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Death of a Stranger

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Death of a Stranger is the first episode of the third series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 31st December 1999.

Synopsis[]

While Barnaby is away on holiday his replacement, the soon-to-be-retired Ron Pringle, arrests Billy Gurdie for the murder of a tramp who lived in the woods near the village of Upper Marchwood. When Billie's father is also found dead in the same woods some three weeks later, an apparent suicide, Barnaby seriously questions the coincidence. When the post-mortem reveals the second death to also be murder, Barnaby is certain that both murders were committed by the same person.

Plot[]

It's nighttime. It's raining and lightning outside. Linda Wagstaff is sewing in her home, an old railway carriage. A tramp pounds on the window. "Let me in!" says the tramp. "Go away! Go away. I don't know you. You leave me alone," Linda says. The tramp pounds on the door. "Go away. Go away. I don't know you. I don't know you," Linda says.

In the morning, the dogs are released for the fox hunt. Champagne is passed around to the riders. The tramp watches from the sidelines. James Fitzroy and Marcia Tranter discuss the route. James's wife, Sarah Fitzroy, is mounted. James says he hopes she won't be a drag. The tramp goes to the store and picks up bottles of booze and crisps. Marcia and her son, Grahame Tranter, ride over to Kate Tranter, who is in her car. Marcia says, "You didn't bring Harry, Kate?" Harry is Kate's 2 year old son. She left him with the nanny. "We'll have him on horseback before you can says boo," says Marcia. "Boo," says Kate. Marcia rides off. Graham says to his wife, "She means well, you know."

James Fitzroy goes over to his wife and tells her not to jump the walls. He doesn't want her to make a fool of herself. The tramp comes out of the store and walks through the village. Ron Pringle and Betty Pringle come out of their house. Billy Gurdie and Dave Hedges heckle the riders from the road. Ron tells the boys, "I'm Superintendent Pringle. I've just moved here to spend a happy retirement. Soon I'll be a neighbour like anybody else and I intend to get on with everyone. Don't make trouble with me." The hunt starts and riders follow the dogs across the fields. Linda watches from her railway carriage. She yells "Pigs" at the riders. The tramp goes to the woods and drinks his bottle of booze. The tramp runs into the woods and drops his bottle and bag. Someone is chasing him. The hunt continues with dogs barking and horses riding. The tramp falls into a hole and cries out. His foot is caught in an animal trap. Someone picks up a thick branch and clubs him. Billy Gurdie is running through the woods blowing a horn and confusing the riders. That night, Linda is walking and finds the tramp, dead.

In France, Barnaby, Joyce and Cully are at dinner outside. James Fitzroy recognizes him and walks over to speak to him. Sarah Fitzroy comes along too. She recognizes Cully as she is going to be in a play at the Causton Playhouse- The Importance of Being Earnest. James says there was a murder in Upper Marshwood. Superintendent Pringle's on the case and he arrested the bloke within a week. After they leave, Barnaby says, "Ron Pringle solves a murder while I'm away. He's an oaf!"

Back in Midsomer, Cathy Gurdie visits her son Billy in prison. Billy says he didn't murder anyone. Ron Pringle sees Barnaby in the Police cafeteria. He brags about solving the murder. Cathy cycles home and sees James Fitzroy and her husband, Ben Gurdie. Ben tells James that Billy is not a murderer.

At the Tranter house, Kate drives back and comes in the house. Marcia is coming down the stairs with Kate's son, Harry. Kate takes him out of Marcia's arms and says it's time for tea. At the Gurdie house, Ben tells his wife that they'll get their son out of jail somehow. Ben unlocks a gun.

The next morning, Ben's dead body is found. Linda Wagstaff found him. Ron Pringle tells Barnaby that Ben is the father of the boy who killed the tramp. He was depressed about his son's arrest. Ron implies that he committed suicide. Henry Carstairs is at the crime scene. He's a taxidermist looking for dead animals and birds. He is Grahame Tranter's cousin. Ron Pringle tells Barnaby that he is going to buy a horse. He's joined the local hunt.

