Following the release of its hit first series in 2022, Karen Pirie is back to whet our appetite for an addictive crime TV series.
After her promotion to Detective Inspector and just as she's getting to grips with her new role, Karen Pirie is assigned a notorious unsolved case that would put her under a microscope in every possible sense. Starring Lauren Lyle as our on-screen detective, Karen Pirie season 2 is set and filmed around Scotland, with its plot centred around the abduction of a young woman and her infant son.
But what we can't help but wonder when watching the drama is where was Karen Pirie filmed? These are all the Karen Pirie season 2 filming locations from the ITV series.
You can visit some of these beautiful sites and recreate the romcom magic.
What is Karen Pirie about?
First off, what does season 2 of the show centre on? The Karen Pirie season 2 synopsis reads, “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.”
While the ransom notes that followed led to an “uncontrollable press storm”, Catriona and Adam were never seen again until decades later a man's body was discovered with “indisputable links to the original kidnap”.
With the first compelling bit of evidence in years, “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).”
Given the high profile case and looming pressure from Catriona's father, the case proves to be a considerable challenge. Yet despite the crime unfolding back in 1984, it quickly becomes apparent that there's a lot more still to be uncovered from the past.
Where was Karen Pirie filmed? Season 2 filming locations
Karen's harbour-side terraced cottage was shot on Shore Street next to Cellardyke harbour in Fife.
The abduction of Catriona and her baby son Adam – the crime the entire series revolves around – was filmed in the town of Kinghorn in Fife. Additional footage was also captured in the nearby town of Inverkeithing.
Catriona and Adam are held at a cottage which is located in the Luss Estate in Loch Lochmond. It's a Highland estate on the banks of Loch Lochmond and has also previously featured in Black Mirror.
The opening episode sees Karen go on a date with police colleague Phil as they struggle to keep their romantic relationship separate from work. They head to Glasgow’s The Citizen bar and restaurant.
The police station scenes where Karen and her colleagues discuss cases and regroup were filmed in Glenrothes Police Station.
Karen and her police colleagues inspect the cave area during the climax of the series, while we also see flashbacks of a tense showdown between Catriona’s abductors and her family.
Investigation scenes were filmed in Italy Scenes were filmed around Valetta's Grand Harbour area and the fortified city of Senglea. The Italy-based scenes were filmed in Malta too, including Mick’s countryside cottage, which the production crew shot in one of the more rural areas of the island.
In the first episode, Karen meets Brodie’s aide Susan at Rotheswell Castle. This was filmed at Birkhill Castle, which is the residence of the Earl of Dundee – a short drive from St. Andrews – located on the banks of the River Tay.
In an important flashback, we see Catriona and Bonnie head to a club – filmed in Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom – and Catriona meets a shady character who ends up being involved in her abduction.
