Reviewed by Janina Conboye
Stars Sharon Small, Nathaniel Parker, Lesley Vickerage, Clare Swinburne,
James Hazeldine, Gabrielle Drake, Anjalee Patel | Written by Elizabeth George & others
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 352 minutes | Directed by Richard Laxton
I always thought The Inspector Lynley Mysteries was a bit of a naff title for what is actually a half decent television series. And among the episodes on this release (Playing for the Ashes, In the Presence of the Enemy, A Suitable Vengeance and Deception on His Mind) is one set in Cornwall on Inspector Lynley’s family estate — he is an earl, after all. So there’s sea, sand, a country house and a bit of sinister murder thrown in for good measure.
The series can’t quite compete with my personal detective favourite Waking the Dead — it’s gritty, and every woman needs her dose of Trevor Eve — but it’s fairly intelligent and to some extent quite quintessentially English and quirky. In addition to the tensions involved in solving murder cases, there is a distinct clash between the characters’ personalities, gender and class. Thomas Lynley (Parker) is of upper class breeding, while Barbara Havers (Small) comes from a working-class background, but opposites attract and they make a pretty good team.
In Playing for the Ashes sees Havers question Lynley’s tactics after the body of a cricket star is found in a burnt out house. It seems to be an arson attack, but a web of family ties proves difficult to untangle. In the Presence of the Enemy, Lynley and Havers investigate a case of conspiracy involving an MP, who seems to be about to bring down the government. The two face blackmailers and deception in their hunt to find a murderer. In a Suitable Vengeance, a brutal murder on the grounds of Lynley’s idyllic Cornish estate disrupts his engagement dinner, shedding new light on the inspector and his dysfunctional family.
Deception on His Mind sees a body found on the beach in the seaside resort of Balford-le-Nez. With Lynley away, Havers discovers the investigation is being run by an old friend, so goes to lend a hand in solving the case. It’s not ore inspiring, or massively complex, but the ideal accompaniment to and evening of wine and nibbles or a rainy afternoon of tea and cake, when you’re best offering on television is Big Brother or the Hollyoaks omnibus.
EXTRAS None