Written in Blood

Series One, Episode One
Written in Blood
Airdate	22 March 1998
Village or Location	Midsomer Worthy
Writer	Anthony Horowitz
Director	Jeremy Silberston
Episode guide
Previous	The Killings at Badger's Drift
Following	Death of a Hollow Man

Written in Blood is the first episode of the first series, the second overall after the pilot, of the popular British crime drama Midsomer Murders and first aired 22nd March 1998.

Synopsis

Midsomer Worthy Writers' Circle gather together to think of an author that could visit them and discuss their books. The name of this famous writer is Max Jennings, but the group's secretary Gerald Hadleigh seems far from happy. However Jennings is asked and astonishingly, given his fame, accepts; but the morning after the group meets Jennings, Gerald is found murdered. DCI Barnaby and Sergeant Troy try to delve into the private life of Hadleigh but their investigation is scuppered by the fact that Max Jennings has disappeared.

Cast

• John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby
• Daniel Casey as Sgt. Gavin Troy
• Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
• Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby
• Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard
• Anna Massey as Honoria Lyddiard
• Joanna David as Amy Lyddiard
• David Troughton as Brian Clapper
• John Shrapnel as Max Jennings
• Jane Booker as Laura Hutton
• Judith Scott as Sue Clapper
• Robert Swann as Gerald Hadleigh
• Una Stubbs as Selina Jennings
• Annoushka Le Gallois as Barbara Neale
• Marlene Sidaway as Mrs. Bundy
• Nancy Lodder as Edie Carter
• Daniel Newman as Tom Carter
• Marcus Rogers as Denzel
• Zoot Lynam as Collar
• Mark Bagnall as Boreham
• John Bardon as Mr. Belgrove
• Jacqueline Morgan as Miss Panter
• Timothy Bateson as James Jocelyne
• Jay Barrymore as Liam
• Murray Ewan as Liam's Father
• Neil Conrich as Police Constable Angel
• Paul Putner as Policeman 2
• David Maybrick as Policeman 3
• Brian Parr as Mr. Baker
• Bryan Burdon as Barman

Galleries

Midsomer Worthy Writer's Circle

Amy Lyddiard
(Fiction - she referred to it as a family saga)

Brian Clapper
(Play)

Laura Hutton
(Romance Novel)

Sue Clapper
(Children's Book about a Dragon named Hector)

Gerald Hadleigh
(Thriller)

Honoria Lyddiard
(History of England tracing her family lineage)

Body Count

Gerald Hadleigh
Bludgeoned with a candlestick

Max Jennings
Poisoned

Honoria Lyddiard
Accidentally fell through 2nd floor window while trying to kill Amy Lyddiard with a butcher's knife

Supporting Cast

Edie Carter
Drama Student who helped to blackmail Brian Clapper

Barbara Neale
a.k.a. "Bouncing Barbara"
Max Jennings' secretary and secret lover

Notes

• First appearance of Timothy Bateson's character Mr. Jocelyne, later appeared in the episode, Orchis Fatalis.
• Although, Marlene Sidaway had a small role as a counselor in the previous episode, Written in Blood marked the debut of Mrs. Bundy. The character later appeared in Death's Shadow

The following actors and actresses that first appeared in this episode have appeared in subsequent episodes

• Timothy Bateson;
• Jane Booker;
• Joanna David;
• Anna Massey;
• David Maybrick;
• Marlene Sidaway;
• Una Stubbs;
• David Troughton