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Death by Persuasion

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Death by Persuasion is the fifth episode of the nineteenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired 20th August 2017 in Australia and 13th May 2018 in UK.

Synopsis[]

When a young woman slips away from the house where a Jane Austen immersion event is taking place dressed in period attire, and is found stabbed in the woods with a quill, DCI Barnaby and DS Winter discover that the victim was a journalist interested in the village's healthcare drone delivery program, and are forced to look back in time to find the killer.

Plot[]

At Whitcombe Grange, people are dressed in Georgian attire. A young woman runs into the woods. She is followed by a drone, filming her. She goes further into the woods and suddenly is attacked. The drone films her attacker running away in a blue jacket.

Later, the drone is flying carrying a red tube with medicines in it.

At the Barnaby house, Betty Barnaby is playing on the stairs. Sarah is typing at the kitchen table. Sarah Barnaby is typing a story- a historical romance. Jamie Winter arrives to pick up John Barnaby. Betty puts her "TV" on the table and types like her mom.

In Whitcombe Grange, Mary Oswood heads outside to intercept the drone which lands on a table, spearheaded by Ronin. Mary puts a prescription in the tube. It flies off.

On the road, Winter tells Barnaby that their victim is female, stabbed in the middle of the countryside, found by a visiting rambler. They see the drone flying. At the crime scene, they find the young woman dressed in Georgian clothing. Pathologist Petra Antonescu is filling in for Kam Karimore. She says the murder weapon is a quill feather. Cause of death may be stabbing to the neck and possible puncture of the carotid artery. Time of death in the last two hours. Uniforms are searching the area but so far, no ID, no phone, no wallet, nothing. Petra says the fancy dress is Early 1800s. There is also a piece of paper that says, "Meet me. I'll tell you everything you need to know about... her."

Barnaby and Winter come across a building where they find a syringe. They see a large mansion with people walking in costume. Doctor Solomon Franks meets the others and says he was just getting some air. Jane Everard says, "Perhaps you were practising your quadrille. I'm very much looking forward to it at tomorrow's dance." Franks says, "Actually, I'm not a great lover of dances." Jane replies, "Not a great lover? That's disappointing. You've just shrunk in my estimation."

Polly Oswood plants some rolls on a table on the lawn. She says, "Right, you lot. Grub up. I'm taking five. I'm so done!" She throws herself on the ground with her headphones on. Kitty Oswood says, "James?" James Oswood says, "What do you think you're up to, Pol?" Polly says, "Not now, Dad, OK?" James says, "Yes, now. Polly, we've been through this a million times. Bonnet on, legs crossed. Manners." Polly says, "No! Forget it. This lot might buy this posh nonsense, but I've just lugged the contents of the supermarket up a hill in shoes that would down a ballerina." James says, "Listen, love. Think of your mum. We're trying to re-create a world here. And, besides, we're paying you."

Police drive up. James says, "Vehicles aren't allowed here." Winter says, "They are now." Barnaby asks, "Are you missing anyone from your group, Mr Oswood? A young woman, in her 20s." James says, "Samantha Berry, yes. Why?" Barnaby says, "I'm sorry to have to tell you, she's been murdered."

Winter fills in Barnaby: Samantha Berry lived in a flat-share in East London. Police are trying to track down her next of kin. Her flatmate's sending a recent photograph. Miss Berry was an Oxford graduate, apparently. Single and a journalist.

Barnaby interviews Kitty and James Oswood. Barnaby says, "When did you last seen Miss Berry?" Kitty says, "8:30, at breakfast." Barnaby says, "We believe she was on her way to meet somebody when she was killed. Any idea who that might have been?" Barnaby picks up a brochure: Gorgeous Georgians- Kitty says, "We stage immersive events. Visitors come and live for a week as they would have done in the time of Jane Austen. It's got a live element included in the week, like a... a re-enactment." There's a local legend that Jane Austen passed through the village in 1801. Kitty is determined that Gorgeous Georgians is going to restore the house to its former glory. They are just three days into their first event. Barnaby looks through Samantha Berry's belongings.

