[birds chirping] [ominous music] ♪ - All murders are the product of their age, of the particular social and historical circumstances in which they were committed.

[engine rumbling] Here in our "Murder Room," as we try but fail not to call it, you'll find the stories of the most notorious murders committed in the years between the wars.

Now, our aim isn't to titillate.

Well, perhaps a little.

We're all human, aren't we?

[scattered laughter] No, we aim to give insights into the minds and hearts, to social conditions and preoccupations in those tense and turbulent years.

- Ryan?

Come on, there's work to do.

- We did?

- We did indeed.

- Well, that's terrific.

Well done.

- Thanks.

Speak tomorrow?

- Sure.

Thanks.

Bye.

I hope you were listening, Peter.

[school bell rings] - Morning, girls.

[indistinct chatter] - There's no way I'm doing it, so sort it out yourself.

- Victoria.

- She's totally incompetent.

- If you wish to remain a pupil in this school, you treat my staff with respect.

- Well, it depends what you mean by "wish."

- I don't know where you get your attitude from.

Though, actually, I probably do.

- Well, we all inherit things from our families, don't we, Ms.

Dupayne?

- Get to your class.

[soft laughter] - The Blazing Car Murder, 1930.

Alfred Rouse, a commercial traveler and compulsive womanizer.

It's hard to imagine the appeal.

Committed bigamy, needed to permanently disappear, so decided to fake his own death.

He drove to a lonely road, picked up a tramp, killed them, threw petrol over them, set the car ablaze, and then made off.

Unfortunately for him, two laborers happened to walk down the road.

And instead of hiding and letting them pass, Rouse called out to them about the blaze.

Well, that encounter led to his arrest and subsequent execution.

- [over PA] Dr.

Shah to Brunel Ward.

- Now, Rouse had suffered a head injury during the war.

His behavior at the scene and at the trial was markedly stupid.

- Morning, Dr.

Dupayne.

- So one might say that he was a casualty of World War I.

- I promise I'll tell Dr.

Dupayne.

- Thank you.

- Take care, won't you?

- Thank you.

- Bye now.

Mrs.

Shaw.

Her husband's been bad again this morning.

She says she's at the end of her tether.

- Well, I just checked.

Not a single bed available in the dementia unit, so she's on her own.

Probably until he's dead... or she is.

I'll go and see them this afternoon.

Tea and sympathy.

Big deal.

- You know you've got that meeting at the museum.

- Yes.

I know.

- The Brighton Trunk Murder, 1934.

I daresay you've all heard of this one.

This is the actual trunk in which Tony Mancini, a 26-year-old waiter, stuffed the beaten body of his prostitute mistress, Violette Kaye.

We rarely open the trunk.

- Afternoon, Ms.

Dupayne.

- The lining's fragile.

But yes, there are stains, though not as many as one might imagine.

[tense music] ♪ [door opens] - Ah, Dr.

Dupayne.

How are you?

- Are they in there?

- Uh, yes, yes.

Waiting for you in the library.

- What's this?

- It's just my new sticker system.

Helps me keep track of who's paid.

Blue for the gentlemen, pink for the ladies.

- Christ.

- First thing, we got the Paul Nash.

It's the one that dad always wanted but lost out on twice.

- That's great.

Well done.

- Thank you.

I'm gonna make it the centerpiece of our spring exhibition.

Right.

The new lease.

There's copies in case you want to read it before we, uh, sign.

- Can we stop this charade, please?

- Neville, we've been through this.

I don't know how many times.

- Please just sign it, and then we can have a debate later.

- The museum works for all of us.

- Isn't gonna happen-- not today or any day.

I want to open a clinic to treat-- - A private clinic?

Isn't that against your principles, Chairman Mao?

- To run alongside my NHS work.

Shut up, Caroline.

- [scoffs] - This place is worse than anachronistic.

It's damaging.

- Oh, here we go.

- Part of the moribund obsession that this country has with the bloody wars instead of facing up to the mess we're in now.

