Death of an Expert Witness 

When Dr. Edwin Lorrimer, a forensic scientist working at a private laboratory is found killed, Detective Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh is sent to investigate. Dalgliesh had been in the area... See full summary »

Stars:

Roy Marsden, Barry Foster, Ray Brooks

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Roy Marsden	...	Adam Dalgliesh 7 episodes, 1983
Barry Foster	...	Dr. Maxim Howarth 7 episodes, 1983
Ray Brooks	...	Dr. Henry Kerrison 7 episodes, 1983
Ivor Roberts	...	Inspector Blakelock 7 episodes, 1983
Andrew Ray	...	Clifford Bradley 6 episodes, 1983
Brenda Blethyn	...	Angela Foley 6 episodes, 1983
Malcolm Terris	...	DI Tom Doyle 6 episodes, 1983
Chloe Franks	...	Brenda Pridmore 6 episodes, 1983
John Vine	...	DS John Massingham 5 episodes, 1983
Fiona Walker	...	Stella Mawson, aka 'Star' 5 episodes, 1983
Stephen Thorne	...	Paul Middlemass 5 episodes, 1983
Valerie Testa	...	Claire Easterbrook 5 episodes, 1983
Meg Davies	...	Domenica Howarth 4 episodes, 1983
John Bryans	...	Chief Superintendent Mercer 4 episodes, 1983
Annabelle Lanyon	...	Nell Kerrison 4 episodes, 1983
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Dr. Edwin Lorrimer 3 episodes, 1983
Rhoda Lewis	...	Miss Willard 3 episodes, 1983
Kate Lansbury	...	Mrs. Pridmore 3 episodes, 1983
Wendy Gifford	...	Anne Kerrison 3 episodes, 1983
Sheridan Ball	...	Sue Bradley 3 episodes, 1983
Maryann Turner	...	Mrs. Bidwell 3 episodes, 1983
Richard Foxton	...	Sergeant Reynolds 3 episodes, 1983
Carl Adams	...	Police Constable 3 episodes, 1983
Toby Scopes	...	William Kerrison 3 episodes, 1983

Storyline

When Dr. Edwin Lorrimer, a forensic scientist working at a private laboratory is found killed, Detective Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh is sent to investigate. Dalgliesh had been in the area a few months previously investigating the murder of a young woman found in an abandoned car. There are several suspects: Lorrimer's subordinate, Clifford Bradley, who despises him; the new head of the laboratory, Maxim Howarth, who is jealous of his sister's relationship with him; a colleague, Paul Middlemass, who had a fight with Lorrimer. There is also a gruff and likely unethical policeman who was on the grounds of the laboratory at the time of the killing and a local pathologist who is raising his two young children after his wife leaves him for another man. When one of the suspects is also murdered, Dalgliesh learns a key piece of information.

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Plot Keywords:

laboratory | detective | murder | tv mini series | investigation | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1983 (UK)

Also Known As:

Døden i laboratoriet

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anglia Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min (7 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Martin Jarvis was offered Dr. Kerrison.

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Alternate Versions

When the series was repeated on ITV3, it was edited into six episodes, each with a revised cast list.

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Connections

Followed by Devices and Desires (1991)

User Reviews

British TV at its best

These adaptations of the P D James books of Adam Dalgliesh are of the best - and I mean all of them. The stories are long in comparison to today's highly edited story lines. It makes for a natural flow to the story, building atmosphere and generally contributing to the general feeling of the episode. I like seeing cars arrive and depart and the characters making the tea! It is also very natural for a detective to sit and ponder a very complex murder - and the director did good by showing us these scenes.

Roy was an excellent choice to do this role as he did not resort to emotional gimmicks as lessor actors would have done - he interpreted the role as that of an inspector who was fully aware of his detective abilities and the character had no need to impress the viewer with predictable devices. This show was obviously aimed at a more mature audience - hence the absence (most of the time) of bar fight scenes, car chase scenes, bed scenes, impossible superiors, sub plots and other devices to pad the plot and episode.

Highly recommended.