Detective John Cardinal (Billy Campbell, The Killing) is the eponymous star of the series, who joins forces with Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse, Revenge) to hunt down a vicious serial killer in the icy wastes of a small Northern Ontario town.

Adapted from Giles Blunt’s award-winning novel Forty Words for Sorrow, the first in the John Cardinal series, the six-part drama will air later this year.

Demoted for a hunch he couldn’t put to bed; John Cardinal is brought back into the fold after the body of a missing teenager is discovered – vindicating him.

Back on the hunt for a murderer, Cardinal rapidly finds himself clawing to stay one step ahead of a serial killer.

Meanwhile, he might right the wrongs of the past that threaten the investigation and his whole career. But something doesn’t feel right for Cardinal – does his new partner have a hidden agenda of her own?

BBC Head of Acquisitions, Sue Deeks praised the “finely nuanced, atmospheric thriller which is completely gripping from beginning to end.” eOne’s Stuart Baxter added “BBC Four’s programming is ambitious and compelling which makes it a perfect fit for this dark and haunting, edge-of-your-seat serialised crime drama.”

Cardinal is the latest addition to BBC Four’s growing portfolio of international dramas including popular series Inspector Montalbano and Spiral, as well as recently announced Spanish drama I Know Who You Are.