In the village, Dave Hedges whistles at Linda Wagstaff. He goes into the shop to buy a drink. Ron Pringle walks in as Dave is leaving. Dave asks how Billy Gurdie is doing. Pringle says he's retired.

At Linda Wagstaff's place, Barnaby and Troy try to talk to her. She goes inside her rail car. She offers Barnaby and Troy elderberry cordial. Linda tells them about finding Ben Gurdie and the tramp earlier. The detectives try to pin down details but Linda is hard to pin down. She says that the hunters are a funny lot. They kill things for pleasure. Linda says she does needlework for them and needs the money. But she doesn't trust them. There's hatred down there. She also says Billy Gurdie did not kill the tramp. She suddenly starts yelling as she sees someone through her window. She yells, "Get out" at Henry Carstairs. She tells the detectives he is a scavenger, a vulture.

At the Tranter home, Marcia tells James he needs to go to London tomorrow. James says he's already been to London this week. Marcia insists. The detectives drive up to a courtyard. James and Marcia are outside dressed in riding gear and feeding the hounds. James tells them that he and Marcia are joint MFH. Masters of Foxhounds. Marcia tells them that her husband is dead and her son Grahame owns the land. Barnaby asks about Henry Carstairs. "Handbag Henry," says Marcia. James says he's always carrying a bag. The hounds start howling and whining. Marcia goes over and says, "It's so unfair on them! They've had the excitement of the chase without the satisfaction of the kill."

Cathy Gurdie tells the detectives that Ben went out last night to search for something to help Billy. When she woke up in the morning, Ben wasn't there and she assumed he had gone to work.

Grahame Trantor is in the bedroom with his son, Henry, who is napping. Sarah Fitzroy comes by to drop off the list of guests for Founder's Night. Sarah asks about Kate. She says she sympathizes with her. Coming in from the real world to Upper Marshwood.

The detectives go to interview Billy Gurdie. he says he found the tramp when he was poaching. He picked up the stick, saw the blood and threw it away. Billie was in the woods, blowing the horn and having a laugh, trying to get back at those snobs. "You're worse than a murderer here if you make a fool of the hunt," he says. He did not kill the tramp.

At home, Barnaby goes over lines with Cully for the play she is in. Cully tells him she got caught by that woman they met in France- Sarah Fitzroy. Joyce calls them to dinner. She made a new boeuf bourguignonne recipe. Barnaby gets a phone call from Troy. He tells Troy he'll be there right away. Joyce slams the kitchen door and there is a sound of crashing dishes.

Dr. Peterson tells the detectives that the gun was in Ben Gurdie's right hand. But Ben is left-handed. You're dealing with a murder. Barnaby says he was pretty sure. Two murders in the same wood within three weeks by two different murderers is unlikely. Barnaby tells a team of policeman to search the woods.

Ron Pringle is trotting on a new horse and gear to his house. His wife, Betty Pringle, comes out to meet him. Barnaby and Troy drive up. Barnaby suggests to Pringle that the murders of the tramp and Ben Gurdie are related. Pringle argues with Barnaby about the murder of the tramp. He tells Barnaby he has to live in the village and would prefer that Barnaby not pester people about the murder.

At the taxidermy shed, Henry Carstairs tells the detectives that it was 7:52 in the morning when he found the tramp. He is very precise about corpses. Henry tells them that his uncle was Grahame Tranter's grandfather. He died without leaving a will. The inheritance should've gone to his son, Simon, but Simon disappeared 30 years ago. After the statutory seven years were up, Marcia had her husband declared legally dead. After Grahame, Henry is the next in line to inherit the estate. In the meantime, Henry makes his living the best way he can.

James Fitzroy drives off in his truck. Sarah pours herself a drink. Linda Wagstaff stops James and gives him the work she has done and asks for fifty pounds. She tells James there are policemen in the woods. Walking up and down, looking.

