Gangster Mehtin Topal is due to be let out of prison but the USOS team are convinced that in addition to the crimes he was gaoled for he also killed Sean Doherty, an up and coming poet who was found battered and burnt to a crisp in his yard. He is adamant that he had nothing to do with it though. When the team talk to Sean's brother in law they learn that he was involved with several dubious characters including a particularly vicious loan shark. They can't find him though as he disappeared after the killing; possibly overseas, possibly into witness protection
either way they can't talk to him. The criminal underworld may be the most likely cause of Sean's death but Brian is unconvinced; his position as the next big thing in British poetry has been taken by his old friend Luke Oswald and his work looks as if it may have been plagiarised from Sean's; the others aren't so sure though; it seems unlikely to them that anybody would kill for poetry.
This was a pretty good episode with a decent number of suspects and an even greater number of motives. Anybody who correctly solved it before the solution is revealed has earned the right to feel a little smug with this one! The reason for that is certain key assumptions aren't at all as they initially appear. As always the cast put in fine performances; anybody just arriving to the series wouldn't guess that newcomer Steve McAndrew had only joined the cast a few episodes ago as his character seems so well integrated into the team now. As well as an enjoyable mystery there are plenty of laughs to be had here; frequently at the expense of Brian of course; as always the scenes between Brian and his wife Esther are particularly good fun.
This was a pretty good episode with a decent number of suspects and an even greater number of motives. Anybody who correctly solved it before the solution is revealed has earned the right to feel a little smug with this one! The reason for that is certain key assumptions aren't at all as they initially appear. As always the cast put in fine performances; anybody just arriving to the series wouldn't guess that newcomer Steve McAndrew had only joined the cast a few episodes ago as his character seems so well integrated into the team now. As well as an enjoyable mystery there are plenty of laughs to be had here; frequently at the expense of Brian of course; as always the scenes between Brian and his wife Esther are particularly good fun.
