Blood on the Saddle is the third episode of the thirteenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and was first broadcast on 8th September 2010
Synopsis[]
Ford Florey is a town with a Wild West Society and many grudges. During a Wild West show at the local faire, the witch on the 'Dunk the Witch' stall is well and truly dunked. Laughter turns to horror when she does not get up and the water in the tank starts to turn red. DCI Barnaby and DS Jones need to be quick to track down the murderer.
Plot[]
Jack Fincher comes riding up over the field on his horse. He rides to Ford Florey and passes the Florey Arms Pub. He ties his horse up to a park bench, pulls a rifle out from the side of the saddle and goes into a house and shoots. Mary Morgan comes screaming out of the house and yells for help.
On a large green field, horses and riders are riding in pairs and several booths are set up for the Ford Florey Fayre. There are multiple games and booths. DCS Tom Barnaby and his wife, Joyce Barnaby try shooting at ducks and Joyce wins a bear. Tom complains that the sites on his gun were not true. Joyce says she doesn't know about her gun as she had her eyes closed.
Elsewhere, Dan Malco drives up to a house and knocks on the door calling for Faye Lennox. Leo Fincher drives up and starts shooting at him. Dan drives away and Leo chases him and shoots at him.
At the Fayre, Tom and Joyce play the dunk booth, which is manned by a witch. Tom misses each time and Joyce wins another bear. Tom takes away the bears and gives them to passing children. Joyce complains that she named those bears.
Leo continues to chase Malco but is blocked by a horse and buggy in the road. He manages to pass and then sideswipes DS Ben Jones, knocking off his side mirror. Ben stops and makes a call.
Faye Lennox saunters into the Ford Florey Wild West Club changing tent and kisses Jack Fincher. He tells her he is still married and doesn't want anyone to see them together.
Malco comes by and talks to Jack about buying his land. There is a debate about whose land it actually is. Jack claims it is his land. Silas Burbage says it is his. Jack argues with Adam Burbage about this.
Leo Fincher drives up to the Fayre, looks into Malco's car and says if he finds Malco, he's a dead man. Jack Fincher talks to his lawyer, Fergal Jenner. Jack wants to know if Fergal has made any progress in determining who's land the disputed land belongs to.
Re-enactments of Wild West activities are done on the field and the audience in the bleachers applaud. Susan Fincher comes into the bleachers and spills ice cream on Joyce's lap.
Jones arrives at the Fayre and gets a call about the car that hit him and finds out that it is Leo Fincher's car. He has 9 points and is a bit of a menace. There is a shotgun in Leo's car.
In the Last Chance Saloon tent, Jude Langham is served a beer. Fergal comes up to talk to him about Burbage swamp. Fergal asks if there is proof that the land is Burbage land. Jude says that's for him to know and Fergal to find out.
On the field, Boney (Adam Burbage) comes out and Marshall, (Jack Fincher), meets him on the field. Burbage shoots Jack several times. Jack doesn't get up and Susan runs out to the field. Barnaby runs out too. Fincher says he must have hit his head. He turns down medical care. Jack tells Barnaby that they do the Wild West show every year. In the bleachers, Jones comes to tell Barnaby that Leo Fincher took off his wing mirror.
At the dunk tank, the witch is shot and her blood spreads through the pool. Dr. Bullard says whoever shot her is a good marksman- hit her straight through the heart. Jack tells Barnaby that the victim is Faye Lennox, his farm manager. Jones tells Barnaby that Faye wasn't supposed to be in the dunk tank. Her replacement, Mary Morgan, never showed up. Mary was the one who reported the incident yesterday. Barnaby deduces that the gunman knew exactly when to shoot her to coincide with the noise in the main arena. Bullard points out where the gun was fired from- a tall spiral slide. Barnaby finds gun oil on the railing at the top of the slide. He then sends Jones down the stairs and he slides down the slide.
Mary Morgan comes up in mask and costume. Mary says she was late because her car had a puncture. She spies Jack and calls him a murderer. She had reported that Jack Fincher shot her dog, Danny. Barnaby says that what Jack did was illegal, but not murder. Jack said that Danny had been worrying his cattle. She tells the detectives that she knew Faye was having it on with Jack. Jack expects to get the swamp. It's a piece of land that has been in dispute for years between Fincher and Burbage. They both claim it is their land. DS Stephens comes to report that there is trouble at the Last Chance Saloon.