The detectives tell Grahame and Marcia the Ben Gurdie was murdered. Grahame didn't notice anything unusual the day the tramp was killed. Barnaby asks if many people use the woods. Marcia replies, "This is private land. We don't allow trespassers." When they found out about the tramp, Marcia asked Grahame to run him off. Grahame says he was intending to, but there didn't seem to be much of a hurry. Linda Wagstaff trespasses, but she's been living in the railway carriage for 30 years so they tolerate her. Barnaby says, "I understand Henry Carstairs was in line to inherit this estate... after your husband disappeared?" Troy says, "If your father suddenly turned up, would it all be his? I mean, as the nearest blood relation to your grandfather?" Marcia says her husband is officially dead and will inherit nothing. There has been no news of him from the day he walked out. They have a photo of Simon sitting outside an Antwerp Cafe. He had a girl with him. Kate comes in. Marcia says, "It appears that Ben Gurdie was murdered." Barnaby asks Kate, "The night before last, when Ben Gurdie was killed, could you tell me where you were going when you drove past the kennels about nine o'clock?" Grahame says Kate was at the cinema with an old girlfriend. He tells the detectives it was a sci-fi flick, answering for Kate.

Marcia walks Barnaby and Troy out. She says, "I wouldn't be at all surprised if it were Kate's car. I'm almost certain she is having an affair.. Grahame met her on holiday about two years ago just after he'd inherited it and she got herself pregnant. On purpose, I am sure. By him, I presume. And he married her. She's totally unsuitable and bored out of her mind. She's not been brought up to our way of life. (Troy looks sideways) Now if she and her lover went to the woods and Ben Gurdie found them inflagrante delicto, (Troy rolls his eyes) then the lover may have wanted to silence Ben."

"Did you ever play that game, Sir, you know- name the woman you wouldn't go to bed with for a million pounds," says Troy. Barnaby laughs. The detectives go to get a beer and lunch. "What was all that rubbish she was trying to sell us? Inflagrante whatnot?" says Troy. Barnaby says, "It's happened before. Grahame Trantor's a rich man. His wife's got a lot to lose." Troy says, "Yeah, but if we think the same person murdered both, does that mean the tramp caught them at it as well?" Barnaby says, "It's unlikely, I agree. But let's try and find out if this lover actually exists."

Later, Marcia calls James in a panic. They've discovered Ben Gurdie was murdered. Marcia says, "This means they might..." James tells her to shut up. They are on mobile phones. He hangs up on her.

At the police station, Barnaby and Troy go through things found in the woods. A policeman brings in more findings. There is a polaroid of a naked woman. "Good God. The headless woman." "Dirty-minded school boys out in the woods," says Troy. "You speak from experience, do you, Troy? Where did you find this?" The detectives go to look around where the photo was found. Barnaby tells Troy to get the photo to the lab and have it fingerprinted and copied.

That evening, The Founders Night party is going on. Ron and Betty Pringle show up. James Fitzroy collects money for the raffle. He complains about the Pringles to his wife. He tells Sarah to go easy on the drink. Marcia comes up and interrupts them. She and James go off and talk. Marcia wants to know what happened in London and James wants to talk about it later. Sarah watches them go. Pringle asks what the prize is for the raffle. Sarah tells him it's a stuffed fox. Caught in 1932. Kate greets Marcia. Marcia notices her earrings. Kate says Grahame bought them for her last week. Kate hurries off and Grahame follows her. Kate goes to the summer house. Pringle says to his wife that there is a queue at both the loos. He goes to look for another bathroom. Ron overhears James talking to Marcia. James says, "For God's sake, Marcia. I'm doing what I can. There's no danger. Why should there be? He can't last much longer. Come on, dear. We're the hosts. Let's get back to the party." James sees Pringle looking around and opening doors. Ron can't find another bathroom so he goes outside and relieves himself in the bushes. Henry Carstairs creeps by and sees Ron. Ron sees someone walking around. He goes over to the summer house and looks in the window. (Cue Creepy music)

The next day is a hunt. Ron Pringle is among them. James welcomes him to the Marshwood.

Troy and Barnaby go to the railway carriage and Barnaby peeks in a window. Linda is playing ♪ Puccini: Aria from Madame Butterfly ♪ and looking at a photograph. Linda sees him and asks if he considers it good manners to look through people's windows. Barnaby says, "Sorry. We're policemen. We're nosy. Couldn't help noticing the photo." Barnaby asks her questions and she replies "I don't know" to everyone.

