Midsomer Murders: Debt Of Lies | Preview (ITV1)

The party to celebrate the retirement of DCS ELAINE BENNET is an appropriately high-end affair, filled with the great and the good. BARNABY and SARAH are in attendance, and although he does not know DCS Bennet terribly well, Barnaby is representing the station.

At the party, Sarah is introduced to Barnaby’s old gaffer - SEBASTIAN CABOT – who informs the pair that Elaine is his new neighbour – she has recently moved into Challis Court. Set up by an independent charity fifteen years ago, Challis is a collection of desirable apartments within a grand estate providing comfortable and secure housing for retired police officers.

A remark from Sebastian tells Barnaby that Elaine may not be as popular as the turn out suggests – her husband is not even in attendance. Barnaby is further intrigued when he notices Elaine having a heated argument with someone outside the party.

As the event draws to a close, Barnaby sees that behind the handshakes and smiles, some of the officers are harbouring resentment and bitterness. After bidding farewell to her colleagues, Elaine heads home… only to be later found dead in the Bennet’s family car after crashing into a tree.

Barnaby and WINTER arrive at the scene and realise there are no signs of braking, it appears as if Elaine deliberately drove off the road without a seatbelt and died of massive trauma. It is FLEUR who corrects the pair and explains that the brake cable has been cut – this was no accident… And as Challis Court is a gated community that means the killer was inside and they are looking for an ex-officer.

Barnaby and Winter must interview these retired officers who are wise to their line of questioning, and who are keen to offer their expert opinion on the handling of the case. Is an ex-colleague out for revenge? Can Barnaby steer through the lies to catch the killer before it is too late?

Midsomer Murders returns Tuesday 16th July at 8pm on ITV1.