Entering an isolated farmhouse on what he believes is a routine call, Inspector Wallander discovers a bloodbath, as the Bafta-winning series starring Kenneth Branagh as the famous Swedish detective returns to BBC One for three new feature-length investigations.

An old man has been tortured and beaten to death. Beside his shattered body, his wife is barely alive. As her life slowly slips away, she whispers to Wallander a word that sounds like “foreigners”. When her dying word is leaked to the press by the police, there is an outbreak of racist reprisals in Ystad.

Meanwhile, Wallander’s personal life is a shambles. He sees little of his daughter, struggles to bond with her new partner – a second-generation Syrian doctor – and his relationship with his mentally fragile father is pushed to the limit. On top of that, the fallout from the case causes him to doubt everything, even his abilities as a police officer.

The second series was shot on location in Ystad, Southern Sweden, during 2009. “I’m delighted to be back in Kurt Wallander’s shoes for three further adaptations,” says Kenneth Branagh. “The character’s story becomes ever more complex in these next films. The entire team relished the privilege of bringing them to the screen for an audience who proved so loyal last time out.”

Returning to the series alongside Branagh are David Warner, Richard McCabe, Tom Hiddleston, Sarah Smart, Jeany Sparks, Polly Hemingway and Sadie Shimmin. The second series also features Arsher Ali, Beatie Edney, Rupert Graves, Dhafer L’Abidine, Phyllis Logan, Saskia Reeves, Vincent Regan and Angela Thorne.

Sunday 3 January
9.00-10.30pm BBC ONE