You don't see what I see every day.

- Oh, we both work.

- In ivory towers.

- The museum's more relevant than ever.

- Oh, give me a break.

- Dad!

That's what this is really about!

- What?

- And all the imaginary wrongs you think he did you!

- Coffee?

Some of my homemade shortbread.

- If you really think that, you're even more facile than I thought.

- Ah!

- Neville, please!

Nev!

[door slams] [keys jingling] - Ready to do the rounds, then?

- Yes.

- So, um, how did it go?

- Dreadful.

- [sighs] - Mm.

- Better be quick, Ryan.

You might get locked in.

See you tomorrow, ladies.

- "Ladies."

Who does she think she is?

Good night.

- Good night, Muriel.

- She said it was bad, the meeting.

- I don't want you worrying about that.

Night.

- What would you do?

If you couldn't live here anymore?

[tense music] - Well, I'd have to find somewhere else.

People always need housekeepers.

Now, better go and have my tea.

My evening class is 7:00.

You get on home, Ryan.

See you tomorrow.

[footsteps receding] [door opens and closes] ♪ [car horn honks] [indistinct chatter] - Oh, excuse me, Mrs.

Clutton.

Did you see the sign?

- Oh.

[leaves rustling] [ominous music] [birds cawing, wings flapping] - Hello?

♪ - Evening.

- Hi.

[light switch clicking] [fire roaring] [footsteps padding] - Oh.

Aah!

[exclaiming] [groaning softly] [whimpers] - [echoey] You all right?

Seems like someone's having a bonfire.

- [groaning] [fire crackling] [breathing shakily] [coughing] [glass shatters] No.

No.

[whimpering] Help!

[intriguing music] ♪ [indistinct chatter] - Sir.

- Tell me.

- We got here 20 minutes ago.

Fire investigation are still in there.

- The car belonged to Dr.

Neville Dupayne.

Uniform have tried contacting him.

So have the family.

Nothing.

It's likely he's our deceased.

- His brother and sister are in the museum.

Marcus and Caroline Dupayne, they're next of kin.

The fire was discovered by the housekeeper, a Mrs.

Tallulah Clutton.

She lives in the cottage down there.

She says she might have seen someone fleeing the scene.

And a Ms.

Muriel Godby's here.

She's a secretary-cum-receptionist.

- It's a private museum, sir.

Dedicated to the interwar years.

- Yes, I came here once a long time ago when I'd first joined the Met.

They had an exhibit about notorious murder cases.

- Now they've got one of their own.

- If it isn't suicide.

[tense music] - Take a couple of uniform and make a preliminary search of the grounds, please.

- Yes, sir.

♪ [camera shutter clicking] - Chief Inspector Dalgliesh?

Douglas Anderson.

No doubt about the seat of the fire, sir.

Head and upper part of the body.

Windows will have cracked.

Inrush of air, outrush of fire.

Cause of fire almost certainly petrol.

♪ - All right?

- Fine.

- Keys in the ignition.

Seat belt fastened.

Driver's door's ajar, as you can see.

Oh, and the light bulb's missing.

- Accident, suicide, or murder?

- It's not an accident, sir, and I don't think it's suicide.

In my experience, suicides who use petrol don't hurl away the can or the cap.

Nor do they fasten the seat belt.

- And then there's the missing bulb.

- Yes.

If a bulb fails, you usually leave it in place until you come to change it.

- Is this how the doors were left?

- Yes.

If the victim was planning to drive the car out, he would have left the door wide-open.

- And if he was planning suicide, he would most likely have closed them first.

- And there's also some sort of bag in the boot.

I'll keep you posted on that.

- What time would you have been approaching the museum?

- Around 7:20.

I was near the end of the drive when the car came.

Tried to get out of the way, but it was just going so fast.

- Did you notice the make of the car?

- No.

The headlights were too bright.

- And you told me that the driver stopped.

- It's all a bit of a blur, really.

He came running back to me, and, um-- I'm sorry, I couldn't really take him in.

