Police chief Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) moves to Gibsons, British Columbia, to get away from the noise and violence of the big city. But this seemingly sleepy seaside town turns out to be anything but a new chapter — even considering Alberg’s burgeoning relationship with the charming local librarian, Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk). Alberg will have to harness all of his hard-won sleuthing skills to solve the crimes that continue to wash up on his shore in Murder in a Small Town, now streaming on Netflix. Based on L.R. Wright’s Alberg and Cassandra book series, this two-season crime drama is packed with notable guest stars, including James Cromwell, Devon Sawa, Erica Durance, Tyler Posey, Noah Reid, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Read on to uncover more.
When you’re not just new to town, but you’re also the new chief of police, first dates are even more nerve-racking than usual. That’s how it is for Karl Alberg (Sutherland), who recently made the move from Minneapolis to Gibsons, looking for a fresh start. Hey, maybe he’ll find it with librarian Cassandra Lee (Kreuk). After meeting on a dating app, the two go out for coffee and seem to hit it off. Cassandra is all too aware of the limited dating pool she’s working with, and Alberg seems nice. Like many of the men she’s used to, he’s divorced. He also has two college-aged daughters, Steph (Cassandra Sawtell) and Holly (Dakota Guppy). But there’s also an intriguing intensity to him, and he’s already deeply invested in his new job — likely because this picturesque town has recently been experiencing an odd string of murders.
The latest is the case of a man, Carlyle Burke (R.H. Thomson), who was bludgeoned to death in his home. Alberg immediately suspects Burke’s estranged brother-in-law, George Wilcox (Cromwell), who appears to have had family-related drama with the deceased. Even though Cassandra insists the guy is harmless, Alberg is determined to prove his theory is correct. Luckily, he’s got an eager crew of officers at his back: the newly hired Corporal Edwina Yen (Lowe), whose reputation for having taken down a cartel in Philadelphia precedes her; Sergeant Sid Sokolowski (Douglas), whom Alberg sees as a dedicated public servant; Andy Kendrick (Destine), the greenest of the officers, who shows potential despite struggling to keep things professional; and Isabella Harbud (Spracklin), the police station’s whip-smart receptionist who keeps everyone in line.
With Alberg’s years of big-city experience, this small team may stand a chance against the new deluge of crime. Because, as the locals point out, Gibsons has always been a little weird — just never this weird. Maybe wooing Cassandra is the first step in carving out a new life for himself here — if he can do that in spite of all these murders.
The series is based on author L.R. Wright’s nine-book Alberg and Cassandra mysteries.
