The Apple TV series is based on the “Zoë Boehm” book series by Mick Herron, whose work also inspired “Slow Horses.”

What is Down Cemetery Road about? Inside Emma Thompson’s buzzy, white-knuckle thriller

The Apple TV series is based on the "Zoë Boehm" book series by Mick Herron, whose work also inspired "Slow Horses."

By Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

EW's editorial guidelines

November 6, 2025 11:43 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Emma Thompson as Zoë Boehm on 'Down Cemetery Road'. Credit:

- *Down Cemetery Road* premiered Oct. 29 on Apple TV.

- Emma Thompson stars as Zoë, a private investigator unraveling the mystery of a house explosion and a missing girl.

- The thriller is based on the *Zoë Boehm* book series by Mick Herron, whose work also inspired *Slow Horses*.

Apple TV is keeping its hot streak going with *Down Cemetery Road*, a new thriller that premiered on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Based on Mick Herron's novel, the author whose work inspired Apple's Emmy-winning *Slow Horses*, *Down Cemetery Road* blends suspense and dark humor in its story of two women (Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson) who navigate a dangerous investigation filled with shocking twists and high-stakes pursuits.

The series is already becoming an obsession among Apple TV subscribers, quickly climbing up the streamer's top TV charts. If you're eager for all the details, read on because * *has you covered, from its plot and cast to a recap of the first two episodes.

What is *Down Cemetery Road *about?

Ruth Wilson as Sarah Trafford and Emma Thompson as Zoë Boehm on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

Adapted from the first book in Herron's *Zoë Boehm* series, *Down Cemetery Road *follows Sarah Trafford (Wilson), a woman who becomes obsessed with the sudden disappearance of her young neighbor after a house explosion rocks their neighborhood. Determined to uncover the truth, Sarah turns to private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson) for help.

But what starts as a routine search quickly spirals as "Zoë and Sarah suddenly find themselves in a complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead," per the synopsis.

Who’s in the cast of Down Cemetery Road?

Adam Godley as Joe Silverman on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

*Down Cemetery Road *is led by Thompson and Wilson, two of Britain's most acclaimed actresses.

Emma Thompson is a two-time Oscar winner, taking home best actress for *Howards End *(1992) and best adapted screenplay for *Sense and Sensibility *(1995). She's also known for playing Sybill Trelawney in the *Harry Potter *film series (2004–2011), as well as for her roles in *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), *Love Actually *(2003), and *Nanny McPhee *(2005).

Thompson also won an Emmy winner for her guest role in the fifth and final season of *Ellen *(1998), and has appeared on projects like *Wit *(2001), *Angels in America* (2003), and *Years and Years *(2019).

The 32 best Apple TV+ shows to watch right now

Will there be a season 6 of 'Slow Horses'? All about the spy comedy's 'high-octane' next chapter

Ruth Wilson has dozens of TV credits to her name, having played leading roles on *Jane Eyre *(2006), *The Affair *(2014–2018), and *His Dark Materials *(2019–2022). She previously costarred with Thompson in the Oscar-nominated film *Saving Mr. Banks *(2013).

Rounding out the cast is Adeel Akhtar (*Sweet Tooth*), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (*Generation*), Tom Goodman-Hill (*Baby Reindeer*), Darren Boyd (*Trying*), Tom Riley (*The Nevers*), Adam Godley (*Breaking Bad*), Sinead Matthews (*Pride & Prejudice*), and Steven Cree (*Outlander*).

Where is Down Cemetery Road set?

Tom Goodman-Hill as Gerard on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

*Down Cemetery Road* is set in the suburbs of Oxford, but it was filmed all across England. According to *Glamour UK,* much of the show was shot in Bristol. Locations included Corn Street, City Hall, and St. Nicholas Market.

Other filming locations include the harbor town of Polperro in Cornwall, the historic Bishops Lydeard train station, and the Wessex Hotel in Street.

When do new episodes of *Down Cemetery Road *come out?

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Downey on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

New episodes of *Down Cemetery Road* arrive on Wednesdays, leading up to the finale on Dec. 10.

What happened in the Down Cemetery Road premiere?

Ruth Wilson as Sarah Trafford on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

The first two episodes of *Down Cemetery Road *premiered on Wednesday, Oct. 29, introducing viewers to Sarah Trafford, an art museum restorer whose life is changed when the house next door explodes and leaves a little girl, Dinah, critically injured. Sarah grows suspicious when she sees a man watching the scene unfold from the shadows.

Police insist it was a gas explosion and block Sarah from visiting Dinah in the hospital. Evidence of Dinah's presence at the scene also seems to vanish, and official records about the case have all been flagged.

Following her instincts, Sarah seeks out private investigators Zoë Boehm (Thompson) and her husband, Joe Silverman (Adam Godley). Joe springs into action to help, but Zoë is skeptical, believing the explosion isn't worth investigating.

The shadowy agency known only as "the Department" is revealed to be behind the incident, and it turns out to be a botched covert operation. We see Hamza Malik (Adeel Akhtar) getting chewed out by his boss, C (Darren Boyd), since one of his operatives carried out the explosion.

They are now trying to cover up their involvement, but it's proving difficult with Sarah on their trail. They decide to move Dinah from the hospital. Sarah attempts to stop them, but they get away. In a panic, she tells Joe what happened, only to find him dead in his office in an apparent suicide.

Emma Thompson as Zoë Boehm on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

Episode 2 begins with the immediate fallout of Joe's death; Zoë suspects foul play and vows to hunt down his killer.

As Sarah digs deeper, she encounters a few mysterious men connected to the explosion and Dinah's disappearance, including the Department agent Amos Crane (Fehinti Balogun), who took Dinah from the hospital. He warns Sarah to stay away, but confirms that the little girl is safe.

Zoë officially takes over Sarah's investigation into Dinah and learns a few key details, including that the gas main had been shut off for years. Together, she and Sarah begin to piece together the conspiracy behind the explosion and Joe's death.

By the end of the second episode, the true danger becomes clear: Rufus (Ken Nwosu), Sarah's friend, is actually the operative Axel Crane. Axel is Amos' brother and the one responsible for the explosion and Joe's murder. He attempts to kill Sarah, but the man she saw the night of the explosion bursts in and opens fire.

Where can I watch Down Cemetery Road?

Darren Boyd as C on 'Down Cemetery Road'.

*Down Cemetery Road *is now streaming on Apple TV.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW TV”