A Taste for Death Part Two – The story begins as Father Barnes (Jim Norton) is put into an ambulance as DCI Adam Dalgliesh (Bertie Carvel) watches a short distance away. He continues to the crime scene to investigate further. DS Kate Miskin (Carlyss Peer) says their killer returned to the double murder scene from several days prior. Items are strolled everywhere, giving the impression, the killer was searching for something. Dalgliesh orders a search of the scene. The previous investigation missed something. DS Charles Masterson (Jeremy Irvine) says Gordon Halliwell (Patrick Regis) is now ruled out as the killer because he was with them during the attack.

Stephen Lampart (James Cartwright) is waiting to be interviewed. They were about two hours late, he is upset. He was with Lady Barbara Berowne (Lily Sacofsky) last night between 7 and 10pm. They were in his apartment in the maternity. Sir Paul Berowne met Lady Barbara through him when he was playing rugby with his brother, Sir Hugo Berowne. Sir Hugo and Lady Barbara were together until he died, then she hooked up with Sir Paul after his wife died. Lampart admits he and Lady Barbara are in love.

DS Miskin interviews Lady Barbara’s brother, Dominic Swayne (Fra Fee). He was at The Craven Arms with his roommate and friend, Bruno Jacques who left about 7:45pm. He stayed behind to spend time with other acquaintances.

Lampart doesn’t know if Paul knew about him and Barbara. Lampart says Sir Paul blighted his career with Jeannie. DC Masterson brings Lady Barbara into the interview room. He tells her it is alright, she responds, “What way is this alright.” He admits to telling Dalgliesh about their relationship. He was with his cousin, Stephen between 6 and 10pm. Dalgliesh says, “At least your stories match.” Barbara denies they are stories.

DS Miskin asks Dominick if he saw anything on the riverbank the night Jeannie drowned. He says it was cold outside and Sir Paul was not there. Jeannie’s foot may have been trapped in weeds. He questions if they think Sir Paul killed Jeannie.

Lady Barbara is the chief beneficiary of Sir Paul’s will. Lady Barbara Berowne (Lily Sacofsky) is permitted to stay in the Campden Hill House till her death. She believes Sir Paul knew nothing of her relationship with Lampart. Dalgliesh disagrees and asks her if he threatened her with divorce. He says, “Walthamstow, a far-cry from Holland Park. The Berowne family’s money is mostly tied up in Campden Hill House, which she would not inherit if they divorced. Her mother was a drunk, no father in the picture and she is not ashamed. Even with a divorce, she would be fine with Lampart. Dalgliesh tells her Lampart is in debt due to the negligence case he lost and a mortgage. She angrily interviews, “Paul’s money will be mine, not Stephen’s.” He informs them about Father Barnes’ attack at St. Matthews. He is in critical condition. They denied ever visiting the church before taking their leave.

As they look out the window, DS Masterson says he bets Lady Barbara wasn’t aware of Lampart’s financial status. DS Miskin says Dominick did not see anyone else on the riverbank the night Jeannie drowned. DS Masterson says he was “shacked up with his boyfriend” but he could still be involved in Farther Barnes’ attack.

DS Miskin says witnesses saw him at The Craven Arms last night. No witnesses were available to vouch for Lady Barbara and Lampart. Dalgliesh orders an investigation into their vehicles. He wants to know if one of them drives a “black car” like witnesses saw at St. Matthews the night Sir Paul was murdered. DS Miskin says Sir Paul was visiting his constituency agent, Normal Hurrell, at the hospital before he died.

Dalgliesh visits Mrs. Hurrell (Julia Dearden). She admitted, Sir Paul had visited her husband, Norman Hurrell when he was in the hospital. She denied, her husband told her anything about their visits. She called the Campden Hill House Monday around 6pm to tell Sir Paul about her husband’s funeral arrangements. Lady Lavinia Berowne (Jane Lapotaire) answered the phone.  She consulted Sir Paul’s diary.

Dalgliesh and DC Masterson visit the Campden Hill House to speak with Lady Lavinia. He threatens Lady Lavinia and the others with prison if they did not tell him the truth. She admits to seeing the diary before pm the evening Sir Paul was murdered. Lady Barbara is upset with Lady Lavinia for lying about the diary. She accuses her of lying and asks if she sent Halliwell to murder Sir Paul. Lady Lavinia denies having a motive for killing Paul. She accuses Lady Barbara of having a “cast-iron motive”, the affair with Lampart. They exchange a few foul nicknames. She threatens Lady Lavinia, “I may be forced to let you live here, but I’m going to make it so bleeping horrible for you.”

Halliwell intervenes and retrieves a document out of a box. He hands the document to Dalgliesh. Harry Mack and Halliwell witnessed Sir Paul’s will. Lady Lavinia received a call from Sir Paul after Mrs. Hurrell’s call. She and Halliwell visited St. Matthew’s at about 6:40pm. He confided in her about Lady Barbara and Lampart’s affair. They are cousins. Sir Paul asked Lady Barbara about the affair, they argued, and he asked her for a divorce. Sir Paul wanted Lady Barbara and Dominic to leave the Campden Hill House. He made a new will, leaving everything to Lady Lavinia. After her death, the home will go to a distant relative. Lady Barbara says she is carrying Sir Paul’s baby. Sir Paul told Lady Lavinia he and Lady Barbara had no sexual relationship within 6 months of his death. They left St. Matthew’s about 7:20pm and Sir Paul was alive.

