Strike: The Ink Black Heart official trailer
Strike finally returns after two long years with Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger) and her business partner Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke) set to investigate another case.
Strike: The Ink Black Heart is based on the book of the same name, with the crime-solving duo loving into the death of popular cartoon's co-creator.
Robin and Cormoran Strike are drawn into the mystery after discovering a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts.
The BBC say Strike is one of the UK's most watched dramas, with the most recent instalment: Strike - Troubled Blood – averaging 8.4 million viewers across its run in 2022.
Ahead of the new series, we take a look into the plot, when the new episodes are released and who else from the cast is back for series six?
What is the plot of Strike - The Ink Black Heart?
A plot synopsis from BBC reads: "When frantic, desperate Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn't know quite what to make of the situation.
"The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie's true identity.
"Robin informs Edie that the agency is too busy to take on her case and thinks nothing more of it until a few weeks later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.
"Robin and her business partner Cormoran Strike become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie's true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches them to their limit."
Questions also arise about whether Strike and Robin will finally get together. Viewers will recall Strike bought Robin a bottle of perfume for her birthday and they enjoyed a dinner together.
When it looked like the perfect setting for a romantic gesture, Strike told Robin that she was his "best friend".
When is Strike - The Ink Black Heart released and episode timings
Strike: The Ink Black Heart will consist of four episodes, with each approximately 60 minutes in length.
The first episode of Strike: The Ink Black Heart will air on Monday (December 16) at 9pm on BBC One, while it will be followed by a second episode the following night at the same time slot (Tuesday, December 17).
The remaining two episodes will air at the same time slot on Monday (December 23) and Tuesday (December 24).
All episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Who is in the cast of Strike - The Ink Black Heart?
Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Souvenir) returns as Cormoran Strike alongside Holliday Grainger (The Capture, Animals) as Robin Ellacott.
The duo lead a cast of acclaimed British actors including David Westhead (Enola Holmes 2, Bodyguard), Christian McKay (Rivals, Dangerous Liaisons), Emma Fielding (Sanditon, Van der Valk), Tupele Dorgu (The Full Monty, Ridley) and James Nelson-Joyce (Time, Industry) amongst others.
Ruth Sheen (Unforgotten, It’s A Sin) is returning as Pat, Strike’s office manager, alongside fellow returning cast members Jack Greenlees (The Trial of Cristine Keeler, Payback) as Sam Barclay, Natasha O’Keeffe (Peaky Blinders, The Wheel of Time) as Charlotte, and Caitlin Innes Edwards (Hanna, Black Mirror: Smithereens) as Isla.
