"There's no such thing as a safe haven," wrote British mystery novelist P.D. James. This is certainly the case in her mystery novel A Certain Justice, which has been given a splendid interpretation in the British TV series Mystery. Brilliant, successful defense attorney Venetia Aldridge (Penny Downie) is found murdered in her court chambers. She had been a controversial figure, not least because she was a strong woman who didn't hesitate to tell her male colleagues exactly what she thought of them. In the first episode of this three-part miniseries, Venetia piles up enemies, any one of whom might be guilty of her murder. The implacable Commander Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard (played, as always, by Roy Marsden) must discover whodunit. The show features wonderfully well-developed characters: Venetia herself, her innocent teenage daughter, Octavia (doe-eyed Flora Montgomery), and Octavia's psychopathic boyfriend, Gary Ashe (whom Venetia successfully defended in a murder trial). As Ashe, Ricci Harnett delivers a truly disquieting performance. Suspense builds inexorably until the chilling conclusion, leavened regularly by P.D. James's cheeky, sardonic humor. Gore mixed with drollery--a tone only the English can pull off. --Laura Mirsky