S2·E1 Death's Shadow

Episode recap

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and his new partner, Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy, return to the village of Badger’s Drift at the start of the second series. Their assignment is the murder of Richard Bayly, a property developer whose reputation in the community is notably poor. Bayly, who has been suffering from a brain tumour, had recently submitted a proposal to construct a housing estate on the outskirts of the village. The plan provoked strong resistance from local residents who were determined to preserve the character of the countryside. The tension surrounding the development forms a central element of the investigation, as Barnaby and Troy interview villagers who express a range of opinions about Bayly’s ambitions.

The detectives discover that Bayly’s death was caused by a single, fatal blow from an Indian sword. The weapon is identified as belonging to Stephen Wentworth, the village vicar. The presence of the sword introduces a religious and cultural dimension to the case, prompting the investigators to consider how a clergy member’s personal property could have been used in a violent act. The inquiry examines the circumstances under which the sword might have left the vicar’s possession and whether it was deliberately chosen as the murder weapon.

Adding another layer to the narrative, the episode introduces Simon Fletcher, a theatre director who has recently arrived in Badger’s Drift. Fletcher’s background includes unhappy childhood memories, and the synopsis suggests that he may harbour an old grievance. Barnaby and Troy explore whether Fletcher’s personal history could provide a motive for involvement in the crime, or whether his presence in the village is merely coincidental.

Throughout the episode, the investigation proceeds through a series of interviews, forensic examinations, and the careful reconstruction of events leading up to Bayly’s death. The detectives weigh the community’s animosity toward the developer against the unlikely use of a vicar’s sword, while also probing the possible relevance of Fletcher’s past. The resolution emerges from the convergence of these threads, revealing how personal vendettas, local opposition to development, and the unexpected weapon combine to explain the murder of Richard Bayly in the otherwise tranquil setting of Badger’s Drift.