MIDSOMER MURDERS
TALKING TO THE DEAD
DETAILED SYNOPSIS
Sam Nelms the postman arrives at two cottages on Lynton Pargeter's estate. There is no sign of the inhabitants Stan and Nesta. Molly and Colin Thomas's neighbouring cottage is the same. Reverend Stone tells Barnaby about the history of Monks Barton and the surrounding superstition.
At the SOC Barnaby realises the morning's post is missing. On arriving at the estate Barnaby discovers evidence of breaking and entering. He observes a collection of Netsuke figures and evidence someone has tried to cover up damage. Clairvoyant Cyrus Levanu visits for the anniversary of the massacre of a group of monks. Within the woods disembodied echoes and ghostly creaks are heard by Levanu and his followers. Levanu finds that the spike of his hunting stick has skewered a hand in a shallow grave.
Barnaby and Jones pay a visit to Sam Nelms to ask him about the parcel which he failed to deliver. The contents of the parcel are one Netsuke and a 'With compliments' slip. Jones uses the details on the slip to make contact with John Temple, a local antiques expert.
At Pargeter's, Barnaby and Jones witness a 4WD make a quick getaway. Passing the cottages, Pargeter hears a woman's voice talking loudly; the sound leads Pargeter to Molly Thomas's body within. She was shot in the back; the voice is coming from a tape recording.
Leaving Pargeter's that night, Barnaby and Jones see lights from the woods; they go to confront the source. Barnaby is being tracked by Stanley Goodfellow - a man suffering from a mental disorder. The body from the woods is identified as Terence Lather. He was part of a gang specialising in stealing antiques.
Re-examining the cottages, the detectives spot a figure racing from the cottages on a bike. It's Nelms. On the perimeters of The Pines Psychiatric Hospital, an anonymous figure observes Stanley Goodfellow.
Jones visits Temple's store and photographs antiques which are stolen . The trail leads him to Pargeter. Stanley has disappeared from the hospital. At Pargeter's, Barnaby and Jones find transmitting equipment and Pargeter dead in the Iron Maiden. Barnaby and Jones chase a figure through the woods - could this be the killer?