At the Saloon, Leo Fincher is beating up Dan Malco. Leo claims Dan was calling Faye 10 times a day trying to get her to talk Jack into selling the swamp. Jack says Faye wouldn't have done that- she loved him. Leo says Faye didn't love him, she loved his money. Susan loved him. Jack tells Leo to watch his mouth. Dan Malco is the spokesman of a group of travelers camped on Ford Florey green.
Jones goes to Ford Florey green to talk to Malco. Barnaby goes to see Silas Burbage who is putting up fences. Barnaby asks why Silas is putting up fencing if it's not his land? That would be an illegal act.
Malco tells Jones he wants to buy the Burbage land so that the Traveler's can settle somewhere and have a school for the kids, make a living. They give him money they earn and he invests it. Malco has a profession- he is an accountant. Malco says he thought Faye might talk Fincher around. Jude Langham says the land doesn't belong to Fincher. As he is leaving, Jones hears Malco have an argument with someone.
Jack Fincher returns home and pours himself a drink. Susan Fincher yells at him. They argue. Jack starts to strangle Susan and Barnaby walks in and breaks them up. Barnaby says he could arrest Jack if Susan wants to press charges. Leo runs in and tells Jack that Silas is fencing the swamp. Jack makes to grab his gun to go deal with it and Barnaby stops him.
Susan goes to the pub and Leo comes up to talk to her. They argue about selling the swamp. Susan bumps into someone and a fight breaks out in the pub.
That evening, Jack goes over to the fence that Silas has put up and starts to hammer it down. Someone throws a rope around him and a horse drags him off. The next morning, Susan is brought up to the crime scene. She tells Barnaby that one of Silas Burbage's men did this. Dr. Bullard says Jack was killed by an expert. The rope was tight around his ankles and he would have suffered before death. Leo Fincher comes riding up on a horse. (Cue Wild West music). He says Silas Burbage or Dan Marko did it.
The detectives talk to Leo who says he had been drinking and came home and went to bed. Susan walks in and tells Barnaby Jack had come to dislike her. She could have left, but he decided she would get nothing. No money or land.
Silas goes to see Dan Malko. He says things are different now that Jack is dead. He talks to Malko about the land. Silas says the seller sets the price, which Malko is unhappy with.
Jones goes to see Jude Langham. He is in a workshop making stained glass windows. Jude used to live on the Fincher farm. He believes that the swamp belongs to Burbage. Jack threw Langham's father off his land at Susan's behest and within a month his dad died. As Jones leaves, Jude makes a phone call.
Barnaby comes to speak to Silas Burbage, but he isn't there. He talks to Adam instead. Adam tells Barnaby he is an optician. He is a founder member of the Wild West society. Barnaby leaves a message for Silas.
At Jude Langham's place, someone is trashing his studio, smashing up the stains glass windows. The intruder smashes Jude. Mary comes by and sees Jude come out of the studio bleeding. He tells her "Behind the chimney."
At the pub, Susan speaks to Silas who denies having anything to do with Jack's death. Susan tells Silas that his farm is failing. She might be looking for a business partner.
The ambulance carries off Jude Langham as Barnaby and Bullard arrive. Mary tells the detectives that Jude said "Back of the chimney." Barnaby tells Jones to look about. Naturally, he gets hit by soot. Bullard finds a necklace with an unusual pendant on it in Jude's studio, which they thing is Romany. Bullard also tells Barnaby that the bullet used to kill Faye was an unusual kind- a 44-40 WCF.
Susan drives up to her house and the door is open. Fergal is sitting in the living room drinking her whiskey. Fergal says he used the key over the lintel and he is there to see Leo, who asked him to come. Fergal says he never understood why Jack wanted Faye when he had a woman like Susan as his wife.
The detectives go to speak to Dan Malko about the assault on Jude Langham. Dan says they never spoke and the Romany necklace they found at Jude's house is bullshit.
Fergal tells Susan that Jack didn't change his will. The old documents are ambiguous. Fergal says he could make them say whatever Susan wants in return for a piece of Susan. They tussle and Susan pulls a fire poker on him. Barnaby drives up as Fergal is leaving. Susan asks Barnaby for a lift back to Ford Florey. She wants to stay at the pub. Leo Fincher rides up as Susan is getting into Barnaby's car. Susan identifies the necklace as the astrological sign for Leo. Leo wears it all the time.
