George Crabtree is still in prison for the murder of his girlfriend's husband but when a fellow inmate indicates he knows something about Edna, George gets concerned; but before he can act the convict is killed. George informs Murdoch he is innocent after all; and the detective vows to help George; but George also gets an offer of help from an unexpected source: former Chief Constable Giles who is also serving time for murder and for being a homosexual. Before long George and Giles uncover who killed their fellow inmate and why. And on the outside, Murdoch discovers that George went to prison believing it was Edna who had killed her husband. Meanwhile Murdoch gets some help from Edna's son Simon who provides a description of a man who allegedly visited his father just before he was killed. Eventually George is exonerated but the solving of the mystery has unexpected costs for George.
3 Reviews
Crabtree is in jail. Can anything be done to help him?
miles-3310821 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The first proper episode of season 9 opens with George Crabtree in the Don Jail, after he offered no defence to the charge of murdering Archibald Brooks, the violent husband of Edna Brooks, whom George had been courting.
In the prison exercise yard, a fellow inmate, Julian Foster, approaches George with news of a threat to Edna. This engages George, who grabs Foster and may have done him harm, if the prison guards had no separated them. They arrange a meeting later, in the coal shed.
In their suite at the Windsor House Hotel, Murdoch and Dr Ogden are discussing a cartographic exhibition advertised in the Toronto Gazette. Just then their telephone rings. It is Constable Higgins, to tell Murdoch there has been a burglary at Edna Brooks' former residence. Murdoch wouldn't normally look into a burglary, but as Dr Ogden feels George is in jail for a crime Edna probably committed, Murdoch is persuaded to respond.
George goes to the coal shed to see Foster, but finds him on the point of death. Apparently, someone stabbed him. George raises the alarm. Prison guards collect Foster's body, but George tries to stop them, as they may be destroying vital evidence. Former Chief Constable Giles, also a prisoner following his conviction for murder, tells George to be careful.
Murdoch visits the burglary scene. The new resident, Mr Suffolk, tells Murdoch nothing is missing. Murdoch examines the room, and is sure something about it is different from the last time he was there. As he can't immediately identify the difference, he sends Constable Higgins to fetch his camera.
At Don Jail, former CC Giles tells Crabtree he knows Crabtree is there for a crime Edna committed, and doesn't know whether Crabtree is the noblest man he has ever met, or the stupidest. Either way, he wishes George luck.
Murdoch and Julia compare the photographs Murdoch took now against the old crime scene photographs. Julia sees the possibility of a new game in this, and does indeed spot the difference: the chimney from the stove has been moved. Perhaps someone who had a key, most likely Edna, has retrieved something.
At Don Jail, Giles provokes a fight to occupy the guards and enable Crabtree to look at Foster's body. All he has time to do is examine the fatal wound, and to note a tattoo on his right arm, which tells George that Foster had served in the same regiment as Archibald Brooks. He tells Murdoch all this when Murdoch visits him, and Murdoch says he will look into it. Soon, he has found the murder weapon. At the morgue, Dr Grace and Lilian Moss are planning to move to London, England. Murdoch arrives with Foster's body and the weapon he found at the jail.
Inspector Brackenreid has retrieved Foster's belongings, and finds a photograph of him and other members of the regiment, including Archibald Brooks. Also among Foster's papers is a lead to another soldier from a different unit, Douglas Roper. Mrs Roper has no idea what has become of her husband, though she does tell Murdoch that two other men, one of whom she identifies as Brooks, had been asking after him some months before.
In an attempt to flush out the killer, George starts a book on whom Murdoch will arrest.
Murdoch suspects that Brooks has killed Roper and assumed his identity. He then wonders about why Brooks allowed himself to be cornered in an alley when he was shot, so he visits the alley and discovers a huge uncut diamond, hidden behind a loose brick. Just then, an unseen assailant coshes him from behind. When he wakes, the diamond has gone.
Murdoch tells George that he suspects Brooks' army friends killed him over the diamond, and George finally admits that he did not kill Brooks, but assumed Edna had. Inspector Brackenreid visits Edna, who says she thought George had shot her husband.
George's bookmaking ruse seems to have worked. A convict called Pearson seems to be the killer, though he's unlikely to have done it without being paid.
So, will Murdoch track down the person who killed Archibald Brooks, and thereby prove George not guilty? Will George be able to settle down with Edna and Simon? Will Julia market her game of spot the difference?
