Midsomer Murders: The Early Cases Collection

How did all the trouble begin behind the well-trimmed hedges of the villages in Midsomer County? Accompany unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles, Bergerac) and his first and longest-serving deputy, Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) in this must-have collection of the first 18 episodes in the popular English mystery series. Includes five cases adapted from the best-selling novels of Caroline Graham-called "the best detective writer since Agatha Christie" by the London Sunday Times-plus the next 13 episodes inspired by her characters. They'll make you an insider on baffling cases, from murder and blackmail to unearthly happenings in the local graveyard. Extras include a documentary about the series' first decade, featuring John Nettles and Caroline Graham.

The Killings at Badger's Drift - The peace of the seemingly idyllic village of Badger's Drift is shattered by the inexplicable murder of an old lady, Emily Simpson, found dead in her cottage after witnessing something unsettling in the woods. Her old friend, Lucy Bellringer, is convinced that Emily's death was not from natural causes. She persuades DCI Barnaby & DS Troy of Causton CID to look into the matter and then hunt down the killer. Their investigation uncovers a web of sinister events, some long buried in the past.

Written in Blood - Gerald Hadleigh, the secretary of the writers circle in the quiet village of Midsomer Worthy, was never in favour of inviting the best-selling novelist Max Jennings to attend one of their meetings. When Hadleigh is found dead the following morning, brutally battered to death, the other members of the circle wish they had heeded his reluctance. Barnaby & Troy discover that Hadleigh was a man of mystery, with no National Insurance number, no relatives and no marriage certificate to match the wedding photo on display in his house. When another body is found, they have a double murder on their hands.

Death of a Hollow Man - In the village of Ferne Basset, an elderly resident is found drowned after a violent attack. Meanwhile, at the Corn Exchange in Causton, a local amateur dramatic production of Amadeus reveals a backstage world of intrigue, passion & gossip - and a whole new meaning to the term "corpsing" when there is a second murder.

Faithful Unto Death - An investigation into the finances of a village community crafts centre takes a sinister turn when the wife of the centre's owner disappears and a neighbour is murdered.

Death in Disguise - One of the founders of a new-age commune, The Lodge of the Golden Wind Horse, dies in a fall down the stairs, apparently accidentally. But when the other founder is mysteriously murdered in front of a roomful of people, the first death looks like it may have been deliberate too.

Death's Shadow - A successful theatrical director, Simon Fletcher, arrives in the village of Badgers Drift; his head filled with disturbing childhood memories. Then, soon after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, a property developer in the village is savagely murdered with an Indian sword belonging to a vicar. Barnaby & Troy investigate the crime, trying to discover if it was motivated by ill-feeling in the village about his plans for property development or some longer buried secrets.

Strangler's Wood - The body of a young Brazilian woman is found strangled with a tie in a wood where three similar murders occurred several years previously. Barnaby & Troy visit George Meakham, the now-retired police officer who was in charge of the investigation of the earlier crimes, and who has since become obsessed with them. The trail leads them to a local cigarette and tobacco company and two of its employees in particular. The Portuguese au-pair of one of them is then murdered. Barnaby manages to solve both the new murders and the old ones, though not before the murder of another person connected with it all.

Dead Man's Eleven - DCI Barnaby's plans to move to the village of Fletcher's Cross are disrupted when the wife of a landowner is bludgeoned to death in the village of Midsomer Worthy with a cricket bat while out walking her dog. The bat belongs to the landowner's son, but has no fingerprints on it. Barnaby & Troy gradually find themselves caught up in a succession of sinister murders.

Blood Will Out - When an unpleasant and unpopular local magistrate, Hector Bridges, is found shot dead in his house, investigations uncover that his wife was married to one of their neighbours, Will Saxby, and Saxby's current wife used to be Mrs Bridges, his daughter, Fleur, is really Saxby's daughter, and a new-age traveller, Orville Trudway, who has recently moved into the village was an old army comrade with a grudge against him. Things are complicated still further by the presence of a group of travellers on the village common, who proceed to hold a horse-race.

