" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg?w=450" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21426" title="Image from Inspector Lewis: Dead of Winter © 2010 MASTERPIECE " src="https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg?w=736" alt="Image from Inspector Lewis: Dead of Winter © 2010 MASTERPIECE " srcset="https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg 450w, https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg?w=150 150w, https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/inspector-lewis-dead-of-winter-x-450.jpg?w=300 300w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px">

Inspector Lewis continues tonight on Masterpiece Mystery with some other new episode of the popular detective series based in Oxford where the decease toll since its predecessor Inspector Morse hit the airwaves in 1987 must place this small college town as the epicenter of "malice aforethought" in England. The Dead of Winter involves sorry connections to the past, lost treasure and sordid family secrets — all prime motives for murder. This new (to the US) episode guest stars an array of former Austen pic adaptation actors that many Janeites will recognize and reveals some personal insight into the past of Inspector Lewis' (Kevin Whatley) dishy young Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox). It is a complete plow-effectually in comedic tone to final week'south Counter Culture Blues' accept on Lewis in a psychedelic rock and roll haze. Here is the PBS synopsis:

An Oxford academic is expressionless on a tour bus and none of the other passengers even took notice. The curious example leads back to Crevecoeur Hall, a vast, history-rich Oxford estate, and as it happens, the setting for much of Detective Sergeant Hathaway'due south (Laurence Fox) youth. Hathaway reconnects with his past — and Scarlett Mortmaigne, the girl of the estate's owner. Only is he too consorting with a main suspect? It'southward a case that threatens to expose the shortcomings and secrets of a wealthy family unit, cloud Hathaway's judgment and ultimately put his relationship with Detective Inspector Lewis (Kevin Whately) in jeopardy. Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) guest stars.

This episode was centered around enigmatic Sergeant James Hathaway, Lewis' smart, stoic and sarcastic young partner. Over the past three seasons we have seen his instincts acuminate, his skills honed and his confidence build from his professional relationship with his governor. In The Dead of Winter he takes the forefront in the investigation and I am pleased to see he is finally being given more than walking one stride behind Lewis or looking over his shoulder while he interviews suspects. His character is past far the most interesting of the regulars in the series. We know very little about him other than he attended Cambridge, once trained equally a priest and does not date. Occasionally a script will throw a female person in his path, simply if a hardened career crow and a transsexual psychopath are the kind of relationships he has encountered, no wonder he is celibate.

This fourth dimension round Hathaway is given another opportunity to hang upward his virtual clerical collar when he reconnects with Scarlett Mortmain (Camilla Arfwedson – Miss Marple: Murder is Easy), a beautiful aristocrat who he grew upwards with at Crevecoeur Hall (crëvecoeur is French for heartbreak), a yard country estate almost Oxford that his begetter managed for the Mortmaigne family unit twenty years ago. When he arrives on the scene to investigate the possible murder of Professor Blackness, yous can see his apprehension and project where this story volition go. In that location is a painful history hither, and if you pay attention, much will be revealed below the dialogue and his reactions.

In that location appears to exist additional personal secrets being harbored by others too. The Marquise of Tygon, the elderly patriarch Augustus Mortmaigne's (Richard Johnson – Mr. Wickham, Pride and Prejudice 1952) banking concern has just gone belly up and his daughter Scarlett is being used equally quid pro quo to refill the family coffers by marrying a Lebanese millionaire Tarek Shimali (Richard Saade). The Marquise's much younger wife Selina (Juliet Aubrey – Middlemarch) who he married when she was seventeen is having an affair with his nephew Philip Coleman (Nathaniel Parker – Vanity Off-white) and his young son and heir Titus (Jonathan Bailey) is dallying with a retainer Briony Grahame (Georgia Groome). Orchestrating this upstairs downstairs tango is the vacant stuttering butler Paul Hopkiss (Pip Carter) who also was a playmate of Scarlett and Hathaway in what he terms "happy days".

When a bloody candlestick discovered past Hathaway in the Crevecoeur Hall family unit chapel is matched to Dr. Black, Lewis and Hathaway suspect the priest Father Jasper Hugh O'Conor (James Morland – Northanger Abbey 2007) when they unearth his tragic connectedness to the victim. Soon after another death is linked to the instance when the present estate managing director Ralph Grahame (Jonty Stephens) is plant dead by gunshot and a murder-suicide is suspected. After Lewis reveals his belief that the real motive to murder was a fifteenth century majestic treasure on the estate, Hathaway thinks his boss has lost it.  He tin't understand why Lewis won't accept that Grahame killed Dr. Black for running off with his wife. Lewis tin't take why Hathaway seems to be protecting the Mortmaignes.

Even though I dearly dearest to express mirth, when information technology comes to murder mysteries a serious tone with an occasional express joy is so much more satisfying. This new episode written by Russell Lewis supplied a finely crafted whodunit to fire upwards the grayness matter, keep runway of the body count and soak in that glorious Oxford backdrop. The guest cast was really outstanding. Nathaniel Parker is e'er a joy to watch and Guy Henry, who was an unforgettable Mr. Collins in Lost in Austen, added interest to a minor role as Professor Pelham. While Hathaway was getting smashed and lip worked by that chit Scarlett, Lewis had his own flirtation with Dr. Black's beau professor Frances Woodville (Stella Gonet – Mrs Musgrove in Persuasion 2007). She sparkled and he blushed. Too cute! We also got a glimpse of Lewis' compassionate side when he befriended the murder victim's cat and named it Monty. Ahh. I also thought it humorous that the writer  played with us in his choice of names and murder weapons. Was it Lady Scarlett in the chapel with a candlestick? I won't tell.

Watch The Dead of Winter online at the Masterpiece PBS website until October fifth, 2010. Next week'southward new episode Dark Matter, guest stars Colonel Fitzwilliam — Anthony Dogie, and Sir John Middleton — Robert Hardy!

Scarlett: "I thought for a moment you'd chased after me to declare your undying beloved."

Hathaway: "I'g not sure men practice that nowadays, do they?"

Scarlett: "Perhaps they should."

Oh Hathaway. Brush up on your Shakespeare will ya? He makes upwardly for it after on when he recites some lines of poetry to Scarlett by A. E. Housman (1859–1936) from A Shropshire Lad (1896).

INTO my middle on air that kills

From yon far land blows:

What are those blue remembered hills,

What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content,

I run into it shining plainly,

The happy highways where I went

And cannot come again.

  • Read my epitomize & review of Counter Culture Blues
  • Read my epitomize & review of The Point of Vanishing
  • Read my recap & review of The Quality of Mercy
  • Read my recap & review of Allegory of Honey
  • Visit the Inspector Lewis website at Masterpiece Mystery PBS

Image courtesy © 2010 MASTERPIECE