If Wishes Were Horses

I have just started watching the Lynley series and it's obviously got something or I wouldn't continue. Some of course better than others but characters are quite fascinating and acting is excellent which helps a lot of the episodes.

But this isn't the first episode that I've worked out who is responsible for the murders or crimes, including when there are more than one.

This episode also suffers from even more of Inspector Lynley shouting abuse at Havers, sure he is suffering from grief and stress because of his wife and unborn baby but still amazed at how Havers puts up with so much. Anyway despite this and Thomas not working out the murderer before most of us, the build up and relationships are still very good in this episode. Above all an amazing ending no one would see coming to make up for the other predictability.

When Professor Dermot Finnegan is killed by a car bomb after a controversial case is reopened, the handsome, aristocratic DI Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) and DS Havers (Sharon Small) are called in to investigate.

An obvious suspect is Noel Shakespeare, whose daughter has been in prison for murdering her husband, but has recently been denied a new trial thanks to Finnegan's testimony. There is also Peter Stephanopoulos who served ten years based on Finnegan's testimony but has now been released.

Finnegan has left a widow, an meddling ex-wife, and a string of mistresses, one of whom years earlier was Lynley's now-pregnant wife Helen. When tragedy strikes, the case becomes more personal for Lynley.

This is a pretty good mystery though the murderer is obvious and we have to see a lot of Helen (Lesley Vickerage), not my favorite character.

I always get a kick out of Lynley's temper and how, despite this, Havers does what she wants anyway. I'd be terrified of crossing him, but she's a feisty one.

This is the last episode of season 3, and we're left with a big cliffhanger. Enjoy.

When a retrial fails, a forensic pathologist who gives crucial, damning evidence is killer in dramatic fashion.

Excellent, it's a deep story, but not hard to follow, or overly complex. It's another cracking episode in this fine third series. Lots of action, some excitement, and some incredibly sad and moving scenes.

Nathanael Parker has gotten better and better as this series has progressed, to the point that he perhaps steals the show. Lots of talent here, including Jemma Redgrave and Penny Downie, personally, I thought Lisa Palfrey was awesome in this.

Sadly this would be the last story to feature Lesley Vickerage, she decided to leave, and was later replaced.

A cracking end to Series three, 9/10.

On the plus side, Jemma Redgrave appears in this episode and her voice is a revelation, like angels singing. On the minus side, there are several instances in this episode of Inspector Lynley of berating Havers and this makes watching the show unpleasant and draining.

The mystery in this production was intricate enough to keep interest, and the acting was excellent. However, it is the personal tragedies of the main characters that are the most interesting things in the story, and the lead actors bring this across very well. (I wonder why we don't see Sharon Small in other things. ) Both Lynley and Havers are complex characters that are compelling. Anyone could enjoy this, even if this is the viewer's first Lynley/Havers story. However, those who have seen these characters through the earlier story's will more appreciate the nuances of the principal characters. Unlike many movies, much less television shows, the characters' pasts impact the present in clear ways that keep the viewer emotionally involved.

This was a very enjoyable entry in the Inspector Lynley Mysteries.