BBC's new show Traces [1] follows the story of three female characters who join forces to uncover the truth behind an unsolved murder case. Based on an original story idea by bestselling crime writer Val McDermid, the show is set in Scotland and seeks to explore the mysterious world of SIFA — the Scottish Institute of Forensic Science. The story starts with the show's main character, Emma Hedges, who returns to her hometown to take up a new position as a lab assistant at SIFA.

Emma decides to sign up to an online course that teaches the principles of forensic science, and together with Prof. Sarah Gordon and Prof. Kathy Torrance, she uses the power of forensics to delve into a case that ends up being a lot closer to home than she once thought.

According to the BBC synopsis, "it will be Sarah and Kathy's exacting minds that reward Emma's faith in the science that has fuelled her imagination and who will ultimately bring a killer to justice."

Read on to find out more.

Who is in the cast of Traces?

The main character Emma is played by none other than BAFTA award [2] winning Molly Windsor, who you may recognise from Three Girls. The show also stars Line of Duty [3]'s Martin Compston as Emma's love interest, alongside Laura Fraser who plays Prof. Sarah Gordon, and Jennifer Spence, who plays Prof. Kathy Torrance.

Additional names of note include Michael Nardone, Laurie Brett, Anna Leong Brophy, Morayo Akandé, John Gordon Sinclair, and Joana Borja.

When does Traces air?

Traces first aired on UK TV Alibi last December, but the first episode landed on BBC One on 4 Jan., with all remaining episodes now available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The show will continue to air on BBC One on a weekly basis.

How many episodes of Traces are there?

Like most British sitcoms, the full season of Traces is just six episodes long, with each episode being less than an hour. Sounds manageable enough, right?

Who should watch Traces?

It goes without saying that fans of Line of Duty will enjoy the show thanks to Compston's appearance, but it's also for fans of true crime and those who have a particular interest in the work of forensic scientists.

Watch the trailer for Traces above.