Winter speaks to the other participants in the experience. Jane tells Winter that Samantha was really nice, friendly, approachable. They had a great laugh in the pub. They met her last week when she was staying in the village. Polly says she was real nosy, though. She asked about the house & the village. Polly says, "Mum snapped at her about it. She snapped when she caught her in the kitchens last night. Sneaking back in. Said she'd been out, having a cheeky fag. I thought she was top banana. I reckon his Majesty over there did too. (referring to Dr. Franks) Mind you, you can form a queue for that one. He's proper fit. (Jane gasps). What?! A girl can dream. You must have that all the time in the surgery." Jane tells Winter she is a receptionist at his surgery. Polly says, "And he's everyone's Mr Dorky." Jane corrects her, "Darcy." There are other doctors who handle the surgery along with James's stepmum, Mary, who is a pharmacist. She runs the place. Winter says, "Didn't you think it was odd that Samantha wasn't on the walk?" Polly says, "Nah. Neither was Solomon. Only joined for the picnic. And when he did, he looked a bit hot and sweaty, if you know what I mean."

Barnaby asks if Miss Berry said where she heard about the event or why she came here? James tells him that she booked through the website. She stayed at the village pub last week. Kitty's sister, Nell, mentioned it. She runs the pub. The other guests come from the Jane Austen Friendship Circle. Gemma Christie is not a fan. She runs the Tea Room in the village. Barnaby finds a newspaper about the drone trial. James tells Barnaby that the village has been granted a two-month license to trial a drone service delivering medicine to patients. Doug Vaughan got the grant- James refers to him as "Deadly Doug." He says it was a school nickname. As in 'dead boring'.

Polly is unpacking a car of supplies and tells her aunt, Nell Fryer, about the body found in the woods. Nell hustles up to Kitty to see if she is OK. Kitty tells her she's fine and doesn't need her sister clucking over her.

James answers the phone. "Whitcombe Grange. What are you doing, ringing? It's not a good time. Well, can't it wait?"

Barnaby says that Miss Berry was a journalist and, yet, there's no mobile phone with her belongings. He tells Winter to do a trace. Winter tells Barnaby that Polly Oswood thinks there might have been something between GP Dr Franks and the victim. Winter says he has the impression Jane Everard likes Dr Franks as well. Barnaby says, "Love triangle? Very Jane Austen." Winter adds that, "The victim's constant questioning about the village was getting on Kitty Oswood's nerves, apparently." Barnaby asks, "Mrs Oswood? I gather Miss Berry was rather inquisitive. Did you know she was a journalist? Did her questions annoy you?" Kitty says she could have done without it.

Barnaby tells Winter to get background checks on the Oswoods and Doug Vaughan. Winter goes to talk to Doug Vaughan and his assistant, Ronin Chow. He shows them a photo of Samantha Berry. They don't recognize her. Winter tells them she was a journalist. It seems she was interested in the drone delivery trial. Doug says they've had a lot of press interest. These trials are ground-breaking. The drones used in the trial all navigate by GPS. They're much quieter, which is the main reason they got the trial. They can attach cameras to them, but there are issues around privacy.

At the Jane Austen Tea Room, Gemma Christie tells Barnaby that "Jane Austen came here for tea, not Whitcombe Grange. ...Jane actually sat in here, in this very room...Everything here is rooted in research. I studied history at Magdalen College, Oxford. My point is I do walks and talks and give lectures, whereas James and Kitty are more playing at it." Barnaby asks to see the feathered quill Jane Austen would have written with. Gemma goes to get it, but it's disappeared. She says that Ray Fryer, at the pub has a spare key to the shop. He sometimes drops deliveries in for her.

Nell Fryer tells Barnaby that Samantha Berry stayed a couple of nights last week at their pub. Barnaby says, "I gather you're helping your sister out with the event?" Nell says yes. She thinks it's a great idea. Her husband, Ray is less enthusiastic about the Gorgeous Georgians --All that period malarky brings him out in a rash. Nell says. "Kitty wanted to breathe life into the family home." Whitcombe Grange is where Nell and Kitty grew up. James and Kitty bought the house back. Ray says he's an ex-copper. He's gone from nicking criminals to pulling pints. He also helps with the deliveries to the tea room. He says he didn't see anything unusual last night.

