An Unsolved Murder Mystery Reopens Old Wounds and New Answers After Thirty Years

What:

Based on the book Catedrales by Claudia Piñeiro, our murder mystery revolves around the Sardás, a pious family from the suburbs of Santiago, Chile consisting of father Adolfo, mother Dolores, and three sisters — Lía, Carmen, and Ana.

At 17 years old, Ana is discovered dismembered in a parking lot. The case soon goes cold after the police claim they cannot find a culprit with insufficient evidence.

Lía, now living in Spain, returns home after 30 years as her widowed father is slowly dying of cancer but refusing chemotherapy, putting stress on Carmen, the daughter who stayed local and provides regular care for Adolfo. Instead, he wishes to use his remaining strength to reinvestigate Ana’s death and finally find an answer.

Soon, they uncover one small piece of new evidence that begins snowballing into more discoveries. The suspicious circumstances of Ana’s death become more clear as the histories of the nearby Catholic church and Sardá family intertwine.

Why:

This is a concise story with a strong arc. The first episode feels a little slow because it is building the foundation of the story, but the plot picks up once new evidence comes to light at the end of episode two.

The author of the original book is Argentine, but the story gives us a little insight into life under Chile’s military dictatorship, mostly from the perspective of Lía who is attending university and mingling with students.

The plot plays like a traditional murder mystery, but it knows its limits and doesn’t relish in its own musings, which makes the story much more streamlined and effective, in my opinion.

Overall, this is an excellent quick series for a high intermediate learner. I recommend you make this your next watch.

How:

Catedrales has one season with six total episodes (40 minutes each) available via Prime Video from the United States.