Evelyn Pope is a character appearing in the episode Destroying Angel of the ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders.
Evelyn is a beloved former puppet master in Midsomer Magna. Her shows of Mr. Punch and Judy were iconic from entertaining the kids, but usually placing innuendos about the villagers' worst actions and secrets she found them deserving to be ruined by. Tom Barnaby himself regarded her for exposing a husband beating his wife, which preceded a successful arrest. Evelyn was the godmother of the village aside her loving husband Woody, her two closest confidants for the show being her dear niece Clarice Opperman and local mushroomer and all around do-gooder Gregory Chambers.
Evelyn was appalled by one of the worst conspiracies she would witness in the village: local hotel magnate Karl Wainwright was smothered to death for his inheritance, as his will was changed to be his estate fully left to his illegitimate daughter, Annie Tyson. She knew instantly when Suzanna Chambers scolded Denise Daly, who Evelyn always regarded as a wonderful nurse, out of Karl's funeral so she'd never pick up on any signs of foul play. Gregory was soon after shot with an arrow and sunk to the bottom of a lake by Tristan Goodfellow, as he knew of the new will's signature and Suzanna didn't want to share benefit she and Gregory would be left. Goodfellow and Suzanna would also conveniently continue their affair. Annie was arrested due to having her affair with Gregory and carrying their child, along with blood being found in her truck.
Evelyn, ever the vigilante who saw all in her village, decided justice must be served against the conspirators with far more than a puppet show to punish them, knowing they covered all their tracks. As a search for Gregory's remains went on in the forest, Clarice followed Evelyn's instructions of going to find the mushroom Gregory cut from, and a polaroid photo was delivered to Evelyn personally for that confirmation. Clarice also picked a poisonous mushroom named the destroying angel, never informing Clarice on what they were. Evelyn then had Clarice send the remaining conspirators threatening letters under a lie, including the photograph, and her dear gardener Ben pours the mushrooms in Tristan's office for him to eat. To keep him from stopping the plot, and because Clarice had ben's attention, Evelyn gave him a vacation in Ibiza as a gift and distraction. Evelyn knew they were al responsible because they didn't come forward to report the notes.
She called a builder to cut the wire holding up the drink cabinet of Kenneth Gooders, the husband of fellow conspirator Julia Gooders, which crashed down on him to cause his death once the cabinet was opened. Evelyn knew Julia was the weak link to provide a confession, so she herself arranged an obscene phone call campaign against her and Suzanna to turn them on each other. Suzanna heard Evelyn as Julia pretending to be "in a panic" over being found out, and Julia heard Mr. Punch threatening her life over the phone. As Suzanna crept into the house to stab Julia, Julia fired a shotgun and killed Suzanna on reflex. The plan went perfectly, as Julia surrendered and gave a full confession, releasing Annie.
Barnaby went to confront Evelyn, knowing she was the mastermind because of her mimicry talents she passed onto Clarice. Clarice was distraught by her deception meant to protect Clarice from punishment, but Clarice hoped she'd understand one day. After Evelyn fully confessed, she succumbed to a bottle of pills she downed earlier to suicide herself with. She was delighted to hear Annie in the new will, and she exchanges goodbyes with Woody before she died. Clarice and Woody were distraught from Evelyn's suicide note to reassure her dear husband, but because she was dead and all the guilty parties of the other murders were killed as well, everyone was too scarred to believe in the rest of their lives.
Victims[]
- Tristan Goodfellow - Consumed a poisonous type of mushrooms, Destroying Angel, which were placed for him to cook instead of regular mushrooms. This was carried out by Ben the gardener at Evelyn's instruction.
- Kenneth Gooders - Crushed by a large drink cabinet while taking a drink after the screws that were pinning it to the wall were loosened. This was carried out by a builder at Evelyn's instruction.
- Suzanna Chambers - Shot in the chest with a shotgun by Julia Gooders while trying to kill her with a knife after Suzanna received a phone call sounding like Julia, threatening to expose her and Julia received a phone call saying "You are next! I'm coming to get you!" sounding like Mr. Punch.
- Julia Gooders - Nearly killed with a knife by Suzanne Chambers after the threatening phone calls, but Suzanne was shot dead with a shotgun by Julia; later went mad and was transferred to psychiatric custody.