What: A Likeness In Stone.
Where: TV One.
When: 8.35pm, Sunday.
-------------------- 
Murky past of friends 

OBSESSION, murder and how the dark secrets of the past can haunt the present surround the characters of A Likeness In Stone, the spine-chilling mystery about a young woman whose death has dominated the lives of her friends and a detective for 10 years.

In 1990, a picturesque Oxfordshire valley disappeared, flooded to create a reservoir. On the eve of the flooding, student Helena Warner (Rebecca Palmer) vanished at a party hosted by her boyfriend in one of the abandoned farmhouses. Her body was never found.

Until now. The news that divers have found her remains shocks her closest friends and the police officer who was in charge of the investigation.

Former detective Bill Armstrong (Liam Cunningham) has been haunted by her disappearance. Now he is convinced that his worst suspicions have been confirmed: Helena was killed by her boyfriend, Stephen Gilmore (Jonathan Firth), with Richard (Andrew Lincoln) and Helena's friend, Joan Poole (Ruth Jones), colluding to protect him.

Slowly Armstrong is drawn back into the case that almost destroyed him, while Stephen, Richard and Joan are forced to relive their nightmares.

Jonathan Firth says he's not about to give anything away when it comes to his character's involvement in the murder, but he will admit he's in the frame.

"Gilmore is one of those people who comes from a very privileged background: his Dad a wealthy banker. Although in the flashbacks we see him going off to university, he already knows that his life is mapped out for him. He can be a bit of a waster because he knows that he has this well-paid job waiting for him," he says.

Firth was attracted to the part by the fantastic script. "I always look to do something different, something I've not tried before. I've been in detective stories before, but never anything quite like this. It appealed to me quite simply because I read the script in one go. It has very believable characters and a story that keeps you guessing, which is essential for a piece like this.