At Doug Vaughan's home, someone sneaks in and sets Ronin Chow's computer on fire.

At home, Barnaby asks Sarah if she's heard of Whitcombe Grange? She says, "They've got a Georgian event going on there at the moment." Barnaby says, "And a murder investigation." Sarah says, "Well, I'll bear that in mind. I'm off to their dance this evening. Research. Are you going to be there?" Barnaby says, "Yes. A woman has been killed there and it's possible that someone is targeting the event. I don't think you should go." Sarah says, "I'll be fine. Maybe it'll add a bit of spice and intrigue to my book. Period dress is hired and the babysitter's booked. I could order a costume for you too, if you like. And Jamie as well. It would make you less conspicuous."

Petra tells the detectives that the cause of death for Samantha Berry wasn't loss of blood. It was asphyxiation. The nib had dipped in succinylcholine. It is a neuromuscular drսg that paralyses the muscles, including those used for breathing. Prints on the quill and syringe were wiped. The syringe had traces of morphine in it. Winter answers the phone. He says there's been a break-in. Barnaby wonders what could be on Ronin's computer that someone would want to destroy? Ronin says he doesn't know. There's just details of deliveries, addresses, footage of events, such as weddings.

Winter tells Barnaby that Ronin has a criminal record. He was done for joyriding as a teenager. Nicked by Ray Fryer, back when he was a copper. Barnaby tells Winter to mark every drone delivery route from yesterday morning onto a map to see if any went near the murder scene. Barnaby is going to look into the drug succinylcholine. Doctor Franks would be able to order it. Jane Everard might too. As might his pharmacist, Mary Oswood.

Mary hears about the break in and tells Gemma. "Someone broke into drone HQ. I think we can use it to our advantage." Gemma says, "I'm all yours." Barnaby sees Gemma going out the back door. Mary says Samantha Berry came to see her last week to ask some questions about James and Kitty. Barnaby asks about the drug succinylcholine. Mary says she's heard of it, but has never ordered it. They sometimes order morphine.

Polly leaves the house and runs toward the woods. She holds her phone up to get service. She calls someone and says, "Let's do this."

In the house, guests are writing with quills. Solomon Franks says to Jane he has been trying to get her attention all day, but she seems determined to ignore him. Jane replies, "That's what you do to me at work." Solomon says, "You aren't like this at work." Jane says, "What -- dressed in period costume? Is that your thing? Anyway, I'm disappointed in you. Because I have to dress like a lady in order to catch your eye. A true gentleman would be able to look past my lowly receptionist status." Solomon asks, "Is that why you're here? To catch my eye?" Jane says, "Don't flatter yourself." Solomon laughs.

Winter and Barnaby discuss the case. No deliveries went that close to the murder scene. Walter Oswood used to be the headmaster of the local school, retired two years ago, after raising his hands against a pupil. They're still triangulating the whereabouts of Samantha Berry's missing phone, but have traced her service provider. She made one call since she'd been at the event, on the night before she died. The number registered to... Walter Oswood.

The detectives go speak to Walter. He tells them that the incident was caught on a drone camera by Doug Vaughan. He was filming the school event and felt obliged to inform the authorities. Walter says he lost his temper. He also tells them that James and Doug have been at war since they were boys. He says that "Samantha Berry rang me the night before last. It was odd, really. She simply wanted to know when James and Katherine started seeing each other." Walter tells them that he went to the Grange at 9:30 yesterday morning. Before that he was fishing by the river. Solomon saw him. He rushed past in all his period get-up.

Soloman says, "Walter must be mistaken. His eyesight isn't exactly 20/20, is it? I told you, I went for a walk." Barnaby says they found traces of it in a syringe that was left in the folly. Solomon admits, "I'm on pain relief. I was in a car accident some years ago. I... still have trouble with my pelvis and back. I self-medicate. It's not ideal but it's so much easier than..."

James Oswood is out walking and sees Ray Fryer. James says it is not a good time. Ray says he wants an explanation. They walk off and a drone follows them.