Death of a Stranger - DCI Barnaby returns from a holiday in France to discover an unidentified tramp has been beaten to death in the woods near the village of Marshwood. While he was away, Supt Ronald Pringle, just before his retirement, quickly arrested a local young man. But Barnaby suspects that he is innocent, which is only reinforced when there is an apparent suicide at the same spot, and tries to uncover the connection before there can be further a further murder.

Blue Herrings - With a week off work to redecorate part of his house, DCI Barnaby also visits his elderly aunt, Alice Bly, who is convalescing in the Lawnside residential nursing home for the elderly in Aspern Tallow, and she prompts him to investigate a series of suspicious deaths there, after people have changed their wills.

Judgement Day - The residents of the village of Midsomer Mallow fear for their chances of winning the Perfect Village competition when a local thief and womaniser are brutally killed with a pitchfork. Worse still, there is no shortage of suspects. Then two of the judges are murdered.

Beyond the Grave - The slashing of a 17th-century painting in Aspern Tallow museum appears to herald the start of a series of ghostly manifestations by the ghost of Jonathan Lowrie. Cully's boyfriend Nico has just been given a part in a soap opera as a Detective Sergeant, and asks DCI Barnaby if he can shadow DS Troy to learn more about how to play the role.

Garden of Death - In the village of Midsomer Deverell, the proposal of the Inkpen-Thomas family, who have regained the ownership of their ancestral home, Inkpen Manor, to turn the village Memorial Garden in their grounds into a tea-room, have upset the community. One family is particularly incensed: the Bennetts, who owned the manor for a few years and founded the Memorial Garden. One of the young Inkpens is then found murdered in the Memorial Garden, with a scrap of paper beside her. Barnarby & Troy's suspicions are aroused further when they learn that Mrs Bennett disappeared mysteriously some years before.

Destroying Angel - Karl Wainwright, the owner of Easterly Grange Hotel has recently died and left the establishment to four people. One of them is also the local Punch & Judy man, who goes missing shortly afterwards. When his severed hand is discovered in a nearby wood, a murder enquiry is launched. There is soon a surfeit of deaths for Barnaby & Troy to investigate.

The Electric Vendetta - A series of murders starts with the discovery of the naked body of a man in the centre of a mysterious crop circle in a field owned by Sir Harry Chatwyn in the village of Midsomer Parva. Rumours abound in the village that it could be the work of some alien force, when extra-terrestrial expert Lloyd Kirby interests himself in events. But Barnaby has other ideas, particularly when another body is found under very similar circumstances.

Who Killed Cock Robin? - A pub owner calls on Barnaby when the local doctor, Oliver Burgess, thinks he may have hit someone while driving home, and an Irish stranger apparently vanishes at the same time. Barnaby identifies the stranger as Sean O'Connell, and then meets an old criminal acquaintance Melvyn Stockard, who is now the squire of Newton Magna. Stockard claims to be a reformed man, but he disapproves of his daughter's impending marriage, and one of the wedding party is then found dead in a local well.

Dark Autumn - In the village of Goodman's Land, postman Dave Cutler is murdered while on an early morning round. With the help of local community WPC Jay Nash, Barnaby & Troy's investigations reveal that he was the local Romeo, having seduced a number of women in the locality, but would any of the jealous husbands or jilted lovers have wanted to murder him? Then another body is found. Troy is happy to stay as long as possible, as the longer it takes to solve the murders, the more time he has to pursue his growing friendship with Nash.

Based on the Novels by Caroline Graham
Written by Anthony Horowitz, Douglas Watkinson, Douglas Livingstone, Hugh Whitemore, Christopher Russell, David Hoskins, Jeremy Paul, Peter Hammond
Directed by Jeremy Silberston, Baz Taylor, Moira Armstrong, Peter Creegen, Peter Smith, David Tucker
Produced by Brian True-May
Original Music by Jim Parker
Cinematography by Nigel Walters, Chris O’Dell
Film Editing by Derek Bain, John Blackwell
Costume Design by Reg Samuel