18 Best Crime and Mystery Shows on Prime Video Right Now (March 2026): ‘Scarpetta’ and More

Scarpetta stars Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist who finds her past coming back to haunt her while investigating a new case. A recent killing bears similarities to a serial killer she supposedly identified 25 years ago — did Kay get the wrong man thrown in jail? Helped by her brother-in-law and former cast partner Pete (Bobby Cannavale), Kay digs into the case while also dealing with her dysfunctional family problems, as the show alternates between the past to paint a full portrait of the present.

With its compelling dual-narrative structure, Scarpetta stands out from other offerings in a crowded crime and mystery television landscape. Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis (who plays Kay’s sister, Dot) are completely hypnotic when they’re on screen together, perfectly mimicking bickering siblings. But the entire ensemble of family members has great chemistry, including Cannavale, Ariana DeBose, and Simon Baker. While the show certainly gets pulpier across its eight-episode arc, it never tries to be anything it isn’t and it’s always interesting. 

Prime Video’s latest hit series, Young Sherlock, offers a refreshing new take on the classic mystery icon. The show follows Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) after he’s released from prison and secures a spot as a scout at Oxford’s Candlin College. But when a burglary occurs on campus, the formerly delinquent Holmes is the top suspect. Suddenly, Holmes finds himself putting on a detective’s hat as he investigates the crime, which ultimately leads to a murder — for which Holmes is arrested on suspicion of committing.

Young Sherlock is a fantastic new spin on the character, with every episode directed by none other than Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: Book of Shadows filmmaker Guy Ritchie. Instead of recreating the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Young Sherlock instead creates an action-packed, irreverent and breezy mystery narrative of its own making. It indulges in what Ritchie does best: quality character development, clever stylistic flourishes, and perfect popcorn entertainment. The series also features Colin Firth and Joseph Fiennes.

Veteran homicide detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) is a devoted father and a decorated investigator. In Washington, D.C., he stops at nothing to bring criminals to justice by understanding exactly how they think, but it often comes at the expense of his anger issues and unresolved trauma over the death of his wife. Just as he’s considering taking a leave of absence, he gets wrapped up in a case involving the murder of a local Black Lives Matter activist, where he finds himself at odds with a white police chief (Jennifer Wigmore).

For viewers who love cop-drama cliches, you’ll enjoy Cross, which has plenty of them — in a good way. Hodge makes for easily the best portrayal yet of Patterson’s famous character, giving a commanding, charismatic performance. The recently released season 2 has even received a bump in acclaim, with critics praising it for digging deeper with higher stakes and a more provocative story.

In the part of the American Southwest where four states meet, Navajo Tribal Police Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Mattern) work together solving crimes and bringing justice to their Native American community in the 1970s. Finding their reservation increasingly plagued by more and more violent crimes, the cops must reckon with their collective pasts, personal demons and the old wounds that still haunt their community.

Dark Winds brings Native-focused stories to the forefront by wrapping them in a gripping crime thriller series carried handily by McClarnon’s leading man swagger. The show boasts an impressive 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score for every season since it premiered back in 2022, including its most recent one. Dark Winds is a fantastic blend of atmospheric noir and authentic Native representation, creating a show that stands out amongst the crime drama pack.

Zara (Sophie Turner), an ordinary office worker at pension investment firm Lochmill Capital, has her life turned upside-down when her humdrum day becomes a fight for her life when her work becomes the center of a major heist. A gang of aggressive thieves forces Zara and her coworker and best friend Luke (Archie Madekwe) to enact their demands. In the resulting aftermath, Detective Inspector Rhys (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) races to figure out why and how four billion pounds were stolen out of people’s pensions.

Lean, fast-paced and well-acted, Steal is a pulse-pounding crime thriller led by a performance from Turner that some critics have likened to Bruce Willis in Die Hard. If you aren’t looking for an intelligent drama and just some good old-fashioned entertainment, Steal is the show for you. At only six episodes, Steal is a no-fuss and no-frills character drama with plenty of exciting twists.

