The Dogleg Murders

Series 12, Episode 1

The Dogleg Murders

Airdate

Jul 22, 2009

Village or Location

Whiteoaks Golf Club

Writer

Andrew Payne

Director

Richard Holthouse

Episode guide
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The Dogleg Murders is the first episode of the twelfth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 19th March 2009.

Synopsis[]

Bullying snob Alistair Kingslake is killed with a golf iron at the Whiteoaks golf club. After another member, Miles Tully, tells Barnaby about illegal gambling among players, another member, who has had an 'odd phone call' is also slain. A figure in a blue tracksuit is seen at both murders. In fact there have been unreported assaults on members over the months. Barnaby discovers that the gambling is rife and the social-climbing steward, Mrs. Fountain, and her two warring sons are lending money to the gamblers and assaulting them if they fail to pay. Indeed Mrs. Fountain's scheming has driven the killer to commit The Dogleg Murders.

Plot[]

Alistair Kingslake is a snobbish bully. When playing golf with Jerry Drinkwater at the exclusive Whiteouts Golf Club, he goes into the woods to find his ball and gets bashed on the head with a golf club. Sometime later, Ed Monkberry is lured to the woods and stabbed. A third golfer, Miles Tully, is almost killed, but Barnaby and Jones manage to figure out the plot and save him.

Meanwhile, flirtatious Becky Tunstall is taking golf lessons from Darren Fountain, much to the annoyance of Colin Fountain, who wants to date her. Darren is being groomed by his mother, Eileen Fountain, to be a gentleman, use appropriate forks at the dinner table so that he can pass the test to become a member of the club. Colin and Darren fight frequently and their mother usually smacks Colin and soothes Darren, who is clearly her favorite son. Darren asks Becky out and she turns him down. Later Colin grabs her and takes her to the pig pen where the money is hidden. He offers her all the money, but she runs away and Barnaby and Jones show up.

Eileen is the money lender to the golfers and charges exorbitant fees and uses Colin as the "enforcer." She is lending Martin Crisp money so he can buy his old house back. In return, she wants the golf club to admit her son Darren. The golfers who were killed were on the committee to vote on new members. When a golfer refused to consider Darren, Martin killed them.