At the hunt, the horn is blaring, dogs barking, and horses whinnying. Pringle's horse begins to turn around in circles and then races off in the wrong direction. The horse jumps a stone wall and the other riders come by to find Ron Pringle dead on the ground.

Barnaby consoles Betty Pringle. She says, "I've had a bad feeling about this place." Barnaby says "It was an accident, Betty." Betty says, "He did have something on his mind. I don't know what it was,... but at the party, he'd been outside to... relieve himself. When he got back, I knew something was wrong. He wouldn't tell me what it was. I think it was something that suggested he'd been wrong." She starts to cry.

Barnaby talks to Joyce about Ron Pringle's death. The phone rings. Barnaby says, "That was the vet. Ron Pringle's horse was doped. Ron Pringle was murdered."

Barnaby tells Troy in the car, "According to the vet, it was a tranquillizer dart. It would make the muscles convulse. The horse would bolt before it was tranquillized. Something happened at the party. When he went outside or on his way back, he must've seen or heard something he shouldn't have done."

At the Tranter home, Barnaby goes to look around. He looks at the summer house.

Linda Wagstaff walks by a community bulletin board and sees a poster of "The Importance of Being Earnest."

Barnaby shows Troy what he found in the summer house. Part of a contraceptive packet. He surmises that Pringle saw "them", the murderer saw he saw "them" and killed Ron. Ben Gurdie might have seen them too. Troy says, "I picked up the report on the photograph. It was taken on a badly-angled self-timer. That explains cutting off the head. They've matched the fingerprints. They're the tramp's. Barnaby says, "I always believed blackmail was on the agenda. You wouldn't get far blackmailing somebody with this. There must have been more pictures in the tree and this one got left behind. The others will have heads on and could involve another person."

Barnaby and Troy go over to Marcia Tranter's home. "I've just had a communication from the Dutch police. In January 1971 they arrested a man for dangerous driving and he went to prison for a week. They kept his fingerprints on record. Now, those prints match those of the tramp. That man was your husband, Simon Tranter." Marcia goes with them to the morgue. Marcia asks, "Could it be proved one way or the other?" Barnaby says, "Oh, yeah - quite simply, if your son would agree to a DNA test." Back at the Tranter home, Grahame says, "I never met him, of course. He treated my mother very badly. Dear God, to end up like that.. No, I have no objection at all to the test. The sooner, the better."

At the playhouse, actors are rehearsing the play. "A handbag?" "Yes, Lady Bracknell. It was in a handbag. A somewhat large, black, leather handbag with handles to it. An ordinary handbag, in fact". "In what locality did this Mr James... or Thomas Cardew -" Sarah Fitzroy is sitting in the audience giggling and then she starts sobbing.

Sarah goes to sit in Cully's dressing room and apologizes. Sarah says, "I'm so sorry. It was so kind of the director to let me watch and then I repay him by behaving like that. And you're so kind to let me sit in here. I should've gone home. I couldn't go home like that. Oh, God, I'm such a boring woman! I never used to be. The truth is,... sometimes I never want to go home again... to that awful man and that bloody woman whom he'd much rather be with than me. And I'm frightened, Cully. There's been three murders. Why not four?"

Cully tells Barnaby what Sarah said. That James and Marcia had been "behaving strangely recently, that they'd been rowing and that he goes to London more and more often. A charity committee, he says. She can't believe the committee meets every couple of days. She overheard Marcia telling him he must go to London again. Marcia wouldn't tell him to go and see another woman. She wants him all to herself."

That evening at the taxidermy shed, Henry is stuffing a bird. Marcia rings the doorbell. Marcia hands Henry a check for Fifty thousand pounds.

Troy and Barnaby follow James Fitzroy the next day. He goes to The Larches, a nursing home. Barnaby looks at the photo again and recognizes the floral shawl covering part of the woman's body. It is in Linda Wagstaff's house. Barnaby kicks Troy out of the car and tells him to find out who James is visiting at The Larches. Troy says, "How am I gonna get back" and Barnaby tells him to hitch a lift.

Barnaby hurries to Linda's home. He sees the shawl in Linda's railway carriage.

