Simon Bright is found dead in a vintage car at a disused airfield in Cooper's Cross. The previous evening, he had been on a romantic date with his girlfriend Laura Sharp, who is nowhere to be found. Barnaby and Jones, newly promoted to DS, need to work out whether it was a suicide pact gone wrong, or murder, and to find Laura. Their investigation reveals that the couple had met at Elaine Trim's dancing classes in Morton Fendle. The two attend a 1940s-style dance night at the village hall, before another man is found stabbed and more secrets come to light. The Wild West Society bring their show to Ford Florey, comprising a fairground, and several re-enactments of scenes from American frontier history. Amidst the sound of gunfire, the witch on the 'Dunk the Witch' stall is shot dead. Barnaby and Jones look at possible motives, which seem to revolve around the disputed ownership of an area of local land. The investigation encounters family rivalries and a recurring Wild West theme before the killer can be caught. The production values are usually wonderful here with good direction from Peter Smith and magnificent music.

Farmer Alex Preston's dead body is found in the centre of the ancient Crowcall stone circle days before the spring equinox. Early evidence points to a community of New Dawn Druids, who had been angered over Preston's plans to plough the meadow and make the sacred place inaccessible. But when one of the druids is also murdered, Barnaby realises that more complex motives are involved, and his suspicions turn in a direction that threatens to create a serious rift between him and Jones. Maps that reveal the location of a hidden Anglo Saxon treasure, along with a more modern valuable painting, provide the clues that lead to a very manipulative killer.The fourth season of "Midsomer murders" is up and down for me with "Destroying angel" being wonderful and "The electric vendetta" my least favorite episode of all time in this series. That being said "Tainted fruit" is one of the better ones of that season.

Retired music teacher Arthur Leggott is murdered after disturbing an intruder at his home in Badger's Drift. It is discovered that a musical manuscript by the late composer Joan Alder has since gone missing before being sent to auction. When the manuscript shows signs that it has been written by another hand, a handwritten letter by Joan Alder turns up indicating the manuscript is a forgery. Where the manuscript goes more murders follow. When wealthy landowner Gregory Lancaster's body goes missing on the night of his death, it starts a series of mysterious events in the village of Little Malton. DCI Barnaby, DS Nelson, and new forensic pathologist Kam Karimore enter a very macabre world of body-snatching. Nothing is quite what it seems, and when another strange event takes place, the detectives set out to catch the culprit. Martin Wroath is found dead in his home in Midsomer Worthy. He had been shot with a shotgun using an elaborately rigged wire leading from his foot to the trigger. First appearances suggest suicide, but the autopsy reveals that he had been drugged. The police conclude he was murdered. The investigations lead to Dr. Jane Moore ( Isla Blair), an old friend of Tom's and a psychologist at a local mental health clinic who knew the victim. More deaths follow when one of Jane's colleagues is found hanging in the clinic grounds and the local marching band leader is strangled. Meanwhile a series of mysterious rope thefts occur around the village, and an attempt is made on Tom's life. The villagers of Midsomer Deverell are angered by the Inkpen family's plans to convert the public memorial garden into a tea shop. When Elspeth Inkpen's daughter Fliss is found murdered in the garden, Barnaby and Troy believe that someone may be determined to stop its destruction. Elspeth ( Belinda Lang) moves to the vicarage where she too is murdered. As the investigation continues, the suspect list grows to include the daughter of the architect who designed the garden and a gardener ( Neil Dudgeon) with whom both Elspeth and Fliss had been having an affair. Barnaby and Troy realise that the case will only be solved when the garden gives up a sinister secret. Adam Asoba is found murdered, having been boiled to death in one of the vats at the newly opened brewery of the famously cursed abbey in Midsomer. Dr. Fleur Perkins, a new pathologist, tells Barnaby and Winter that Adam Asoba was living under a false name, and that he actually died three years earlier, under the name Adam Dumont. Adam’s widower, Kwame Asante, turns up at Adam’s house admitting the truth. It seems that he and Adam had big debts, and the only solution for them was for Adam to fake his death so that Kwame could start a new life by collecting a life insurance. The first murder seems to be the end of it, but when Emani Taylor, the woman responsible for the new brewery, is also murdered, Barnaby and Winter must look deeper to find the killer.The crime festival and book fair open in the village of Luxton Deeping. Shortly after, an announcement is made, during a meeting of a newly discovered manuscript by the late crime writer George Summersbee. When the manuscript is stolen and a woman is found dead after spinning a roulette wheel trap, Barnaby and Nelson know they are set to work to uncover many secrets and obsessions within the village. Lots of clues come together in the last 15-20 minutes, which means that something could be left unnoticed. Also feel the writer himself piled too much info in these minutes so he forgot about some untied endings. Georgina admits that what Barnaby says is true. "It all just sort of snow-balled." She killed Raif, her husband as well. "I didn't want to. He noticed me taking the saw out of the tool shed. And when Hugo told him what had happened in the barn it was either him or me." As the preparations are underway for Cully Barnaby's wedding, Ned Fitzroy and Beth Porteous are married in Bledlow village. At the reception at Bledlow Hall, the maid of honour, Marina Fellowes, is found murdered. With the honeymoon postponed, the newlyweds and their guests find themselves under investigation by the police. Evidence soon points to a connection with archery when a fletching is found at the crime scene. Barnaby and Jones uncover a long family history with many secrets, lies, deception, and an illegitimate son. These things become even more complicated when the estate manager and former cook are also found murdered. Little Crosby are hosting its folk festival and event organiser Toby Winning is shortly found dead, having drowned in a bowl of eggs and live eels. The murder seemed to have been inspired by a ballad by late musician Johnny Carver. Toby had recently announced plans to relocate the event to London, which would have proved very costly for entrepreneur Frank Wainwright. Many villagers come under suspicion, and when two more murders echo lyrics from the same song, the detectives need to catch the person responsible.

