My wife tells me Lynda La Plante's novels featuring young murder squad detectives Anna Travis are excellent.

Not so this first TV outing for the top cop's daughter which, despite a promising start, ends up a disappointing by-the-numbers crime drama.

The murder of a student reveals reveals a string of prostitute killings going back years -- and suspicion falls on a famous actor with a dark past.

The first two-thirds is classic Prime Suspect-style La Plante -- grimy police station and interesting cop ensemble as newcomer Travis struggles to fit in.

But the last episode -- apart from a rivetting interrogation scene between Travis and the killer -- seems rushed and lacks credibility.

David Knights