Troy is told that James Fitzroy has been visiting a Mr. Rodale, a former employee. Mr. Fitzroy pays all of his medical bills. When Troy comes in his room, Mr. Rodale asks how the hounds are. Troy says they're fine. Rodale says, "Never... never, never forget that day. I thought the hounds were going mad that day... Mad. Mad. Sir,... sir, sir... Sir, the hounds are going berserk. I was out exercising them, sir... and... and they found... they found... they found something. (Flashback to hounds yelping) We shot the hounds... and I never said. You've always been so good to me, sir. I swear... I swear... I swear I never said."

Kate goes into the kitchen and grabs Harry. She tells the nanny she is taking Harry out for a while. Later, Grahame runs down the stairs while asking the nanny where Kate has gone. Kate drives up to the house. Harry is not in his car seat.

Linda goes to the stage door of the theater. She goes through the costumes at the theater. She takes a suit. She goes into Cully's dressing room and asks where Michael is. Cully tells her there is no Michael in the play. Linda goes from door to door looking for Michael. An actor comes up and takes the suit from Linda. At the theater, Troy tells Barnaby the police found several dog bones. (The hounds that were shot.) There was also something else. Fragments of a human collarbone.

At home, Kate packs a suitcase. She tells Grahame that Harry's safe. She is taking him with her. Grahame pleads with her to stay and says she can even keep her lover, Dave Hedges. Kate tells Grahame, "You're pathetic." Grahame says, "For God's sake! You don't think he loves you, do you? He thinks you'll get half my money." Kate says, "I'll get my share of it."

At the theater, the play is in progress. "I am always smart, am I not, Mr Worthing? You are quite perfect, Miss Fairfax. I hope I'm not that. It should leave no room for developments. And I intend to develop in many directions.,,,"

Grahame says he will kill Kate before he lets her go. Kate calls to Charlotte to take her case. Grahame grabs her arm as she leaves.

The Play continues "....You never talk anything but nonsense." "Nobody ever does." It is the intermission. Barnaby and Joyce look at photos from the last time they did the play. Barnaby stares at the actor in the picture. Michael Darrow. Linda Wagstaff comes up and says, "He was beautiful. That's when he fell in love with me. It weren't him out there. He wasn't beautiful. He was filthy. It wasn't him."

At the Fitzroy home, Sarah says to James, "James... I want a divorce." James says, "Don't be stupid, Sarah. We'll talk when I get back."

Barnaby says to Troy as they leave the theater, "Marcia gave her the shawl recently." Troy says, "You mean it's a photo of Marcia?" Barnaby says, "And the tramp was an actor called Michael Darrow. He met Linda here. She was the wardrobe mistress. When the company packed up, they lived in the railway carriage." Linda didn't recognize him when he came back. "He told her who he was, but he'd been so handsome, she wouldn't believe he'd turned into that. He got himself a part-time job working up at the hunt. He must have had an affair with Marcia. That's when he took the pictures." Michael Darrow pretended to be Simon Tranter. "He looked enough like him to be able to use his passport and he'd been well paid to do it. Simon Tranter is buried in the woods. That's what your collarbone's about. The hounds dug it up."

Back at the Tranter house, Marcia tells Grahame, "You're better off without her. We'll get Harry back. The lawyers will see to that. We're not going to leave Harry with a slսt like her!" Grahame says, "A slսt like her.' That's good, coming from you. I've seen the pictures, Mother. Those disgusting pictures of you with that man."

The phone rings. Barnaby says to Troy, "To Marshwood. Grahame Tranter's wife has walked out with the kid. She says he threatened to kill her. And they've had the DNA results. Grahame is related to the tramp." Troy says, "So the actor is his father? Then he's lost everything." Barnaby says, "I think so - and he knows it. He's killed three times. He could kill again."

Grahame says to Marcia, "He said I wasn't entitled to the inheritance. I wasn't a blood relation, he said. He said he'd go to the trustees and tell them. I know Kate married me for the money. She'd only stay with me for the money. My life's nothing without her and Harry. I didn't know what to do. And then, suddenly, I had the chance to kill him." Flashback shows Grahame chase the tramp to the woods where he fell in the hole. Grahame gets a branch and smashes the tramp's head in. Grahame says to Marcia, "He didn't have the photos on him. I knew they had to be hidden somewhere." Flashback: Grahame hunting in the woods for the photographs. Ben Gurdie comes up and shines a flashlight in his face. Grahame told him he was after badgers. Grahame asks to see Ben's gun. and Ben just handed it to him. BANG.

