The Lee, Bucks, UK – Midsomer Murders, Death Of A Stranger (1999) - Movie Locations on Waymarking.com

There are two powerful families in Marshwood, the Fitzroys and the Tranters. James Fitzroy and Marcia Tranter are joint masters of the Marshwood Hunt. Marcia Tranter is a widow and has a son Grahame Tranter, who has inherited the family estate.

While Barnaby is on holiday in France a tramp is found dead on Grahame Tranter’s land. Retired police superintendent, Ronald Pringle, arrests local man Ben Gurdie for the murder. Barnaby, on his return is far from certain. A short while after Barnaby arrives Ben Gurdie is found in the same spot, apparently having committed suicide with a shot gun. The bodies were found by the eccentric Linda Wagstaff, who lives in a converted railway carriage in the woods. Near the bodies Barnaby finds a half torn pornographic photo.

Ronald Pringle, newly retired to the village, is keen to ingratiate himself with the Hunt and goes to a hunt party. The next day he is allowed to ride out with them. The horse he is riding gets spooked, jumps a wall and kills Pringle. Barnaby finds that it is murder as the horse had been drugged by way of a dart. The two major hunt families come under Barnaby’s scrutiny, as also does local taxidermist, Henry Carstairs. Carstairs is a cousin of Grahame Tranter and believes he may have a legitimate claim to the Tranter estate. There is some doubt that Graham Tranter is the son of Simon Tranter, Carstairs’ uncle. If that is true then Carstairs is the legitimate heir.

Barnaby has a break through when the Dutch police tell him that the tramp is Simon Tranter. The Dutch police stopped him for speeding many years ago before he went missing, presumed dead. Another breakthrough occurs when Barnaby bumps into Linda Wagstaff at Causton theatre. She is admiring the photo of an actor from the past. Barnaby sees a resemblance to Grahame Tranter. So, the actor was Tranter’s father and also the tramp. Simon Tranter had been murdered by Fitzroy and the actor paid to take his place and go abroad. This is why the tramp was murdered. Ben Gurdie was killed because he had come across Grahame Tranter going through the tramps belongings. Tranter had asked to see Gurdie’s gun and then shot him with it. Pringle had been killed because he had seen a liaison between Fitzroy and Marcia Tranter.

Barnaby arrives to arrest Grahame Tranter, but arrives too late to stop Tranter from shooting Marcia. Tranter drives to Carstairs’ house, where Tranter’s wife and son have sought refuge. He threatens to shoot them, but Barnaby intervenes. Tranter runs off and is later found hanged in the woods.

Movie or TV Show: Midsomer Murders - Death Of A Stranger Year Released or First Aired: 1,999.00 IMDB Link: [Web Link]

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