Chloe (Jessica Biel) and Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) are two estranged sisters living very different lives. Chloe is a high-powered career woman, the editor-in-chief of The Real Thing magazine and living a picture-perfect life with her lawyer husband Adam (Corey Stoll) and son Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan). Meanwhile, Nicky battles an addiction and struggles to make a living. When Adam is murdered, the sisters are forced together to confront their complicated family history — which includes the fact that they were both married to the same man.

Handily anchored by top-notch performances from Banks and Biel, The Better Sister dabbles in some intriguing moral ambiguity in a dense mystery narrative that will leave you hitting “next” at the end of each episode. The superb blend of family drama and mystery-thriller makes for a compelling binge-watch, while managing to execute some intelligent thematic threads pertaining to regret, guilt and grief.

Tutor Adam (Jack Whitehall) meets the wealthy Tanner family and ingratiates himself enough to become their male nanny. The clan is made up of smart-mouthed businessman Jamie (David Duchovny), his wife Nat (Carice Van Houten) and their three children. However, Adam has some tricks up his sleeve: he hasn’t come to work for the Tanners out of benevolence, but out of revenge. Will the Tanners figure out Adam’s plan before it’s too late?

If you enjoy shows like The White Lotus, you’re likely to have a great time with Malice, which features a pitch-perfect performance from Duchovny. The script leaves you wanting more at the end of every episode and the beautiful tropical setting is hard to look away from. Ultimately, Malice has a fun script and a great cast, and makes for supremely bingeable TV.

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan takes the characters from Clancy’s 20th-century novels and transposes them into a modern-day setting, as we follow CIA analyst and former US Marine Jack Ryan (John Krasinski). In the first season, Ryan is pulled from desk duty and thrust into the field after discovering a string of dodgy bank transfers that are ultimately linked to a terrorist organization.

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is a high-entertaining action and political thriller, proving that the enduring character of Jack Ryan can find success through episodic form in addition to movies and books. Krasinski was praised for his ability to carry the show and portray Ryan with ease, as was the show’s confident direction, exciting action sequences and smart scriptwriting.

This crime drama, based on John le Carré’s novel of the same name, follows former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston), who works as a hotel night manager. Pine is contacted to spy on an international businessman named Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), who is believed to be in criminal cahoots with the intelligence community. Pine goes undercover in Roper’s circle while maintaining his hotel job and falling for Roper’s girlfriend (Elizabeth Debicki).

Despite it having aired nearly a decade ago, The Night Manager just released its second season with Hiddleston, Laurie and Colman all reprising their roles. In both seasons, the Emmy Award-winning series has great writing, a gripping story and compelling lead performances that make it one of Prime Video’s best shows.

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) can find clues just by looking at people’s bones, and so she is frequently contacted by law enforcement in order to assist with cases. Bringing her human remains that are badly damaged or severely decomposed, Brennan is nevertheless able to help solve crimes. Working in tandem with FBI Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), the two form an alliance while balancing their personal lives. 

This long-running Fox series received mixed reviews for its pilot back in 2005, but went on to become very acclaimed, with particular praise going to the performances from Deschanel and Boreanaz. Blending forensic science with crime procedural and light romantic comedy, Bones is one of the most bingeable shows of the last 20 years.

Hit Bosch spinoff Ballard follows Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), who has recently been transferred to the LAPD’s cold case department after a conflict with her superiors led to her fall from grace in the department. But as Ballard assembles a team and starts tracking a serial killer, she uncovers a sinister police conspiracy that threatens everything she stands for.

Now that Ballard has been renewed for a second season, it’s the perfect time to get hooked on this sun-drenched, sweeping detective story that’s full of tension, intrigue and emotional depth and will shock you every step of the way.

James Roday Rodriguez stars as Shawn Spencer, a charismatic man whose keen observational skills are so sharp that it’s easier to make people believe he’s psychic than that he’s simply that observant. With help from his best friend Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill), Shawn investigates cases while delivering a steady mix of comedy and intrigue.

The series combines traditional detective tropes with comedic elements, creating a fresh take on crime-solving. Its consistent balance of humor and suspense keeps viewers invested and proves why Psych remains a fan favorite years after its finale.

