A new year. And new and important DVDs to tell you about.

The first season of the exciting 11-part female-driven crime mystery series Frankie Drake Mysteries has just been released by PBS Distribution. Set against a backdrop of social change, radical politics and jazz music, the series featuring the fearless, adventurous and astute Frankie Drake who defies expectations, is immersed in both the real Toronto of the ’20s and the world of mystery and suspense conjured by creators Carol Hay and Michelle Ricci.

Starring Lauren Lee Smith, the series follow’s Toronto’s only female private detective in the ’20s as she takes on the cases the police don’t want or can’t handle. Her gender is her biggest advantage – who would ever think a woman could be a detective? She has a knack for solving cases but she’s no cop – her brand of justice doesn’t always follow the law.

Along with her partner Trudy (played by Chantel Riley), Frankie and the Drake Detective Agency take on cases of all shapes and sizes. From airplanes and booze running to American G-men, Communists and union busters, Frankie’s fearless sense of adventure gets her into all kinds of trouble, but she always manages to find her way out. In a time of change and hopefulness, Frankie is a woman ahead of everyone. She’s a new detective for a new world.

But is the world ready for her?