Later James gets a computer email saying I SAW YOU repeatedly. He slams his laptop lid down when Kitty walks in.

James goes to Doug's house and accuses him of sending the emails. Doug tells him "I wondered if you wanted to invest in my drone company to help take us to the next level. Not really, no. 100 grand should do it. Oh, about these emails. Now... it's just a thought. Maybe they were sent to you by mistake. Then, I suppose, they could be sent to somebody else by mistake. Kitty, for example. You leave Kitty out of it. How is she? She was looking a bit edgy last time I saw her. Fragile thing. It'd be a shame if something was to happen to bring her world crashing down." Doug says, "You wouldn't dare. You're too much of a wimp, Deadly. You always have been. Ever since day one at school, Deadly Doug the boy with no friends."

Mary and Gemma are in the pub. They aren't going to the ball at the Grange.

Kitty tells James, "All set, apart from the music, of course. Polly forgot to book the band. How can you forget to book a band? So, we're gonna have to make do with piped music, which is no good at all, is it?"

Guests start arriving at the ball. Barnaby and Winter arrive in costume. Winter says, "These breeches are a bit tight on the old, um... " Barnaby says, "They are a bit, aren't they? Any luck with the phone triangulation?" Sarah Barnaby and Petra walk in. Walter greets them and asks if they would care for some wine. Nell goes to James and says Kitty's worried about him. James tells Kitty to back off. Outside at the folly, Polly calls her boyfriend. Barnaby and Winter go to look in the folly. They find a phone and a change of clothing in a bench in the folly.

Inside the dancing has started. Solomon partners Jane. He says he would like to try again. She asks if this for real or part of some performance he and James have cooked up. Sarah talks to Barnaby. She is having a great time. Sarah says she is getting a lot of research done. "The dance. The people. Even the house itself. Did you know there was a fire? Petra pointed it out. You can tell by the shutters on the windows. If you look closely, you can see where they've buckled from the intense heat," says Sarah. Petra asks Winter to dance. Barnaby tells him to go for it as part of being undercover.

Someone runs along the sidewalk outside the building. Inside, Ronin comes in and greets Polly. They kiss. Elsewhere, someone gets a gun out of a cabinet and loads it.

Barnaby watches the dancing. He sees a gun in a mirror and yells for everyone to get down. Winter chases the gunman. He is nearly run over by a car. The car was driven by Gemma Christie.

Petra examines the crime scene. She says, "The depth of the pellets suggests a high-velocity cartridge." There was no gun in the car and uniformed policeman are searching the area. James asks. "What do we do about our guests?" Barnaby says, "Well, once they've made their statements, if they're not staying here, they'll be free to leave."

Barnaby interviews Gemma Christie. "What were you doing at an event you'd boycotted?" Gemma says, "I couldn't stay away. I wanted to see the dresses. I had to watch the dances. They did it all wrong, of course." Barnaby says, "You almost ran over one of my officers." Gemma says, "I didn't mean to. I heard the shotgun. Everyone panicked and I thought they might see me. Sorry." Gemma is taken to the station to get fingerprinted.

Polly comes in to see James. He is depressed. He hugs her.

Barnaby and Sarah discuss the evening. Sarah says "The unexpected nature of events did get me thinking. That maybe I'm trying to force my romantic leads together, instead of just letting it happen organically. In real life, as we just witnessed, it's... it's rather messy. It's more unpredictable. It's like Jamie and Petra. Well, why isn't Jamie interested in Petra? On paper, they should be perfect for each other. But romance just isn't like that, is it?

Mary gives Gemma a list. She says, "A few locations to choose from today." Gemma rides off on her bicycle.

Winter says, "Uniform found the shotgun discarded in the woods near where I bumped into Gemma Christie. Petra's checking it for prints. The tech team accessed these on Samantha Berry's phone. They're snaps taken of a photo album. Possibly the Oswoods. 28 years ago. A local man by the name of Johnny Fullerton went down for 12 years for involuntary manslaughter. A housekeeper was killed in the fire. Annie Ingham. Fullerton confessed -- says he didn't mean to hurt anyone, he just had a grudge against the family. He thought they were above themselves. Fullerton died a couple of months ago." Barnaby says, "Talk to Samantha Berry's mother. Ask her whether her daughter had any connection to either Annie Ingham or Johnny Fullerton."

