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Dec 11, 2023 · Book of the Dead: Directed by Gill Wilkinson. With Neil Dudgeon, Nick Hendrix, Fiona Dolman, Annette Badland. When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must unravel the cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers.
- (205)
- Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Gill Wilkinson
- 2023-12-11
- Synopsis
- Plot, Part 1
- Plot, Part 2
- Plot, Part 3
- Fact, thus far..
- Plot Denouement
When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must unravel the cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers.
Bertram Jewel has come to Mods Mire to discuss his book. Seeker. A table is set up outside the church selling books, tee shirts and other items. Ava Butts is manning the sales table and her mother-in-law, Venetia Butts is with her. Inside the church, Bertram Jewel is signing books. Rev. Sebastian Butts approaches and requests the payment for the hiring of the church. Bertram tells him his publisher is handling expenses. Sebastian says that his publisher said Bertram was paying expenses. Bertram tells the Rev that he must have misheard and walks off. Sebastian takes a drink from his flask. Eli Trask and Danica Trask are providing snacks at a table at the entrance. Scarlett Myhill asks them if they are ready for quiz night at the Red Lions Pub and then goes to join Ludo Trask, who is seated front and center. Bertram's publisher Jane tells him she wants the "full wattage...Charming, funny, brilliant. Let's put your book back on the map." Billie Bernard asks Bertram if they can take his photo.
Venetia finds a seat in the pews and tells the woman in front of her to take off her silly hat. Billie Bernard starts the interview and everyone claps. It's been a decade since his book was first published and no one has found the treasure. Bertram says, "It was never meant to be easy." He goes on to say his book is being republished and the new edition will come with a new page. Everyone claps and Ludo cheers. Billie asks if there is going to be a new version of the book, why he is selling the old version. Bertram claims that the original books still contains the solution if you look hard enough. Then she mentions how Bertram was in prison 24 years ago. His name then was Robert Grimes. She asks, "Is your book another con and the only reason no one has found the treasure is because it doesn't exist?"
Jane leaves the church with Bertram following her. Jane says, "You need to sort this and quickly. Any deal we had is on hold until you do." Ludo comes out of the church and Bertram tells him it's not true. Ludo says, "Are you talking about your past or your book?" Ludo knocks down the Seeker sign.
At the Trask home, Danica is packing up Bertram 's stuff. She tells Eli she wants Bertram out of their house. Eli says he is broke and has nowhere to go. Danica wants him out of their lives and doesn't care how it is done.
Bertram has been hiding in the church. Sebastian comes up to tell him everyone is gone. "Any forgiveness begins with honesty." "Great talk, Rev. Truly. Inspirational," says Bertram. Ava tells him he should listen to Sebastian. "Prove you're the real deal." Bertram says, "You first, Ava. Ready when you are." Sebastian watches them from a distance. Outside, Venetia confronts Bertram. "10 years I have been looking for that treasure!" Bertram claims he wouldn't have created a new page if it weren't true. The treasure is out there waiting for the best and the brightest. Ava walks out and says to Venetia she wonders if he will "dig it up." Seb thinks it's his best chance at redemption."
Bertram goes to Othello Kahn's place. He accuses Kahn of raking up his past. Eli comes by and tells Bertram that Danica wants him out of the house. Bertram goes by Ludo Trask's garage, which is covered in pages from Seeker. "All this time I've spent trying to work your book out and you encouraged me the whole time, knowing it was a lie!" Ludo threatens to go online and tell everyone. Bertram pulls out a "New Page." He says he is not a con man and promises to prove himself.
At the Farm Shop, Danica Trask is grilling her husband, Eli. “£5,000 on building supplies?” Eli says, “The repairs to Sebastian's church are mounting up.”
Barnaby and Winter come to them to ask questions. Bertram Jewel had been living with them recently. Danica tells them that Bertram was celebrating 10 years since his book was published in the church yesterday. A reporter told everyone he’d been imprisoned for a scam. She accused him of conning everyone with his book, that there isn't any treasure. People were furious and Ludo pushed over his photograph. Danica says Ludo is their son. “He's, um, slightly obsessed by the book.” Eli adds, “He's not the only one, Dani. I've never seen Venetia that angry before. She was incandescent.” Dani chimes in, “Venetia Butts. She has spent a small fortune trying to find that treasure.” Bertram came to Mods Mire a couple of months before his book was published, looking up an old friend. Dani says Bertram has lived with the Trask’s “6 months and 5 days, not that I’m counting.”
Venetia Butts pushes aside overdue bills and looks admiringly at the Angel statue which Bertram had photographed before he was killed.
