Strangler's Wood (3 Feb. 1999)

The nude body of a Brazilian woman is found strangled in the woods, which suggests that a serial killer from nine years before has begun killing again.

Director:

Jeremy Silberston

Writers:

Anthony Horowitz (screenplay), Caroline Graham (characters)

Stars:

John Nettles, Daniel Casey, Jane Wymark

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
John Nettles	...	DCI Tom Barnaby
Daniel Casey	...	Sgt. Gavin Troy
Jane Wymark	...	Joyce Barnaby
Laura Howard	...	Cully Barnaby
Peter Eyre	...	Leonard Pike
Kathleen Byron	...	Dorothea Pike
Frank Windsor	...	George Meakham
Anne Stallybrass	...	Emily Meakham
Trudie Styler	...	Liz Frances
Jeremy Clyde	...	Bill Mitchell
Phyllis Logan	...	Kate Merrill
Nicholas Farrell	...	John Merrill (as Nick Farrell)
Tom Eilenberg	...	David Merrill
Debbie Chazen	...	Anna Santarosa
Betty Romani	...	Carla Constanza (as Betti Romani)

Storyline

Nine years ago, the village of Midsomer Worthy became the stalking ground of a serial killer who raped his female victims before strangling them with a striped neck tie. However, after the third victim, the killer stopped... In the present day, another young woman has been found in "Strangler's Wood", strangled with a striped neck tie. She, however, has not been raped... Has the psychopath started again, or is there a copycat killer on the loose?

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | murder | brazilian | watch | brazilian woman | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 1999 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Corn Exchange, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bentley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 101 min (DVD)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The newspaper shows a photograph of the "unknown" murder victim dressed and obviously alive, although her body was found nude and without any identification. How did they get the photo if they didn't know who she was?

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Quotes

[first lines]
Milkman: Morning, Mr. Pike.

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Connections

References Psycho (1960)

User Reviews

"We weren't arguing, we were talking... loudly." Another fine Midsomer Murders.

Midsomer Murders: Strangler's Wood starts as a group of young boys on their way to school take a short cut through Raven's Wood, there they make the shocking discovery of a nude woman who has been strangled with a neck tie. DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Troy (Daniel Casey) on are the case, Barnaby remembers that Raven's Wood was the area where three women's bodies who died in similar circumstances were found 9 years ago & has since become known as Strangler's Wood. At first Barnaby ask's the question whether the two cases are connected, then ponders why the killer has suddenly started to kill again & just as importantly why he stopped all those years ago. The woman turns out to be an actress & model from Brazil named Carla Constanza (Betti Romani) who has ties to a local cigarette manufacturer & some of it's employees including John Merrill (Nicholas Farrell) whose expensive Rolex watch was found near the body, but is the case really that simple...

Episode 2 from season 2 this Midsomer Murders mystery was directed by Jeremy Silberston & is another great mystery for all armchair sleuth's everywhere. The script by Anthony Horowitz weaves yet another intriguing tangled web of deception, lies, blackmail, murder & dark secrets in Midsomer county for Barnaby to sort out. This one opens up with the discovery of a body & then goes into a lull for about an hour & I admit my patience was being stretched as Barnaby & Troy investigate the murder but get nowhere fast until it bursts into life again with a couple more murders in quick succession & a great ending where it all comes together & everything is revealed as Barnaby solves not one case but two. I really like how all the little pieces of the puzzle come together here, from seemingly insignificant conversation's to observation's made by Barnaby I liked the way the complex multi layered mystery all comes together like the pieces of a jigsaw. I personally think Strangler's Wood could have used 5 or 10 minutes cut out of it's middle third to quicken the pace & keep my interest more but it picks up again at just the right time, as usual the plot is engaging, far from predictable & is what we expect from the series a well thought out gripping murder mystery that'll keep most of you guessing right to the very end which is just the way I like 'em.

As seems to be the norm for this show there are a few subplots revolving around Barnaby & the fact he's left home alone with his daughter by his wife who has to go away because her mother is ill, this one also sees the potential beginnings of a romantic relationship between Troy & Barnaby's daughter. There is a neat little reference to Death of a Hollow Man in this as well if you look out for things like that. This episode looks really nice with the usual assortment of uniquely English country locations, the gorgeous Dorney Court in Berkshire was used for the Fox & Goose hotel & stands out. The murders aren't graphic here but there are several corpses on show including a body in a bath with a fair amount of blood splatter. The acting is top notch from all involved.

Strangler's Wood almost lost me there for a bit it redeemed itself with flying colours & is yet another classic Midsomer Murders, this is episode 2 from season 2 & there hasn't been a bad episode yet, I wonder if the next story Dead Man's 11 will change that?