Ep 2. The Dead of Winter

Inspector Lewis is back with another episode that promises to keep viewers hooked to their screens. In this episode, titled "The Dead of Winter," Lewis (played by Kevin Whately) and his partner Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (played by Laurence Fox) are called to investigate the death of a local Oxford historian, who has been found dead with his head bashed in at an old and isolated country mansion.

The owner of the mansion is a wealthy financier who has returned to Oxford to retire and to resume his studies. As the detectives delve deeper into the case, they realize that the victim had been working on a book about the history of the village, and his research had led him to some uncomfortable truths about a number of people in the area.

To make matters worse, it soon becomes apparent that the mansion has a history of its own, with rumors of ghosts and strange happenings surrounding it. As the snow begins to fall heavily outside, cutting off any escape from the property, the tension among the suspects and the detectives starts to rise, and they soon become isolated from the rest of the world, forced to confront their fears and secrets head-on.

As the murder investigation unfolds, the team discovers a web of lies, jealousy, and deceit among the residents of the village, and the mansion's residents. Everyone seems to have a motive, but no one seems to have a credible alibi. The detectives are faced with a difficult task as they try to unravel the evidence from the suspects’ testimonies and piece together what really happened on the fateful night.

The episode has everything that viewers have come to expect from the highly popular Masterpiece series: intricate plots, great acting, and stunning cinematography. The storyline is gripping, and the characters are brought to life brilliantly by the cast. The picturesque location and the snow-covered countryside add to the atmospheric tension of the plot, and the script is expertly crafted to keep the viewers guessing till the very end.

Overall, "The Dead of Winter" is an engaging episode that will keep viewers engaged throughout its runtime, and is sure to satisfy fans of the Inspector Lewis series with its tantalizing blend of mystery, suspense, and drama.