Barnaby arrives at Ludo’s garage. He notices boots on the floor, covered in mud. He looks at the wall covered in pages from Seeker. Ludo comes in and says, “This is private property.” He explains that the pictures on the wall are pages from Bertram Jewel’s book. “I print copies out, then enlarge them. Sometimes the clues are tiny. I've done it with the whole book. Why are you asking?” Barnaby tells him that Mr. Bertram’s body was found in the woods this morning. Barnaby asks about the photo of the treasure. Ludo says he hasn’t looked at my phone- it had been charging. Ludo is excited to see the treasure. In explaining his dirty boots, Ludo says he goes in the woods all the time. Barnaby asks, “What would finding the treasure mean to you?” Ludo says, “Everything. It would be a life-changer.”
Winter arrives at Venetia Butts home. She pushes overdue bills out of sight. Regarding Bertram Jewel, Venetia tells Winter that “I met him coming out of church not long after the debacle of his anniversary party. He was super keen to reassure me that everything was right and proper. I'm not just a fan, he was a very dear and long-standing friend. He was a setter and I'm a solver. We were the perfect intellectual match.” Venetia goes on to tell Winter that Ludo Trask openly confronted Mr. Jewel. He is utterly obsessed with the book. She says, “the poor lad would have been driven mad having the author of his manic quest living in the same house.”
Ludo tells Barnaby that Bertram was like an uncle to him. He even showed Ludo the new page. His publishers are going to print a new edition of Seeker with new clues. Winter walks in and is enthralled by Ludo’s layout of pages. “Wow.” says Winter, “this is 100 times better than anything I ever managed.” Winter is a Seeker- a fan of the book. “Now, I was convinced that the treasure was buried in Scotland. Page 23 unequivocally implies Edinburgh. The outline of the castle…” Ludo claims that is a red herring. Ludo says, “You thought the one rose in the middle of the field of lilies…” Winter says, “is the rose for Rose Street.” Ludo says, “Epic mistake.” Ludo says the treasure is in Mods Mire. He just doesn’t know where.
MURDER 2: In the woods, Venetia is looking for someone when a sheet is thrust over her head. Next she is strung up between two trees with the sheet over her.
Barnaby and Winter look at CCTV and see Bertram carrying a full rucksack. They think he was going to the woods to bury something. Winter gets a call- another body has been found in the woods.
At the crime scene, Fleur says, “I can confirm this is Venetia. First impressions are she was suffocated. There are the same telltale signs of cyanosis. What was it I said about the first victim, Winter? Hints at...petechia. Do try and pay attention? The killer probably grabbed and smothered her from behind. Looks like she put up a struggle before being overpowered and arranged that way.”
Winter, “This is definitely another pose from the book, sir.” Fleur says, “Are you sure it's not you rampaging around killing people, Winter? You have an alibi, Winter?” Winter says, “Yeah, I was... I was busy yesterday evening.” Fleur, “With another of your coloring books?” Winter says, “Sir.” To Barnaby. Fleur mocks him, “Sir.”
Winter leaves to go through Venetia's house. Barnaby goes to talk to the Butts’. Ava says he heard that Venetia and Othella had a bit of a run-in outside his shop. Sebastian says, “Wait, did you say Othello? Maybe that's who I heard yesterday. Or it could have been the day before. I can't be 100%. But I think I heard Mother speaking with someone. No, no, no, actually...actually, she was... she was...arguing with...It could have been with Othello.” Ava tells Sebastian to go rest.
In Venetia’s house, a policeman finds a shovel and the angel statue in the ceiling.
Barnaby and Winter discuss the case:
1. Bertram Jewel: His parole officer said that he left prison with the idea for the "Seeker" book. Then, he changes his name, and finds a publisher. He got a big advance and a small fortune from the sales. But ends up so broke he has to rely on a friend for a roof over his head. Then he hits upon the idea of creating a new page to sell more books. But before he can, he's outed as a con man with a prison record. So, to save his reputation and urged on by the local vicar, he heads into the woods to try and prove that the treasure is real.
2. Danica Trask: is the person that outed Bertram. (Barnaby tells Winter to send SOCO over to get a full inventory of everything in Bertram’s bedroom.)
3. Venetia Butts: is murdered and they find that she had the treasure and Eli's missing spade which implies that she murdered Bertram for the angel. But whoever then killed Venetia either couldn't find the angel or killed her for another reason.
Fleur claps her hands as she walks in…”That was worth buying a ticket for. You two should go on tour. “Desperate Detectives, The Musical." Barnaby says, “I take it you have something for us, Fleur?” Fleur says, “The spade you found matches the head wound on Bertram Jewel. This box (the ceramic box) was made some 10 years ago. But as for this beauty, I rang an old boyfriend of mine. -He's big in antiques.. once whispered that I was both priceless and worthless in the same...heady breath. He confirmed that the angel's barely a year old.” Winter says, “Only a year? Then it can't be the treasure.” Fleur says, “Someone had avocado for breakfast? If you need more proof,the angel doesn't actually fit in the ceramic box.” The detectives decide to talk to Eli. Winter says, surely they would need to talk to Kahn first. Barnaby says it’s called "getting all of your ducks in a row," Winter.
