INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES:

MISSING JOSEPH

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: sexual implications

Rated:

One of the better episodes in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Missing Joseph begins with the horrible death of a local cleric in the northern country. Reverend Sage is a well-liked man in the parish, older, mildly self-contained, and friendly. He has been invited to the home of Juliet Spence (Pippa Haywood), a single mother. On the way back from dinner, he suffers from a fit and dies in the lane. Thomas Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) is called in to investigate. He finds no real motive for murder, but plenty of suspects. It turns out the minister was killed with hemlock poisoning. Juliet Spence is a naturalist and should have known the difference, had she picked wild water hemlock rather than parsley. She spent the night on the bathroom floor throwing up. Whenever she feels odd, she takes something to purge her stomach. Her daughter (Charlotte Salt) wasn't aware the reverend was coming, and thought it was Steve Shepherd (Jason Merrells), her mother's lover and the local constable, instead. She's not overly fond of Steve.

There's also the cleric's pretty young housekeeper Polly (Joanna Dunn), who carried on a relationship with Steve when his first wife lay dying of cancer. The two broke it off and she has attempted in every way possible to get him back. Lynley must unravel these threads and discern both motive and murderer, but his case leads him in unexpected directions. Soon he calls in his assistant, Barbara Havers (Sharon Small), who is in the midst of packing up her home and moving to an apartment. Friction between them turns hostile when Lynley makes himself useful. He's also busy yearning for an old childhood sweetheart Helen (Lesley Vickerage), who has recently been transferred to his branch of criminology as a psychological profiler. What begins as an apparent mistake soon reveals dark dealings, twisted fates, cruel schemes, and more than one surprising complication. Eventually the title comes into play and gives us an idea of the nature of the crime, as well as a healthy sense of revenge. The characters are all fairly well defined, and the story progresses at a decent pace.

I liked this episode because it was less controversial than those before it. There is still some adultery involved (it's also implied Lynley and Helen spend the night together) but the storyline for once doesn't revolve around sexual misconduct. The twist is unexpected but makes a lot of sense, and as the pieces fall into place we hurry along with Havers and Lynley in attempting to discern the end. The relationship between the two is quirky and fun, and no matter how much Mystery!'s host Diana Rigg attempts to persuade us Havers only fills Lynley's life with strife, there is a mildly romantic appeal between them. Their friendship is firm but their arguments are usually intense. Thus said, Helen also is a viable prospect. We come to like her despite the bad choices she's made in the past, and when Lynley says she has a right to want to keep him at a distance, but it's not going to dissuade him from trying anyway, we can't help but smile with anticipation.

There is some content to be wary of, but it's much less than normal. Havers calls fellow police officers some foul names (Americans won't understand half of them). A very pregnant bride waiting for the ceremony is what lends to the discovery of the minister's body. He was convulsing at the time of death and his mouth is bloody as a result (his tongue was nearly bitten off). We learn that while Steve cared for his wife on her deathbed with generosity and kindness, he was also sleeping with Polly at the time. He references their relationship "on the kitchen floor" in crude terms several times. Maggie talks about her mother saying, "I love you, Steve," while in the act of lovemaking. Lynley comes to Helen's hotel room and they kiss over a bottle of champagne. The next day dialogue implies they slept together, but she doesn't intend to pursue the relationship. Havers teases Lynley about being a "poor seducer," and asks him if he's with Helen over the phone. A man becomes enraged and slaps a woman, leaving her with a bloody nose. There are also emotional issues involved, including kidnapping, and family deaths.

Fans of the show will find this an excellent conclusion to the first season, but it will only wet the appetite for more. We can only hope future episodes follow in the tradition of this one, and avoid some of the more sexually-oriented of George's novels.