When a young woman is dressed like a bride and drowned in a bath, it triggers a spate of ghoulish wedding-themed murders in Great Worthy. The case takes Barnaby and Jones to a donkey sanctuary, a heritage steam railway, and a pub run by an ex-copper and former brothel madam. Could history be repeating itself?

A 23-year-old woman is drowned in a bath wrapped in net curtains and made to look like a bride with a chilling lipstick message on the mirror. She wears a ring and a bouquet of cheap flowers is placed on the toilet seat - but Dianne Price had no plans to marry.

Jo Starling, who shared a cottage with Dianne in Great Worthy, tells Barnaby that her friend split up with her boyfriend a few months ago. Their landlord Bernard Flack seems a bit creepy. Vet Fran Carter recognises the flowers from Jugg’s Lane filling station, run by Malcolm Merryman, who’s a slave to his elderly parents.

Barnaby questions Dianne’s friend Sam Tomlin, who runs a donkey sanctuary with his mum Liz. He discovered that Liz retired as village registrar after getting disillusioned with people breaking their marriage vows.

Kindly teacher David Orchard was giving Dianne French lessons in his free time, while cop turned publican Matt Rowntree seems disturbed by a visit from Jones. Flack and his bitter wife Yvonne are also uneasy when Barnaby calls at their hardware shop.

Barnaby tells his wife Sarah about a case from 1912 – the brides in the bath murders - while Jones is still struggling with his new boss’s love of psychology.

Characters

Jo Starling - Sarah Smart

Jo was born and brought up in the village of Great Worthy. She’s friendly and kind, works at a local donkey sanctuary and lives in a rented cottage with Dianne Price.

Bernard and Yvonne Flack - Ron Cook and Melanie Kilburn

Bernard owns the village hardware store; he’s an old fashioned man in an old fashioned shop. The landlord of Jo and Dianne’s house, he’s also a voyeur. But his wife Yvonne has him sussed.

David Orchard - Adrian Rawlins

A local teacher of history and French, David lives alone in a house he has been doing up for years, waiting for his fiancée to return from South Africa. He’s a polite, helpful man.

Malcolm Merryman - Andrew Buckley

Malcolm is a bit of a slob. He’s in charge of his parents’ small, downmarket filling station at the edge of the village and has to wait on his parents hand and foot.

Fran Carter - Daisy Haggard

The local vet, Fran is in her late 20s. She once had plans for a civil partnership but the relationship failed. Despite this, she’s a friendly, happy person.

Liz Tomlin - Pam Ferris

Liz owns the donkey sanctuary in Great Worthy. She once represented the area as a registrar but decided to retire, depressed at the number of failed marriages she’d seen.

Sam Tomlin - Thomas Arnold

Sam is the 30-year-old son of Liz. He helps his mum run the sanctuary and is a bit ‘save the rainforests’. He’s good friends with Dianne and Jo.

Matt Rowntree - Lee Boardman

A no-nonsense ex-copper who jacked in the job to run the local pub. Thanks to his wife he has made a success of it.

Recent episodes

Death In The Slow Lane ►

Fit For Murder ►

Not In My Back Yard ►

The Noble Art ►

Master Class ►

The Silent Land ►

Blood On The Saddle ►