One of the most fun crime shows ever is Castle, a comedy-drama mystery series that follows mystery novelist Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion), who teams up with Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) after he helps the NYPD with a case that’s mimicking the plot of one of his books. Much to Beckett’s frustration, Castle decides to use her as inspiration for his next novel, and an iconic partnership is born.

The witty banter and undeniable chemistry between Beckett and Castle is delightful to watch, and despite Castle’s lack of crime-fighting experience, they turn out to make an excellent team. Castle uses his creativity and literary expertise to provide insight into the minds of the criminals as the duo tackles some of the high-stakes and bizarre murder cases in New York City. The show seamlessly blends elements of traditional procedural drama with humor and romantic tension, keeping you hooked on two big questions: “How will Castle and Beckett solve the crime?” and “When will Castle and Beckett just kiss already?!”

Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) stars in this new limited series — his first as a leading man. Based on a graphic novel series, Butterfly is an action-packed father-daughter story about David Jung (Kim), a retired U.S. intelligence operative living in South Korea whose past resurfaces to threaten his life and family.

Reina Hardesty also stars as Rebecca, David’s daughter, who is initially sent to kill him by CADDIS, a sinister spy organization. Before long, however, Rebecca and David must team up to ensure their survival — and repair their fractured relationship. Action, humor and family drama combine in this explosive new series about international espionage.

The Amazon Prime show that led to two spinoffs — Bosch: Legacy and Ballard — is tremendously popular, and for good reason. Based on the novels by Michael Connelly, it follows Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), a tenacious Los Angeles homicide detective who navigates a complex world filled with crime, conspiracy and corruption. One of the most engaging and authentic portrayals of LA on TV, Bosch features a well-constructed world full of gripping mysteries. The rich narrative intertwines Bosch’s personal and professional lives, leading to strong character development.

Bosch’s relentless pursuit of justice often leads him to moral ambiguities in his work, creating narrative dilemmas that are addictively complex. Crime and mystery fans will be hooked.

While Anthony Hopkins‘ portrayal of the character in The Silence of the Lambs is iconic, Hannibal Lecter had a life before Clarice Starling. This series explores the backstory of the infamous cannibal serial killer, brilliantly portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen. It focuses on the complex relationship between Lecter and FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). This chilling drama explores Graham’s ability to empathize with sociopaths and visualize their crimes, which eventually leads him to work closely with Lecter to solve murder cases. The narrative intricately weaves psychological tension and horror, building a complex, intriguing narrative that keeps viewers on edge.

The complex narrative uses elegant and unsettling visuals that mirror the cat-and-mouse dynamic between Graham and Lecter. Not to make a crude cannibalism joke, but the story is simply … delicious.

For a lighter version of the whodunnit, check out this new comedy series from The CW starring Luke Cook (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl). It takes place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, where Lou (Meester) is one of the only detectives in a department run by her father (Clancy Brown). When she asks for more help, she gets an unwelcome surprise — her estranged brother Henry (Cook) is joining the force.

Together, this not-so-dynamic duo solves small-town crimes. It’s a cozy mystery story with a fun family dynamic mixed in — and one of the rare cop duo series where there’s no “will they or won’t they” story between the two leads. (At least, as far as we know — that would be a really weird turn for the show to take!) Lou and Henry have wildly different methods and personalities, but to their surprise, they turn out to be an effective crime-solving team.

Based on the popular book series by Lee Child, this series stars Alan Ritchson as former U.S. Army Major Jack Reacher. A force of nature with an unyielding sense of justice, Reacher roams the country, tackling various dangerous situations as he unravels conspiracies and corruption. The gritty, suspenseful tone of the show makes it an unmissable part of Amazon’s crime library — as do its thrilling action sequences, which allow Ritchson to flaunt his formidable physicality.

Supporting cast members include Malcolm Goodwin as Chief Detective Oscar Finlay, Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin, and Chris Webster as former soldier-turned-private investigator, Paul Hubble. In the first season, Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, where he quickly becomes embroiled in a murder case.

For fans of the novels, the series is quite a faithful adaptation. For newcomers to Reacher, the show has tight plotting, intriguing character dynamics and complex mysteries.