The launch of the latest sparkling wine, which is produced by the Carnarvon Estate Winery in Midsomer Vinae, loses all its fizz when wine critic Nadia Simons gives it a very harsh review. Moments later, guests who had been sampling the vintage start collapsing. Owner William Carnarvon suspects the Farmers' Wives' Association of trying to destroy his business. Kate Wilding tells Barnaby and Nelson that the glasses had been laced with slug poison. There are many suspects and motives and the detectives set out to piece the puzzle together. When popular GP Dr. Alan Delaney borrows fellow Dr. James Kirkwood's new car for an evening call-out, he is mysteriously killed in a hit-and-run accident. Barnaby and Jones start investigating in Midsomer Market and discover that James may have been the intended victim. The case leads them to North Wales — the former home of Delyth Mostyn, James's fiancée, to delve further. The possible suspects for the attempted murder on Kirkwood include Delyth's children, who oppose the engagement, Delyth's husband, and other acquaintances of Doctor Kirkwood. They need to find the truth before another attempt on James' life during a walk at Mount Snowdon.Midsomer Worthy is preparing for the Four Choirs Competition when one of their members, Connor Simpson, is found dead at his home. Barnaby and Jones begin to look into the events leading to his death. The case is further complicated when a birdwatcher and estate keeper are also killed. With a mysterious figure seen lurking around the churchyard, conductor rivalry, and a possible art scam, there are many things to be investigated. Several skeletons are discovered in a tunnel during a canal restoration project near Midsomer Worthy. DCI Barnaby begins his investigations and discovers that one skeleton has modern dental work. Meanwhile, DS Troy has been promoted to Inspector. He begins his last case in Midsomer, investigating the murder of a teenager, Simon Mayfield (played by Henry Cavill), who had been shot with a gun that he and his friends had been using the previous night. The two detectives discover their cases are linked, and uncover a web of lies, affairs, and domestic arguments alongside a mysterious recluse with a hidden past. The residents in the village of Elverton-Cum-Latterly are about to start their rehearsals for a charity drag queen extravaganza, when Lois Springfield is found murdered. And after receiving a warning message, Malik Payne is almost run over by a car and it now seems that someone is not very happy about the charity drag queen extravaganza. At the end of the show, Evelyn Hardy is found murdered and the terminally ill Rocco Templeton collapses at the village green. It soon transpires that someone wants to start a new life at a new place. A well kept secret has been held concealed, and someone’s life has been changed forever. Shortly before his retirement, Superintendent Pringle ( James Bolam) arrests a local poacher for the murder of a tramp during a fox hunt in woodland close to the village of Upper Marshwood. But DCI Barnaby is unsure that the poacher was the real killer. Upon returning from holidaying in France, Barnaby is soon proved right when the poacher's father is found murdered with his own shotgun. As they reopen the investigation, they find many hidden secrets amongst the villagers. However, after he retires, Pringle is killed in an accident, which Barnaby suspects was also murder. Richard Johnson, Diane Fletcher, Simon McBurney, and Toby Jones also appear.

Apley Court, in the village of Granville Norton, is home to historic beehives that produce a well top-of-the-range ‘Apley Gold’ honey. Master beekeeper Ambrose Deddington attributes his survival from a life-threatening cancer to a combination of Apley Gold and bee venom. When he is injured trying to prevent the theft of his beloved bees, Barnaby and Winter investigate. Later the local doctor, Serena Lowe, is found murdered, and stung to death. Barnaby and Winter discover that a previous event is the key to the case. Midsomer Pastures is on the map due to its famous connection with producing the Midsomer Blue cheese. When Debbie Moffett is lured to the caves and is subsequently bludgeoned by a wheel of cheese, it leads the detectives to investigate both the secret, controversial plans to modernize the dairy and the private lives of the parents of children at the local preparatory school in the same village. During the family dinner, Poppy Ordish, daughter of Beatrix Ordish and Oliver Ordish, refuses to eat beef. When more people are killed, long-held secrets about the dairy, school, and villagers are revealed and play a key role in catching the killer. In the end, John, Sarah, Sykes the dog, Ben, and Kate celebrate the Barnabys' 15th anniversary. I do agree that the third murder did not feel necessary and is by now an overused plot point in murder mysteries. New Causton DCI John Barnaby arrives in Midsomer county. Years earlier, the body of a renowned racing car driver had been found at the prestigious Darnley Park Girls School, apparently having committed suicide with a revolver. The school is now hosting a vintage car rally, but the event is disrupted by the death of one of the judges, a local celebrity DJ. Initially, his death is also presumed to be suicide, but Barnaby soon spots evidence suggesting that both victims had been murdered. Barnaby and Winter are stranded on a remote island manor due to a storm after Victor Karras, owner of Karras Games, dies falling down the stairs and hit with a falling statue. Victor’s wife, Eleanor, is pregnant and plans to give the child to her sister Alicia. Later, Hugo Welles is also murdered and Barnaby and Winter discover the key to the case.

See also

Shortly after a young woman takes a walk into woodland dressed in period attire from a Jane Austen event in the village, her body is found stabbed with a quill. It is discovered that she was a journalist curious about the village's new trial healthcare drone delivery programme. Barnaby and Winter find themselves with many suspects and motives and work out that the answer lies in the past.