Ep 2. Written in Blood

In the second episode of Midsomer Murders' first season, entitled "Written in Blood," the sleepy town of Midsomer Worthy is disrupted when a local author named Richard Rackham is brutally murdered during the annual literary festival. The episode opens with Rackham delivering a talk about his latest novel, which is a thinly veiled expose of many of the town's leading citizens. As the audience listens raptly, it quickly becomes clear that Rackham's book has a lot of local people worried.

The day after the talk, Inspector Tom Barnaby (played by John Nettles) and his wife Joyce (played by Jane Wymark) attend a reception at Winyard House, the stately home of three wealthy sisters who are hosting the festival. While there, they hear a heated argument between Rackham and one of the sisters, Sarah, who is unhappy about being portrayed as a bed-hopper in the book. Rackham storms out of the reception, and as he walks home, he is brutally killed by an unknown assailant.

Barnaby and his assistant Sergeant Troy (played by Daniel Casey) are immediately called to the scene and begin to investigate Rackham's murder. Their first order of business is to interview the other festival attendees, many of whom have strong motives for wanting Rackham dead. These include Sarah, whose reputation has been sullied by his book; Rackham's own wife, a former actress who was sick of playing second fiddle to her husband's ego; and a bitter rival author who had failed to win the festival's coveted literary prize.

As the investigation progresses, Barnaby and Troy unravel a web of secrets and lies that have been simmering beneath Midsomer Worthy's seemingly idyllic surface. From infidelities to financial crimes, it soon becomes clear that almost everyone in town has something to hide. In particular, Barnaby becomes suspicious of Sarah, who seems to be hiding something significant from her past.

But just as the detectives are closing in on the killer, a shocking twist complicates the case and throws everything they thought they knew into doubt. Barnaby and Troy must race against time to unravel the truth and bring the killer to justice before anyone else is hurt.

"Written in Blood" is a classic Midsomer Murders episode that explores the dark underbelly of small-town life. With complex characters, intricate plotting, and plenty of red herrings, it keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Fans of the series will appreciate the attention to detail and the way that the murder investigation reveals the complex web of relationships that exists between the townspeople.