This enjoyable episode has a fine multi-layered mystery at its heart, as well as offering insights into the characters of the main players. Whether the experience will make or break George remains to be seen, and in the end, there are possibilities to take the story forward. Once again, the historical research behind the story is spot on, except for the conceit that a plaintiff can offer nolo contendere in Canada: in the British Empire a plaintiff must either plead guilty or not guilty. A refusal to plead is treated as a not guilty plea.
In the prison exercise yard, a fellow inmate, Julian Foster, approaches George with news of a threat to Edna. This engages George, who grabs Foster and may have done him harm, if the prison guards had no separated them. They arrange a meeting later, in the coal shed.
In their suite at the Windsor House Hotel, Murdoch and Dr Ogden are discussing a cartographic exhibition advertised in the Toronto Gazette. Just then their telephone rings. It is Constable Higgins, to tell Murdoch there has been a burglary at Edna Brooks' former residence. Murdoch wouldn't normally look into a burglary, but as Dr Ogden feels George is in jail for a crime Edna probably committed, Murdoch is persuaded to respond.
George goes to the coal shed to see Foster, but finds him on the point of death. Apparently, someone stabbed him. George raises the alarm. Prison guards collect Foster's body, but George tries to stop them, as they may be destroying vital evidence. Former Chief Constable Giles, also a prisoner following his conviction for murder, tells George to be careful.
Murdoch visits the burglary scene. The new resident, Mr Suffolk, tells Murdoch nothing is missing. Murdoch examines the room, and is sure something about it is different from the last time he was there. As he can't immediately identify the difference, he sends Constable Higgins to fetch his camera.
At Don Jail, former CC Giles tells Crabtree he knows Crabtree is there for a crime Edna committed, and doesn't know whether Crabtree is the noblest man he has ever met, or the stupidest. Either way, he wishes George luck.
Murdoch and Julia compare the photographs Murdoch took now against the old crime scene photographs. Julia sees the possibility of a new game in this, and does indeed spot the difference: the chimney from the stove has been moved. Perhaps someone who had a key, most likely Edna, has retrieved something.
At Don Jail, Giles provokes a fight to occupy the guards and enable Crabtree to look at Foster's body. All he has time to do is examine the fatal wound, and to note a tattoo on his right arm, which tells George that Foster had served in the same regiment as Archibald Brooks. He tells Murdoch all this when Murdoch visits him, and Murdoch says he will look into it. Soon, he has found the murder weapon. At the morgue, Dr Grace and Lilian Moss are planning to move to London, England. Murdoch arrives with Foster's body and the weapon he found at the jail.
Inspector Brackenreid has retrieved Foster's belongings, and finds a photograph of him and other members of the regiment, including Archibald Brooks. Also among Foster's papers is a lead to another soldier from a different unit, Douglas Roper. Mrs Roper has no idea what has become of her husband, though she does tell Murdoch that two other men, one of whom she identifies as Brooks, had been asking after him some months before.
In an attempt to flush out the killer, George starts a book on whom Murdoch will arrest.
Murdoch suspects that Brooks has killed Roper and assumed his identity. He then wonders about why Brooks allowed himself to be cornered in an alley when he was shot, so he visits the alley and discovers a huge uncut diamond, hidden behind a loose brick. Just then, an unseen assailant coshes him from behind. When he wakes, the diamond has gone.
Murdoch tells George that he suspects Brooks' army friends killed him over the diamond, and George finally admits that he did not kill Brooks, but assumed Edna had. Inspector Brackenreid visits Edna, who says she thought George had shot her husband.
George's bookmaking ruse seems to have worked. A convict called Pearson seems to be the killer, though he's unlikely to have done it without being paid.
So, will Murdoch track down the person who killed Archibald Brooks, and thereby prove George not guilty? Will George be able to settle down with Edna and Simon? Will Julia market her game of spot the difference?
This enjoyable episode has a fine multi-layered mystery at its heart, as well as offering insights into the characters of the main players. Whether the experience will make or break George remains to be seen, and in the end, there are possibilities to take the story forward. Once again, the historical research behind the story is spot on, except for the conceit that a plaintiff can offer nolo contendere in Canada: in the British Empire a plaintiff must either plead guilty or not guilty. A refusal to plead is treated as a not guilty plea.
Crap crap crap ending!!!!!!!!!!! How a bad ending can ruin a whole episode
tert7214 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Was just thinking, a good episode to get back into actually solving crimes.... And seemed it would work out for George..... But nope. Writers screwed us and George again. Seriously are bad things gonna keep happening to a good man? Writers, ever wonder why people like movies with happy endings better than bad ones? Just crap. Edna was a wonderful person. Much much better than Dr Grace. Can't wait till she leaves.....
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