Detective Inspector Mick Palmer (Moyer) is an art lover with a vast knowledge of paintings and artists. He works in the Heritage Crime Unit of the police department in London and is called in when murders, thefts, etc., involve some form of art. He is joined by Detective Constable Shane Malik (Nina Singh-Virdee), who is new at this kind of job but loves working alongside Palmer, who introduces her to the art world and educates her about his love of art.

The six episodes in the series involve everything from Viking gold, paintings by the masters, antique vases, medieval manuscripts and even vinyl records.

The world they enter is filled with greed and revenge. When it comes to priceless art, these two can go hand in hand.

When the duo is called in to solve murders, they must research the suspects as well as the art that is either missing or stolen to ascertain exactly what happened. The who, what, where, how and why are all important to the duo.

By incorporating art history into the episodes, viewers as well as Malik learn a lot about the world of art, whatever form it is in.

Palmer is also trying to build a romantic relationship with a curator of a museum. Rosa (Sara Alexander) does not appear in every episode, but when she does the sparks between the two are evident.

And adding to the mix of characters is Palmer’s father, Ron, who is one of Britain’s most notorious — and successful — forgers. This man has been absent from his son’s life for years, so when he suddenly returns Palmer has a gut feeling it is not just to renew their father/son relationship. He is up to something, and that ultimately involves Palmer having to make a difficult decision about what to do with the man. After all, he is a dedicated police detective and his father is a known forger.

In another episode, a rare Chinese vase goes missing. Palmer and Malik come up against diplomatic immunity when they delve into the disappearance and ultimate murder of someone involved in the case.

“Art Detectives” is an engaging new mystery series that not only covers murders but also various aspects in the realm of art, which consists of so many different items and forms. Music, antiques, paintings, pottery and more all combine with murders which are ultimately solved by the two detectives. This is a new series that not only entertains but also educates viewers (and Malik) just a little about art and history.

Moyer might be familiar to viewers due to his successful role in the TV series “True Blood,” for which he won several awards. Viewers can now stream “Art Detectives” on Acorn TV.