At Whitcombe Grange, Kitty is decorating the arbor for a wedding. It's the climax of the event. Barnaby and Winter asks Kitty about Johnny Fullerton? Kitty says she didn't know him well. She says the photograph albums were Mum and Dad's. No-one's looked at them for decades. They all see the drone going to the top of the house. Inside, Polly is bringing the tube downstairs, which is stuffed with cakes and treats for the guests. Polly says, "It's not all for me. It's for the others." Kitty takes them away."

James Oswood brings blackmail money to Doug. Doug says, "I told you, I won't be ignored." Doug needles James. The police arrive as James is walking off. Doug tells the detectives that "James is investing in the future. He's going to be my chief backer." The detectives ask Ronin about the unofficial drone activities. James wanted some footage of the Austen event that can be used on their website. Ronin says, "I thought I'd get some shots of the house. I came across that woman walking through the fields, I thought it looked good, so I followed her. I lost her in the woods. When I found her again, she was dead. I caught a glimpse of a blue anorak with the logo of a unicorn. I thought it was Ray's but I didn't want to drop him in it."

The police speak to Nell and Ray Fryer about the blue anorak. There are dozens of those anoraks around here. The church organised a sponsored walk for a children's charity. The Unicorn Charity. That's their logo."

Doug yells at Ronin about working for James. Ronin tells him he and Polly are going traveling soon. Doug leaves and Ronin goes upstairs and looks on his laptop. He calls someone. "It was you, wasn't it?" Ronin says.

Barnaby and Winter speak to Gemma Christie. She has photographs of drones on her counter. Gemma didn't go to Oxford University as she had claimed. She admits to the detectives that Samantha Berry mentioned Oxford to her. She asked lots of questions Gemma couldn't answer.

Ronin calls Polly. He says knows who killed her. A drone flying above drops a knife and it falls into Ronin's chest.

Petra examines Ronin. He has a deep, penetrative stab wound. It dropped from above. With precision. A drone.

Doug is checking to see if anything has been touched on his laptop. Barnaby and Winter come up. Doug says, "We've been broken into, Ronin has been murdered, and a campaign has been launched against us. An anonymous online protest page pointing out that it is illegal for drones to fly too close to anyone without permission. There appears to be photographs proving that our drones went closer to people than 50 metres." Doug says anyone with practice can operate the drones with precision.

Barnaby goes to speak to Ray. He tells Nell that Ronin Chow was murdered. Barnaby tells her to have her husband call him. Winter goes to speak to Mary Oswood and Gemma Christie. He asks who delivered medicine before the drone trial. Gemma says she delivered them on my bicycle. Winter says, "There's a campaign against the trial. Now, you had photographs of the drones in action on your counter. The campaign website had similar photographs. And it seems someone knew the routes Ronin was taking. Perhaps you gave them to Gemma. Underhand at best. Some might even say... criminal?" Gemma says, "It is not. We're not the ones breaking the law. They are!" Mary says, "I didn't ask to lead this trial. It risks damaging the fabric of village life. The system was better before." Winter tells them Ronin Chow was murdered this morning, by a drone.

Polly tells Barnaby that she was speaking to Ronin when the phone went dead. Kitty comes to talk to Polly. Polly cries.

Barnaby asks James Oswood about Ronin Chow doing some filming for your website. James says that Kitty doesn't know. Drones are hardly Georgian. Barnaby asks if Kitty knows about his investment in Doug Vaughan's company, Walter says, "What? That's not possible. Really?" Winter says, "We checked his finances. Did you know that his company was in trouble? Why invest in a failing company?" James says, "That's exactly the time to invest. I have every faith Doug will turn it round. I've bought in cheap and I hope to reap the rewards further down the line." Barnaby questions James backing someone who his father says James never got on with. James says it was nothing but Walter says, "Oh, easy for you to say, son. It was the bane of my life. Doug was chippy. Not a star pupil, but a loner and a moaner, thought we didn't appreciate his skills." James says, "Which is why he screwed Dad over-- that's why he notified the authorities. I reckon he put the boy up to goading you as well." Winter comes in and says Petra found a print in the residue on the shotgun. Doug Vaughan's. Barnaby asks who the photograph albums belong to and James says they are Kitty's.

