Midsomer Murders: Set 13

Murder, mystery and mayhem return to the cozy villages of Midsomer County as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and his earnest protégé Detective Constable Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) unravel three confounding feature-length cases, involving a sinister cover-up, a Masonic dagger found in a company that seems to manufacture murder, and a rock band's "killer" reunion performance.

Dance with the Dead - DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and DC Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) return to tackle more murder, mayhem and mystery in the beautiful English countryside with a new series of Midsomer Murders. This week Barnaby and Jones investigate a suspicious death in the village of Morton Fendle, where the Second World War still casts a gloomy shadow.

When the body of a young man, Simon Bright (Edward Davenport), is found dead from exhaust fumes in a World War Two Humber at the disused aircraft hangar, it initially looks like a suicide pact gone wrong. But Simon received a blow to the head before he died.

Simon's girlfriend, Laura Sharp (Lizzy Watts), is missing - and as the detectives try to find her, they discover this childlike woman had a strangle hold on many local residents.

The investigation leads them to a 1940s jazz and swing night at the Parish Hall organized by Elaine Trim (Harriet Thorpe), unofficial matchmaker to the village.

But can Barnaby and Jones dance their way through the red herrings to find Laura - and Simon's killer?

The Animal Within - When Faith Alexander arrives in Midsomer Deverell to meet her long-lost uncle Rex Masters, she is surprised to find he has disappeared and told everyone she was killed in a plane crash. Then Rex's body is found in the weir, and his friends produce wills, each claiming to inherit his fortune. But what is the truth about Rex's life of mischief-making, and who wanted him dead?

King's Crystal - Alan King (David Firth), co-owner of King's Crystal, is killed in a car accident in Shanghai during a business trip with his brother and business partner Charles (John Castle) and accountant Peter Baxter (Ray Lonnen). The company faces bankruptcy and the workforce, led by volatile glassblower Jack Tewson (Tony Haygarth), is devastated.

Tensions are brewing throughout Midsomer Magna. Alan's son Ian (Sam Heughan) shuns his mother Hilary (Susan Tracy) to grieve with his close friend David Monroe (Tim Delap); Sophie Baxter (Flora Montgomery), daughter of Peter, is in love with Ian; and undertaker James Taylor (Joseph Rye) is in love with Sophie.

Six months later, the factory has closed and Charles weds his brother's widow Hilary. Ian is angry at the marriage and concerned by Tewson's claims that the company pension fund has been embezzled. Peter fears an investigation into the accounts and puts his house up for sale. The next day he is found dead in the stream, with a stab wound to his chest. Meanwhile Cully (Laura Howard) is rehearsing for a production of Hamlet at the Midsomer open air theatre, refurbished thanks to Alan King's fundraising.

Barnaby (John Nettles) discovers that an intruder broke into Peter's office the night he died and Tewson suggests the culprit could be Ian. Ian finds a sketchbook in his father's study. The murder weapon is discovered - a Masonic dagger. Jones (Jason Hughes), a lapsed Mason, questions Charles, the Master of the Lodge, who reveals the dagger was Peter's. Ian is behaving strangely - he makes amends with Charles, even becoming a Mason, then insults Sophie. He confides in David that he is close to the truth and David tells Barnaby he is worried for Ian's safety. As Barnaby watches Cully in the performance of Hamlet he realizes the play contains a message sent by Ian King. But can he pick up the trail of clues to lead him to the killer?

The Axman Cometh - Barnaby (John Nettles) is impressed when blues guitarist Jack 'Axeman' McKinley (James Cosmo) rolls into Causton with his waif-like daughter Willow (Fiona Button) for a reunion of the band Hired Gun. Drummer Nicky Harding (Michael Angelis) and alcoholic diva Mimi Clifton (Suzy Quatro) join him to play at the Midsomer Rocks Festival. The band is staying at the country pad of lead singer Gary Cooper (Phil Davis) - Badgers Hall.

The band is missing one member - Ginger Foxton, who disappeared 30 years ago after driving his car into a quarry. When Gary finds a dead sheep, a disemboweled pig and then a skinned rabbit, he becomes paranoid that someone is trying to stop the reunion, and won't be consoled by his butler Hobson (David Horovitch) and personal assistant Serena (Robin Weaver).

Gary's neighbours, Desmond Harcourt (Rupert Vansittart) and his younger wife Finola (Tilly Blackwood), are angry that he wants to end the lease of their cottage, especially as they originally owned the manor house. Finola offers to give Gary elocution lessons - and sleep with him - if he'll let them stay on.

Barnaby is surprised to see another old face in town - DI Owen Jenkins (Philip Madoc), who headed the inquiry into Ginger's disappearance. But when Barnaby talks to Axeman, his hero humiliates him. Cully meets Hired Gun's manager Simon Dixon, and the attraction is instant. But as the festival opens, tragedy strikes as Mimi drops dead on stage.

Barnaby suspects foul play when he finds a hole drilled in the stage. Could Mimi have been electrocuted by a live wire? Gary believes the killer meant to get him and tells Barnaby he is sure it's Ginger, back again.

Jenkins is convinced he's solved the case from his retirement home, but could Gary be right about Ginger's involvement in the murders? Or could the band's groupies from the 60s hold the answer?

Dance with the Dead

Directed by Peter Smith
Written by Peter Hammond, Caroline Graham
Produced by Brian True-May
Original Music by Jim Parker
Cinematography by Carol Munn
Costume Design by Reg Samuel

The Animal Within

Directed by Renny Rye
Written by David Hoskins
Executive Produced by Brian True-May
Original Music by Jim Parker
Cinematography by Colin Munn
Film Editing by Derek Bain
Costume Design by Reg Samuel

King’s Crystal

Directed by Peter Smith
Written by Steve Trafford
Executive Produced by Brian True-May
Original Music by Jim Parker
Cinematography by Colin Munn
Film Editing by John Blackwell
Costume Design by Reg Samuel

The Axman Cometh

Directed by Renny Rye
Written by Michael Aitkens
Executive Produced by Brian True-May
Original Music by Jim Parker
Cinematography by Colin Munn
Film Editing by Derek Bain
Costume Design by Reg Samuel