Van Der Valk | Series 2 Preview (ITV)

Episode 1: Plague in Amsterdam

The Dutch detective Piet Van Der Valk (Marc Warren) is called in to investigate the gruesome murder of Susie De Windt, a solicitor whose mutilated body is discovered strung up on a windfarm with an 'X' carved into her stomach and a cryptic note inside her coat.

As rookie cop Job Cloovers returns to duty, even Van Der Valk is quietly relieved at his arrival - if anyone can help riddle out these puzzling notes, it is Job.

It is within Susie's case files that the team obtain their first lead. Days previously, she had won a case on behalf of the city to evict a group of artist squatters - the windfarm where her body was discovered was where the group were due to be relocated.

Was her murder the squatters getting revenge on the Establishment, is this something bigger, and can Van Der Valk and his team riddle out the notes left at crime scenes before the killer is able to strike again?

It is a game of cat-and-mouse, and at its core is a battle for the soul of Amsterdam.

Van Der Valk returns Sunday 7th August at 8pm on ITV.