The detectives meet Eli at his lock-up. They ask him about the £5,000 his wife says he took out of their savings account to cover costs for the church repairs. Eli says the money was actually for Bertram. He didn’t want Dani getting angry at him. Bertram had told him the money was for an old debt.
At the church, Eli is working on something. Barnaby says that he remembers Eli referred to Bertram as “Bert.” Eli says, “I always call him that. Barnaby continues, “But you don't, Mr. Trask. I haven't heard you say it since. Possibly because you knew you'd slipped up.” Winter comes in and says, “Tech just told me that Reverend Butts called Eli the day he died. Just before he started ringing the bell. When he didn't get through on the phone, he decided to get your attention another way. The detective from the original case dug out an old notebook, and it all came back to him. It mentioned another person of interest in Bertram's gas con. Eli Trask.”
Barnaby says, “When Bertram wandered into Danica's cafe, he'd really come looking for you. What did he want, Eli?” Eli says, “I didn't know I had it in me... what I've done. I mean...where did that version of me come from?
I'd helped Bert build the gas alarms. We were gonna expand. We were gonna make loads of them. But then, when I heard about the explosion, and that Bert had confessed, I realized he'd given me the opportunity to run, so I did. I left course to move to Mods Mire. Met Dani. She got pregnant and we started a new life here.” Barnaby says, “Until he found you again.” Eli says, “It wasn't too bad at first, just the odd visit. But then Joel Myhill bought the pub seven years ago. I mean, what...what are the odds…that he'd choose the same village? And when I learned the name of his dead wife, I couldn't believe it. It was like some sort of karma was coming to get me. I told Bert, but he said not to worry about it. He had a new name. The Myhills would never figure out who he was. Barnaby says, “Why did you let him move in with you? Eli says, “I had no choice. Bert had blown all the money he'd earned from the book. Said I owed him for taking the rap all those years ago. He wanted a room- I gave him one. He needed cash- I gave him that, as well.
Barnaby says, “What happened in the woods, Eli.?” Eli says, “I knew it could all come out, after the book signing. So I had to speak to him. (Flashback: Eli says, “Bertram. You've got to keep my name out of this.” Bertram says, “There's more important things going on just now.” Eli says, “Bert, please.” Bert, “Let me fix my little treasure problem first. Then, we'll talk.”). I realized that Bert was up to his old tricks again. The treasure was a fake. And all I could think was I couldn't let Ludo waste any more of his life looking for something that was never there in the first place. (Eli follows Bertram to the woods. He hits him with the spade.)“ So I swung that spade as hard as I could. It dawned on me that maybe I could make it look like a crazed fan had done it. And while I was posing him, I thought that I heard someone, but... I didn't see anyone.
But Venetia sought me out later that same evening. Told me that she'd seen everything, including where I'd hid the spade. Told me to hand over the angel, and that she'd never say a word. I thought that would be enough for her and the end of a 10 year search. I had no idea she intended to sell it to help Sebastian square the church books. And then, she threatened my boy, when all I was trying to do was get him living again. I had to get her to meet me somewhere quiet. So I used the one thing I knew she couldn't resist.
(Flashback: Venetia meets Eli in the church. Venetia says, “Either Othello is trying to con me or you are. Now which is it?” Eli says, “I'm not like him, Venetia. I promise you. I just want all this to go away.” Venetia says, “Well, then, you'd better come up with something very good very quickly.” Sebastian is lying in a church pew, hidden from them. Eli says, “
Overview. Share. 24x2. Book of the Dead. ← Back to episode. The Devil's Work (24x1) Claws Out (24x3) Season Regulars 4. Guest Stars 10. Crew 2. Barnaby must crack the clues to find the killer of a writer who sparked a nationwide treasure hunt.
Book of the Dead Aired Dec 11, 2023 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Reviews When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must...
Midsomer Murders Wiki. Series Twenty Four. Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details about an episode that has not yet aired in the UK. Series Twenty Four of Midsomer Murders. Stourwick Estate. Episodes. 4. 1st Ep Date. December 4, 2023. Finale Date. December 25, 2023. Midsomer Murders - Series.
Book of the Dead: When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must unravel the cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers. Cast. Starring: Neil Dudgeon, Nick Hendrix, Fiona Dolman. US TV RATING: TV-14.
Dec 11, 2023 · Book of the Dead. Available on Acorn TV, Prime Video. S24 E2: When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must unravel the cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers. Crime Dec 11, 2023 1 hr 28 min. Information. Released. 2023. Run Time. 1 hr 28 min. Rated. TV-14.
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