress - Television at the Bafta Scotland Awards in 2023. One admirer commented: "Interesting plot. Very well done. If you like police procedurals and true crime podcasts, you will enjoy this series." Another eagerly stated: "Can't wait for a second season! I love Lauren Lyles - I'm a great Outlander fan!" A third viewer remarked: "Great detective with a fantastic Lauren Lyle. Funny, engaging. A classic British crime drama with a nice modern touch to it." "I thought this was great! Suspenseful, funny and dramatic all at the same time," a fourth viewer chimed in. "Must see. Superb acting, story and most direction except some over ambitious camera moves. Really hoping for a second season," another penned. Their wishes have now been granted, with the second series launching after a three-year hiatus. The three-part drama will be available on ITVX from Sunday, with the first episode airing at 8pm. The official summary for the second series states: "After her bittersweet success in series one, Karen has been promoted to Detective Inspector and seemingly given the authority she has long been fighting for. "Just as she's getting into the swing of her powerful new role, she is assigned an infamous unsolved case that will put her under intense scrutiny; from her boss, from the media, and ultimately, from sinister forces that would rather the past stayed in the past. "The 1984 case of Catriona and Adam Grant has confounded investigators and intrigued the public like no other. Catriona, the charming young heiress to a vast oil fortune, and her two-year-old son Adam, were brutally kidnapped at gunpoint outside a fish and chip shop in Fife. "The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again. "Now, a man's body has been discovered, with indisputable links to the original kidnap. With the first piece of evidence in decades, Karen must assemble an unbeatable team alongside her sincere and lovable sidekick DC Jason 'Mint' Murray (Chris Jenks) and the brilliant - but romantically complicated - DS Phil Parhatka (Zach Wyatt). "With the international renown of the kidnap and the constant pressure from Catriona's father, Sir Broderick Grant (James Cosmo), the team take on the biggest challenge of their careers to date. "As Karen delves deeper into what happened in the autumn of 1984, political grudges and painful secrets reveal themselves, and it soon becomes clear... the past is far from dead." Lauren had previously hinted that this series would be "a little bit more epic, a little bit bigger", expressing how "really excited" she was for viewers to tune in. "I'm thrilled that we will continue the life of our fearless young detective Karen Pirie, and of course, her bumbag. I've known for a while how well the show has gone down behind the scenes so it's been a joy to see audiences want more," she remarked. Karen Pirie season 2 will air on Sunday, July 20, with the first episode premiering at 8pm on ITV1.