Outside Winter tells Barnaby that got confirmation that Johnny Fullerton was Samantha Berry's father. "I spoke to her mother. She hasn't seen him since he went to prison. She cut him out completely. Samantha never met him until recently. A few months ago Samantha received a letter out of the blue. Old enough to decide for herself, she met him -- once -- just before he died. But what did he tell her? And why did it make her come to the village?"

Ray Fryer comes to talk to James Oswood. "What's going on? You said you were cool, and then, a few hours later, you turn your back on me. This some kind of game for you?" Ray goes over to Doug's and sees Doug's photos which are of Ray and James kissing. Ray attacks him. Doug says he was doing it to get money from James. And to bury him. Doug pushes a send button on the computer. The photos are sent to Kitty and Nell.

Barnaby says he will be charged for harassment and discharging a firearm last night at the Grange, and for blackmail. Doug says, "Look, all I wanted was some payback, for every time he ridiculed me. 'Deadly this' and 'Deadly that'. He could do everything he wanted because he knew his daddy wouldn't see it. Do you know what it's like to be humiliated every day! To dread school." Barnaby says, "Given that you invaded his privacy, extorted money from him, and perhaps goaded his father into losing his job... .. you might have killed Samantha Berry to sabotage his new business." Uniforms take Doug away.

Ray says to Nell that he tried. Nell says, "Spare me. I always knew something wasn't right. I just didn't want to confront it."

Solomon goes over to propose to Jane. Solomon says, "Miss Everard, as mentioned, my behaviour here has fallen short -- elsewhere too. But if you will allow me the honour .. would you be so kind as to consider giving me your hand in marriage?" Jane says, "Is a pay rise possible?" Solomon says, "Hey, don't... don't push it. The offer won't last forever." Jane says, "Oh, alright then. I will." They kiss. Kitty says, "Marvellous! Right. Moving swiftly on to the nuptials..."

Barnaby asks where the drone is. Ray says someone must have taken it. Ray says his involvement with James started a couple of years after the fire at the Grange. He says, "After Nell and Kitty had moved out of the Grange, Nell was away nursing, but me, James and Kitty saw a lot of each other. The affair lasted until Kitty got pregnant with Polly. James decided to do the honourable thing, and that's why they left for London. I... I got on with my life. Me and Nell got together. Everything was fine until James came back." Nell gets a call from Kitty who leaves. Barnaby says, "What can you tell me about Johnny Fullerton?" Ray says, "When Johnny came out of prison, he came back to see if Kitty was still here. He was still in love with her. They were inseparable before the fire. Nell told him Kitty was with James and had moved on. Nell thought it was best not to tell her. She knows nothing about Johnny... .. or me and James."

Winter sees something on the laptop at Doug's. He calls Barnaby to tell him. Barnaby and Ray head to the Grange.

Kitty asks Nell if she knew about Ray and James. Kitty says to James, "So, you're telling me that our whole marriage was fake." James says, "I tried so hard, Kitty, to make it work." Kitty says, "That's not good enough. I bought into you. I believed you. I went to London with you. I could have stayed here." Kitty lights a torch on fire and goes after James. Barnaby tells her to put the torch down. "Johnny Fullerton was your first love, wasn't he?" Kitty says, "First love, last love and everything in between. I was hoping he'd come back for me. Johnny went to prison for me. I started the fire. We were young, and we were in love. But Johnny was seeing somebody else. He didn't love her, he loved me. He'd gone to break it off with her, but I didn't know that, and I felt insecure. I thought he was... Mum and Dad and Nell were out. I got drunk. And I was crying. And I knocked over an electric heater. It caught the curtains. And I ran out in a panic. I didn't think Annie was in."