Barnaby says that when Grahame gave his wife an alibi by saying his wife went to the cinema with an old girlfriend. Ron Pringle saw Kate with her lover in the summerhouse. Grahame could put up with Kate being unfaithful to him, but not with Pringle seeing it. Grahame killed Pringle for her.

Marcia holds a sobbing Grahame and says, "It's all right, darling. It's all over. The police think that the tramp was Simon. The tests will prove that you're his son and everything will be as it was before. Now, forget about those silly photographs. Henry Carstairs found them... and I bought them from him. Everything will be as it was before you brought that girl here. We'll get Harry back and we'll bring him up together." Grahame says, "You don't understand, do you? I don't care about the money if I haven't got Kate. I want her and Harry. I don't want you!" James Fitzroy walks in and says, "Now, steady on, old boy. She is your mother, you know." Grahame asks Marcia "What's he doing here?" James asks, "Have you got the test results yet? Have they found out whether... the tramp wasn't Simon?" Grahame says, "No, the tramp wasn't Simon. The tramp was my father. - a man called Michael Darrow. There's pornographic photos of them together." James says to Marcia, "But you told me... You swore to me." Grahame laughs and says, "Oh, dear Lord. Did she tell you you were my father? What a disgusting lot you are!" James says, "Shut up. Of course, I'm your father! Simon Tranter was sterile. He knew he was sterile. And when your mother was pregnant... That's why we had to..." Grahame says, "Why you had to kill him." Grahame leaves. James asks Marcia, "Why did you lie to me? You made me kill a man. You made me kill him for no reason at all."

Grahame goes into his office and points a gun at himself. Marcia runs in and tells him " Grahame! Don't." Grahame says, "You ruined it for me, Mother. I had two loves. Because of you, they're both gone." Marcia says, "She'll bring him back to you." Grahame says, "Not with you here, Mother." James Fitzroy is slowly walking out. Barnaby says, "Mr Fitzroy! Mr Fitzroy. I'd like to ask you some questions concerning the disappearance" ( Gunshot ) Barnaby gets on the phone. James says, "She made me kill Simon. She... She made me kill him."

Grahame drives over to where Kate and Hedge are. He aims a gun at Kate and Harry. Grahame screams, "PUT HIM DOWN!" Grahame tries to shoot them. Barnaby and Troy drive up. Grahame drops the gun and runs off. Troy chases him.

Linda Wagstaff is out walking. She sees Grahame hanging from a tree branch.

Barnaby and Cully see Sarah off at the railway station. She is going off on a cruise. Barnaby and Cully wave goodbye. They go off to lunch.

Cast[]

Galleries[]

Body Count[]

Prior to the Episode

In the Episode

Supporting Cast[]

Episode Images[]

Arrests[]

Notes[]

Trivia[]

  • The episode appears to take cues from the giallo film Blood and Black Lace, where a wife and her lover kill the woman's husband, and a series of murders follow to cover up the crime.
  • This is the first episode where a member of law enforcement is killed, albeit retired in the present case.
  • Fifth episode where Cully Barnaby is in a play- The Importance of Being Earnest
  • The voice of Kreacher and voice of Dobby from the Harry Potter films both appear in this episode. Kreacher was by Simon McBurney and Dobby was by Toby Jones.
  • First episode broadcast in wide-screen.

The Trials and Tribulations of DS Gavin Troy: Barnaby kicks Troy out of the car when they are at the Larches and tells him to find out who James is visiting at The Larches. Troy says, "How am I gonna get back" and Barnaby tells him to hitch a lift.

Goofs[]

  • Linda Wagstaff Jeanne Hepple offers DCI Tom Barnaby and Sgt. Gavin Troy elderberry cordial, which should be red. The cordial is white, which would make it elderflower not elderberry.


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