FOX Orders Psychological Crime Drama Murder in a Small Town

FOX has commissioned Murder in a Small Town, based on L.R. Wright’s Karl Alberg books, from Sepia Films and head writer Ian Weir (Arctic Air, Edgemont).

Starring Rossif Sutherland (Reign, The Handmaid’s Tale) and Kristin Kreuk (Smallville, Beauty & the Beast), the show follows Karl Alberg as he moves to a quiet coastal town after serving on the police force in a big city. The small town has its own share of secrets, though, and he must draw on all the skills that made him a world-class detective to solve the murders that keep finding their way to him.

Kreuk stars as Cassandra, a local librarian who becomes Alberg’s muse, foil and romantic interest.

Murder in a Small Town is being produced in association with FOX Entertainment and Jeff Wachtel’s Future Shack Entertainment. It will premiere during the 2024-25 season.

“Ian has done a masterful job bringing L.R. Wright’s seminal detective Karl Alberg to life, finding his perfect alter ego, Rossif Sutherland, to star on screen alongside Kristin Kreuk,” said Michael Thorn, president of scripted programming at FOX Entertainment. “Murder in a Small Town illustrates our ongoing strategy to identify and commission impactful global content in a smart and effective manner with proven creative partners, all of which we have found in Ian, Milan, Sepia Films and Future Shack.”

Wachtel commented, “It’s a joy to be doing this wonderful show with my old friends at FOX. Ian, Milan, Rossif and Kristin form the core of a world-class creative team that will bring this unique detective show to life.”

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with FOX Entertainment and Future Shack on an innovative production model that will bring the internationally acclaimed Karl Alberg mystery novels by Edgar Award-winning novelist L.R. Wright to the screen,” added Tina Pehme and Kim Roberts, co-CEOs and producers for Sepia Films.