James says, "So, why would this Johnny say he started the fire?" Kitty says, "Because he loved me!" Nell says, "And he knew Kitty wouldn't cope in prison. She wouldn't have survived." Barnaby says,"So, your bad-boy troublemaker was nothing of the sort. Did you know Samantha Berry was Johnny's daughter? I didn't think so. Samantha only met him once, a few months ago, just before Johnny died. Johnny told Samantha about the fire, didn't he, Nell? But he didn't tell her who started it. She wanted to know, so she came here. She found a photograph of the three of you and she came to confront you, didn't she? And that's when you realized you had to silence her." Winter says, "You used your husband's key to the tea room to get a quill pen, throwing suspicion on Gemma Christie." Barnaby says, "And your nursing background to apply the poison to the nib." Winter says, "Ronin realized it was you wearing your husband's anorak, didn't he?" Barnaby says, "Ronin was about to tell us, wasn't he? And you couldn't allow that."

"Mr Fryer, would you tell Kitty what you just told me?" Ray says, "Johnny did come back for you. After he was released from prison. And Nell didn't tell you." Kitty exclaims, "Why?! Why wouldn't you tell me something like that?" Nell says, "It was settled, you'd moved on, you were married, you had a family." Kitty says, "But I wasn't happy! It was Johnny! Why... why would you do that?!" Nell insists, "I had to. It was better left! I was protecting you. I did what I thought was right for you. Johnny's daughter -- she wouldn't leave it. She said she was gonna get the truth out of you. I couldn't have that. She was gonna tell you who she was, that Johnny had died, you'd have had another breakdown. I... sent her a note, saying to meet me. I had no choice!"

Kitty says, "No! No. How dare you talk to me about choice?! I could have been happy." Nell says, "Please... I'm sorry. Please..." Kitty says, "I should have confessed to the fire all those years ago. And you should have let him back into my life, and I will never forgive you for that." Nell cries and Winter escorts her to a police car. Kitty is also taken to a police car.

Winter says, "Can I confess something? I've never read any Jane Austen. Is this what happens in them?" Barnaby says, "Uh, not really, no. That said, they do often end with a wedding." They observe Solomon and Jane together in wedding attire. "Or sometimes two." Ray and James are kissing. "Not sure that would happen in a Jane Austen novel, though."

Outside at a pub, Barnaby asks Sarah, "So, what are you going to do about the writing, then?" Sarah says, "I decided you were right -- I'm going to turn it into a murder mystery. I might even base the hero on you." Jamie is experimenting with a drone bringing beer to a table.

Cast[]

Galleries[]

Body Count[]

Prior to the Episode

In the Episode

Supporting Cast[]

Episode Images[]

Arrests[]

  • Nell Fryer for the murders of
    • Samantha Berry
    • Ronin Chow
  • Kitty Oswood for setting the house on fire resulting in the death of Annie Ingham 28 years ago
  • Doug Vaughn for
    • Extortion of James Oswood
    • Harassment for sending private images of James Oswood and Ray Fryer
    • Shooting at Whitcombe Grange during the party
  • Gemma Christie possibly for trying to run down DS Winter.

Notes[]

  • Dr. Kam Karimore does not appear in this episode and the crime scene Pathologist is Petra Antonescu.

The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes

Trivia[]

  • Samuel West (James Oswood) appeared in Jane Austen's Persuasion (1995) with Ciarán Hinds and Amanda Root.
  • The windmill seen in the background early on is the same windmill used as Caractacus Potts' home in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."
  • The Trials and Tribulations of DS Jamie Winter:
    • Complains about his tight breeches at the Gorgeous Georgians party.
    • After chasing the person with the gun, Winter is almost run over.

Goofs[]

  • Barnaby orders Winter to check if there were cameras on the medical supply drones. Since drones are piloted remotely, by default they would have cameras.
  • The knife drop from the drone had a couple of issues. First, most knives have a handle that is heavier than the blade. A knife of that nature would fall handle-first once dropped and not stab the person as was shown. Next, the drone was at a relatively low altitude. A knife dropped from that height would lack the necessary velocity to penetrate a body as was shown.

Video[]

Midsomer_Murders_Series_19_Episode_5_-_Death_by_Persuasion_Preview

Midsomer Murders Series 19 Episode 5 - Death by Persuasion Preview

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