Barnaby goes to speak to Adam Burbage at his optician office. His office is decorated with Wild West costumes, posters, hats. Barnaby says he has been told that Adam is the expert on the Wild West. Adam says he would say Early American history. Adam is the archivist of the society. Adam suggests Barnaby needs an eye test. Barnaby does the eye test while asking Adam about the Wild West. Billy the Kid is Adam's favorite character. He views the Wild West as a bit of adventure, romance, fantasy. Barnaby asks about the Winchester Center Fire rifle. Adam says the Ford Florey Wild West Society doesn't use the Winchester- It costs a fortune.
Jones goes to see Jude Langham at the hospital. Mary Morgan is there at his bedside kissing him. She leaves to get coffee and Jude asks if Jones has found the person who smashed his studio. Jude is upset that his window was destroyed. Jones tells him he looked behind the chimney. Jude says he went there once for a holiday and wonders if anyone made it to the top. Jones looks confused.
Barnaby asks Adam why his dad is eager to sell the swamp. Adam says he needs the money. Adam also tells Barnaby that he is presbyopic, astigmatic and tends toward red-green color blindness.
Mary asks Jones if he saw her and Jude kissing. She tells him she called the Fayre and told people she was going to be late so people knew Faye would have to be the witch for a bit longer. Jones looks at a fundraising sign at the hospital and realizes that the chimney Jude was referring to was a painting of Chimney Rock.
In town, a horse comes walking down the street carrying a body. Barnaby runs up and sees it is Leo Fincher. He pulls him off the horse. Leo has been shot. Susan Fincher faints in the street.
Jones goes to Jude's home and looks behind the painting of Chimney Rock. There is a land agreement. Mary Morgan comes to the hospital and Jude Langham is gone.
Barnaby tells Jones that Leo was shot between 8 and 9:30 last night. He's been tied to the horse all night. The detectives go to see Fergal Jenner. Fergal says his dispute with Susan was something and nothing. Jones shows him the land agreement. Fergal says that the land agreement is not a legal document and suggests that the land was in dispute back then.
The detectives think Jude was using the land document to play Malko against Fincher. Someone was looking for it or they wouldn't have trashed his studio. They see Silas go into the pub. Barnaby decides to go have a pint and talk to Silas. Silas doesn't have an alibi for the deaths. He stables the Wild West ponies. Mary comes in to tell Barnaby that Jude is gone and no one knows where he is.
Jude is over at the Traveler's site to talk to Malko. He tells him the land agreement is gone. Malko says Fergal Jenner says it's worthless. Someone walks in Fergal's office. He turns around and asks "What are you doing here?" Susan has an accident in her car in front of the pub.
Jenner's body is found in the archivist office. He is lying on the floor stabbed with a Bowie knife. A page is torn out of a book from the C section. There seems to be a tie to the Wild West society.
The detectives speak to Malko. He tells them that Fergal had called him and said he found the deed to the swamp. Malko already made an offer but Jenner wanted more money. It was filed under C for Caleb Burbage. Malko says he had a deal with Silas that if the deed showed it was Burbage land they would pay Jenner's price so the land could be sold on to Malko. If not, Jenner would fake the document, but the price kept going up.
The police drive out to Silas's home and he gets on his four wheeler and drives off. Jones falls in the mud chasing him. He says, "Don't tell me. Wet wipes in the glove compartment."
Susan Fincher is sleeping when someone rattles her door at the pub.
At his home, Barnaby complains about the marmalade. He receives a letter hand delivered with a bullet in it and a note saying Susan Fincher is next.
At the pub, Susan receives a phone call. She tells the person on the other end of the call that she is going away for awhile. The person at the other end of the call throws the phone and puts on a gun belt. At Susan's home, Adam Burbage arrives on a horse and starts shooting at Susan.
The scene switches to vintage (brown) in appearance. Barnaby, Jones and Susan run into the house. Adam keeps shooting. He calls for Susan to be sent out. He thinks he is Billy the Kid. Barnaby deduces that Adam wants to kill her because she was running out on him. She would get the farm with all the other claimants dead. And Susan couldn't be the killer- for every murder she had an alibi. But she didn't have an alibi when Jude Langham was attacked. Leo did that. Susan says she knew it was Leo- the way he and Jack talked about Fincher land as if it were a gift from God. And the Finchers don't like to be threatened.
