THE HELEN WEST CASEBOOK
Acorn Media US / Region 1 / Out now
For some years now the gorgeous Amanda Burton has been one of the biggest female stars on TV, able to pick and choose her projects as she sees fit. This excellent three disc set was one of the big ITV series of 2001. Based on the novels of former crown prosecutor turned best selling novelist Frances Fyfield Burton plays Helen West, herself a crown prosecutor who is never afraid of getting personally involved in her troubling and usually gruesome cases. In true maverick style she also has a dodgy homelife involved as she is in an off-on relationship with copper Chief Superintendent Bailey (played by Conor Mullen).
Only three feature length episodes were made which is a shame as they are very strong dramatically, easily the equal of any other crime drama you'd care to mention. Burton though has always been keen to move on to pastures new, leaving Silent Witness after just a few series and looking to do the same with the similarly themed The Commander. Some prominent guest stars pop up in the series too including the likes of Martin Freeman, Rita Tushingham, Dermot Crowley and Anthony Howell (from Foyle's War).
A very watchable and very welcome addition to the dvd shelf marked crime.
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