The Silent Land

Series Thirteen, Episode Four
The Silent Land
Airdate	3 August 2010
Village or Location	March Magna
Writer	Peter J. Hammond
Director	Peter Smith
Episode guide
Previous	Blood on the Saddle
Following	Master Class

The Silent Land is the fourth episode of the thirteenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and was first aired on 3rd August 2010.

Synopsis

On a dark night in the village of March Magna, DCI Barnaby's wife Joyce swerves her car and narrowly misses a shadowy figure in the road - or so she thinks. Later that night a body is discovered in the old cemetery. Did Joyce hit someone after all or was the victim, who seems to have plenty of enemies, killed by one of the villagers? Barnaby and DS Jones have their work cut out as all the villagers seem to be hiding something – but is it murder?

Plot

DCI Tom Barnaby, DS Ben Jones and DC Gail Stephens investigate the murder of Gerald Ebbs who is found sprawled across a grave in the cemetery of the church in March Magna. The investigation is initially quite stressful for Barnaby as his wife Joyce had an accident the previous evening while on her way home from a concert with their daughter Cully. She saw a figure on the road and swerved but is afraid she may have struck someone. Fortunately Dr. Bullard confirms that Ebbs was struck on the head and has even identified the murder weapon. There is little doubt that Ebbs was disliked by everyone in the village so there are any number of suspects. Ebbs seemed to have a peculiar interest in that graveyard which was used mainly for patients from a nearby and long closed sanatorium. A second murder points Barnaby in the direction of the killer.

Cast

• John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
• Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones
• Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
• Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby
• Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard
• Kirsty Dillon as DC Gail Stephens
• Danny Webb as Jeff Bowmaker
• Aden Gillett as Ian Kent
• Emma Fielding as Faith Kent
• Rupert Holliday-Evans as Adam Peach
• Susannah Fielding as Jessica Peach
• Jack Roth as Liam Peach
• Suzy Aitchison as Alice Carver
• David Sibley as John Carver
• Christina Cole as Sarah Sharp
• Gabrielle Lloyd as Mary Bishop
• Tony Selby as Vic Bishop
• Victoria Lennox as Ghost Walk Tourist
• Zoë Tapper as Jessica Peach (uncredited)
• Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
• (uncredited actor) as Gerald Ebbs

Galleries

Body Count

Prior to the Episode

Caroline Maria Roberts
Committed suicide by throwing herself from the staircase of the Saint Fidelis hospital 130 years ago.

The patients from Saint Fidelis Hospital
Some of the deaths were accidents involving the staircase.

Landlord's wife and daughter
Killed with a meat cleaver years ago.

An unnamed landlord
Committed suicide by hanging himself from the beams in the Bishop's pub years ago.

Mrs. Peach
Died of natural causes 3 years ago.

In the Episode

Gerald Ebbs
Held from behind with his face down in the dirt of Caroline's grave, then hit on head with a piece of stone edging taken from the grave site.

Jeff Bowmaker
Fell after being pushed over the balcony railing of the staircase in Saint Fidelis hospital.

Supporting Cast

Ian Kent

Faith Kent

Adam Peach

Jessica Peach

Liam Peach

Alice Carver

John Carver

Sarah Sharp

Mary Bishop

Vic Bishop

Episode Images

Video

Midsomer Murders Series 13 Episode 4 - The Silent Land Preview

Notes

The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes

• Gabrielle Lloyd - Who Killed Cock Robin? and Saints and Sinners
• Victoria Lennox - Things That Go Bump in the Night, Orchis Fatalis, Vixen's Run and The Black Book
• Danny Webb - Dance with the Dead
• Aden Gillett - Saints and Sinners