Inspector Lynley Mysteries - Set 4 (2006)

Mixed Bag of Melodrama and Satisfying Labyrinthine Mysteries.

Inspector Lynley Mysteries Series 4 is comprised entirely of films that are not based on books or written by Elizabeth George. These four new mysteries pick up after Series 3's cliffhanger, in which Detective Sergeant Havers was shot. She's back on duty, and Lynley is estranged from his wife Helen. I've never liked the films' interpretation of Helen, so I was pleased to find her absent from this series. Lynley is becoming increasingly angst-ridden, and Havers departs more and more from the character of the books. But these mysteries are entertaining. "Seed of Cunning" is the most suspenseful Lynley film I've seen so far. Each mystery is 85 minutes long, and this series ends with a cliffhanger too. PBS calls this Season 5, and WGBH Boston calls it Series 4, so don't be confused.

"In Divine Proportions" finds Detective Sergeant Havers (Sharon Small) recovered from her gun shot injuries and Detective Inspector Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) anxious over his wife's departure following her miscarriage. Interior designer Samantha Walthew (Louise Hickson) is shot to death on a property in her home village that she and her husband were planning on developing. The property's former owner, Philip Turner (Richard Armitage), had taken up with her. A belligerent old neighbor, Mr. Harris (Roderick Smith), doesn't hide his disdain for the Walthews. But the name of Ron Verger, a local man who disappeared some 15 years ago, keeps turning up in the investigation, and his departure seems to still weigh heavy on the mind of his son Billy (Burn Gorman) and Samantha's old acquaintances. There are a lot of emotionally overburdened characters in this one. It's quite the village melodrama.

"In the Guise of Death" takes Lynley back to Cornwall and his family estate. While Lynley is visiting his family, horse trainer Stephen Fenner (Doug Rollins) is found hanged in the stables on a neighboring estate. The ambitious officer assigned to the case, DS Tremayne (Adrian Bower), welcomes DI Lynley's input. Lady Asherton (Gabrielle Drake) has invited Havers to stay with the family while she's on leave, so both Lynley and Havers are on hand to assist with the investigation. But they disagree over the direction of the case. Havers thinks the motive for murder came from the equine world and suspects fellow horse trainer Lawrence Chilcott (Nick Dunning). Lynley thinks the assailant is connected to the smuggling operation of boat repairman Lachlan (Doug Allen) that used Fenner's land. This mystery is entertaining and not too far-fetched, the second-best of this season.

Back in London for "The Seed of Cunning", the body of Eric Ramsey (James Pearse), a doorkeeper to the House of Lords, is found floating in the Thames. Lynley's aristocratic background prove both an advantage and a curse when he and Havers go poking around in the House of Lords and a nearby social club. Deep in debt from gambling, Ramsey had a falling out with straight-arrow Committee Clerk Geoffrey Crammond (Clive Merrison) over the disappearance of some important papers. Lynley's supercilious old rival from Oxford, Simon Featherstonehaugh (Roger Allam), has a seat in the House. And Letitia Gane (Claudie Blakely), lobbyist for an American defense firm, seems to turn up around every corner. Meanwhile, Havers is making an improbable attempt at a social life. The political intrigue may not be to everyone's taste, but this mystery builds suspense very effectively.

One page from a priceless 7th century Koran is found on the frozen body of Latif Ansari in "Word of God". Ansari was an illegal Jordanian immigrant whose forged passport leads Lynley and Havers to an uneasy collaboration with Immigration police. The precious page is authenticated by Islamic scholar Elias Blackwell (Mark Benton), who helps Lynley pose as a collector trying to purchase black market art from antiquities dealer Dimitri Zavos (Joseph Long). The dead man's wife Narima (Maggy Sharif) may unwittingly hold the key to finding the Golden Koran that everyone seeks. But the trail also leads to a clinic where Latif was on a kidney transplant list. Frustrated by Helen's absence and his powerlessness on recent cases, Lynley is anxious, impatient, and about to snap. October 7, 2007

A Good Package but One Story had a Weak Ending

I have very much enjoyed the Inspector Lynley series ...having watched all of them and purchased the DVD sets as well. I really do think that that the actors and screenwriters do a very fine job of taking Elizabeth George's characters from books to film (I have not been able to read her novels as they are too wordy and have too many non-police-related detours for my taste).

In this collection, I think the first two and the last are solid entries. If I had to pick the best, I think I would go with "In Divine Proportion" (good story of vigilante justice).

I do have one nit with "The Guise of Death"...I felt that Lynley took unnecessary risks at the climactic confrontation with the killer that could have gotten him killed.

I have a bigger bone to pick with "The Seed of Cunning" (SPOILER ALERT)

I very much so felt that the resolution was terribly unlikely:

a. I seriously doubt that the inspector would leave ca crucial piece of evidence in his car where it could be stolen by the bad guys.

b. I TOTALLY disbelieved the idea that a prisoner who was an eyewitness to major corruption in the British government could be murdered in broad daylight by assassins masquerading as police officers and that would more or less end the story...If something like that happened, it would be a major, major, MAJOR news event, and I think the police and government would mount an enormous investigation to find out what happened. This undermined what had been otherwise a good story.

But that's just one story being problematic. The rest are good. And I know I will buy the next Lynley set and the next (and final it seems) one after that, and then I will feel very sad, because that will be the last of Lynley and Havers I suppose. September 30, 2007

Intriguing mysteries!!

We are big fans of the Inspector Lynley mysteries, and this set did not let us down! The only problem is having to wait for the next series to come out!! They are intelligently written mysteries with intriguing characters - so much more entertaining than the brainless stuff on television these days. August 28, 2007

Inspector Lynley BBC Series

Excellent as usual. We enjoyed series 4 more than series 3. Great scenery and camera work. June 27, 2007

Excellence Series

This was the best series so far. I enjoy Inspector Lynley and his relationship with Barbara Havers.

Sharon Small is perfect for her part. She has to put up with a lot of nonsense from her peers.

I'm waiting anxiously for the next series to see what happens with Inspector Lynley dealing with his own problems and Havers having to work with another partner. June 9, 2007

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