Jones finds a gun but has only blanks. Barnaby tells him to take a couple of shots. Adam doesn't know they are blanks.
Adam keeps shooting. Barnaby asks what Susan offered Adam. Something more than money. He was in love with her. Susan says she just thought he was an attractive man who might be some use to her. She didn't realize how disturbed he was. He had a collection of Western guns. A Winchester, Colt 45, Buntline, all authentic. Susan told him with Faye, Jack and Leo out of the way, she would inherit the farm. She'd sell up and they would go away somewhere. Dodge City.
Adam calls, "Send her out, or I'll come and get her!"
Barnaby continues, "He's lost in a fantasy-land- William H. Bonney- Billy the Kid." The murders aren't murders to him, they are like little movies with him as the hero. Susan says it was a movie, he was the star and she was directing. She could organize her alibis while Adam acted out his cowboy fantasies. Fergal Jenner was a different proposition. He had found documents that the swamp was indeed Burbage land. Susan could have paid for a fake document, but would have to depend on Jenner to keep his mouth shut. Once a blackmailer, always a blackmailer. All those people had to die so Susan could inherit a farm. Susan says the farm is prime development land- it's worth a small fortune.
Susan couldn't leave until she had implicated Adam. Once he realized that she had abandoned him, he was too dangerous to be on the loose. So Susan sent Barnaby the note and the bullet. She expected to be long gone before Adam was arrested. She told Adam that they would wait until things calmed down. She would sell the farm, he would sell his business and then they would go away together. Once he had realized the truth, she'd be far, far away.
Jones gets a call that the backup police took a shortcut through the swamp. Barnaby decides to deal with Adam. He comes out of the house, which Adams sees as a Wild West hotel and Barnaby dressed in old Wild West attire. They have a shoot out and Adam goes down. Jones shot him in the arm. Adam says, "Guess you were just too fast for me, Wyatt."
Jones says Barnaby took a hell of a risk. Adam could have shot him as soon as he came outside. Barnaby says no that's not the way it works. "He called me out so he had to wait for me to draw first. Code of the west."
Cast[]
- John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
- Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones
- Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
- Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard
- Kirsty Dillon as DC Gail Stephens
- Emma Cooke as Faye Lennox
- David Rintoul as Jack Fincher
- Caroline Langrishe as Susan Fincher
- Richard Harrington as Leo Fincher
- Pip Torrens as Fergal Jenner
- Kenneth Cranham as Jude Langham
- Justin Avoth as Dan Malko
- Kika Markham as Mary Morgan
- Malcolm Storry as Silas Burbage
- Daniel Ryan as Adam Burbage
- Antony Sendall as Cowboy Fair Attendee (uncredited)
- Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
Died of natural causes.
Died of natural causes.
Died of natural causes after being evicted from his cottage on Fincher's land. This occurred when he was 84 years old.
In the Episode
Shot through heart while sitting in the Dunk Tank with a shotgun loaded with 44-40 WCF (Winchester Centre Fire) bullets.
Dragged to death by ankles after being roped by a horeseman.
Shot in the chest with a pistol loaded with 44-40 WCF (Winchester Centre Fire) bullets while he was riding his horse, then tied to it and the horse roamed all night with his body in the back. In his hand was put a deck of aces and eights ("Dead man's hand" - Tom Barnaby).
Stabbed in the chest with a Bowie knife.
Body Count Notes[]
- All the murders were made in a Western style or had Western references.
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Video[]
Midsomer Murders Series 13 Episode 3 - Blood on the Saddle Preview
Arrests[]
- Adam Burbage: Murder of Faye Lennox, Jack Fincher, Leo Fincher and Fergal Jenner
- Susan Fincher: Accomplice of Adam's
Notes[]
The following actors and actress who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes:
- Malcolm Storry - Who Killed Cock Robin?
- Antony Sendall - The Axeman Cometh
- Caroline Langrishe - The Curse of the Ninth
- Pip Torrens - The Incident at Cooper Hill
Trivia[]
The Trials and Tribulations of DS Ben Jones:
- Ben's side mirror gets torn when he is sideswiped by Leo Fincher.
- He gets a face full of soot from a chimney. Jones wants to take a shower and Barnaby tells him to just use the wet wipes in the glove compartment.
- He falls in the mud while chasing Silas Burbage, who is on an ATV.
- Being a DS is a tough job!!