Lampart is interviewed by the press. DS Miskin apologizes to Miss Wharton (Tilly Vosburgh) about Father Barnes. Miss Wharton and Darren Wilkes (Sami Amber) participated in an inquest. She asks Darren if he would like to help her clean St. Matthew’s statues after school. Theresa Nolan (Maeve Smyth) approaches and scurries away. Dominic gives Darren a stern look and then smirk.

DS Miskin meets nurse Theresa Nolan who had scurried away after the inquest. She tells DS Miskin Dominic sexually assaulted her while she worked at the Campden Hill House caring for Lady Lavinia. She and Sir Paul got along well. DS Masterson attacks Dominic while DS Miskin is bringing him in for an interview. He felt Dominic made a fool of him. Dalgliesh interviews, ordering a search warrant for Dominic’s home. He tells him to find something that connects him to Theresa Nolan.

Dominic denies the attack on Theresa. Dalgliesh says he believes Sir Paul was at the Thames River, where he saw Dominic. Sir Paul threatened him for the attack on Thresa and they fought. Dominic says it is “ridiculous” and he didn’t see Sir Paul. He becomes irate when Dalgliesh told him he visited St. Matthew’s to speak with Sir Paul. He asks him if the attack was associated with Sir Paul asking Lady Barbara for a divorce, which would be the end of his lavish lifestyle. He is so irate he begins to sob loudly.

DS Masterton enters the interview room. He dumps contents from a paper bag on the table in front of Dominic. He is the master of disguise and trained in stage fighting. He admits to having stage combat training. Laughing loudly, he says most actors are trained in stage combat. He calls them “desperate.” He is free to go since Theresa will not press sexual assault charges.

DS Charles Masterton (Jeremy Irvine) says Dominic is the killer. DS Miskin is ordered to get Theresa to file charges against Dominic. Dalgliesh visits the Campden Hill House to speak with Miss Matlock (Laura Elphinstone.) He questions her about Dominic’s sexual assault allegations. She refuses to believe it. They discuss her father’s death in prison. She is grateful for Sir Paul giving her a job at the Campden Hill House. Theresa continues to refuse to file charges against Dominic.

Dalgliesh visits St. Matthew’s to ask her about Dominic. She remembered him from the inquest. She recognizes a button on his jacket. She shows him the button in the trash. She found it in a locked donation box.

Dominic approaches Darren as he walks to St. Matthew’s. He becomes angry when Darren denies seeing the button. Miss Wharton calls the police station to tell Dalgliesh Darren did not show up to help her clean the statues. DS Masterson takes her phone call. He doesn’t think the incident is of importance, he rushes her off the phone. Dalgliesh calls to tell him Dominic was at the church and is going to charge him. He asks him about a passport and tells him to get more uniformed officers at the hospital to protect Mr. Hurrel. He wants DC Miskin to meet him at Campden Hill House. When DS Masterson hangs up, he sends DS Miskin to look for Darren instead of the Campden Hill House. He is off to Campden Hill House while DC Miskin goes to look for Darren.

At Campden Hill House, Dalgliesh asks Lady Barbara about Dominic’s whereabouts. He asks her if Dominic told her about Jeannie and Thresa. She denies knowing anything. Halliwell tells him Lady Lavinia wants to speak with him.

DS Miskin visits Darren’s home, no one answers the door.

Lady Lavinia tells him Miss Matlock resigned from her position. They believe she is planning to run away with Dominic. DC Masterson enters the room. Dalgliesh asks for a photograph of Miss Matlock, but there isn’t one. He says Dominic is using her and orders DS Masterson to get uniformed officers to search her room. He asks him where DS Miskin is at. He tells her about Darren missing. He hurriedly jumps in his car and heads to St. Matthew’s.

DS Miskin arrives at St. Matthew’s, where Dominic has Darren held at knifepoint. She wants him to take her hostage instead of Darren. He agrees, punches her in the face, and grabs Darren to flee the scene, as Dalgliesh intervenes. He threatens to kill Miss Wharton, Darren, and DS Miskin who is lying on the floor. He says he will be famous for the murders. Dalgliesh tells Dominic about the death of his wife and baby. Dominic admits to murdering Sir Paul, Harry Mack, and Jeannie. He may have been the father of Jeannie’s unborn baby. He says the baby would have been unwanted like him, Lady Barbara, and Darren. He convinces Dominic to free Darren.

DS Miskin is being treated for her injuries. She tells Dalgliesh, DS Masterson sent her to follow up with Miss Wharton. She said it may have been a mix-up. Dalgliesh says “maybe”. DS Masterson looks stressed.

Dalgliesh enters the nursery in his home. He stacks cardboard boxes filled with infant clothing in the center of the room before leaving.  He looks out at London as the episode comes to an end.

Dalgliesh Review

Let’s start by saying, the plot will hold your attention throughout the episode. While I feel some of the scenes are a bit prolonged, I never got bored. I have noticed all the episodes are prolonged, with rushed endings. I like it when there is enough information at the end of the episode for a future basis.

If the show has another season, it is questionable if Jeremy Irvine will be written in. He will probably be completely replaced by Carlyss Peer. Nothing against Peer, she is an awesome actress. He brought a bit of humor to the bleak murder investigations. The woke scenes will probably toss his role out the window.

Dominick has been gay since the beginning, don’t understand why they decided to throw in a female sexual assault accusation and pregnancy, as it serves no purpose for the investigation. Maybe, they threw it in as an attempt to shock viewers, totally unnecessary. The episode deserves a 6.8.

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