His voice, I do remember that.

He was well-spoken.

And I thought the voice sounded familiar somehow, but I don't know why.

- And what did he say?

- Oh, he asked me if I was all right.

And then he said something about the smoke.

Yes, he said, "It looks like someone has lit a bonfire over there."

And, um, then he drove off.

- "It looks like someone's lit a bonfire over there."

Were those his exact words, Mrs.

Clutton?

[dramatic music] ♪ - Nothing, sir.

- This is the Murder Room.

- Thank you.

Close the door, please.

[door closes] The Blazing Car Murder, 1930.

- No way.

- Alfred Rouse, the murderer, called out to some men who happened to be walking past.

- "It looks like someone's lit a bonfire over there."

♪ - Do you know if any petrol is kept on the premises, Mrs.

Godby?

- Yes.

In the shed for the lawnmower.

Ryan--Ryan Archer, the gardening boy, he bought some more only last week.

He asked me for the petty cash.

- Do you have an address for him?

- Yes.

Uh... least, I--I-- I think it's his address.

He does sometimes appear to be somewhat itinerant.

- This rucksack was found in the boot of the car.

- Gosh.

Neville.

[somber music] ♪ - Nev, uh, had a rucksack like that.

He would come here almost every Friday and pick up his car.

He liked to get out of London at the weekend.

- I must stress that we don't yet have a formal identification.

But I think you should prepare yourselves.

- [sobbing] - When did you last see your brother?

- Uh, yesterday afternoon.

He came here for a meeting, 3:00.

Um, he's one of the trustees.

He left at around, uh-- it was 3:20.

- How did he seem?

- Stressed, but then-- - He's always stressed.

He--he's a junior psychiatrist.

They give him far too much work.

It's ridiculous.

- Um, we discussed a few items of business, and then he, uh-- he had to hurry off back to the hospital, St.

Oswald's.

- I understand your brother isn't married, but does he have a girlfriend or partner?

- Not--not that we know of.

- Can you tell me where you were yesterday evening from about 6:00 onwards?

We need to put together a picture of people's movements.

- I was here until just after 5:00.

Then I drove home.

Um, had dinner with my wife and children, and then I-- Caroline called me at about 7:45.

I-I came straight here.

- I went back to school after the meeting.

I run Swathlings Academy.

I was there until Tally called me.

I sometimes stay here on Friday nights, but there's an event at the school this weekend, s-- If I'd come--come back, I might have been able to save him.

- You don't know that.

- [sobbing] - Again, we don't yet have a formal ID.

We'll be largely reliant on...dental records.

- Oh, God.

- The postmortem will be first thing tomorrow.

- Who is it?

- Met Police.

Open the door, please.

I'm looking for a Ryan Archer.

Have I been given the wrong address?

- No, no.

Correct address.

I believe he's in.

Ryan!

- Are you his, um-- - Friend.

Arkwright, Major Rupert.

What's he done?

- We need him to help us with our enquiries.

- Oh, that old chestnut.

Ryan!

- Do you know what time he arrived back here last night?

- No idea.

- You don't know if he was here around 8:00?

- I'm not his keeper.

- Ryan Archer?

There's been an incident at the Dupayne Museum.

We'd like you to come and help us with our enquiries, please.

- What sort of incident?

- Is Tally okay?

- If you could just get dressed.

- I don't have to go, right?

- Don't be silly, boy.

Go with the man.

Get it over with.

[chuckles] [tense music] ♪ - I bought it last week for the mower.

Well, I mean, the can looks the same.

I-I put it in there.

- You didn't use it?

- No.

Tally said to wait 'cause of the rain.

- When were you last in the shed?

- Um, yesterday in the afternoon.

- Was the shed locked when you came to it?

- Yeah.

I got the key from Tally's.

- And did you lock it after you?

- Yeah.

- And replaced the key on the peg?

'Cause it's not there now.

And we found the shed unlocked.

- Sometimes I forget-- - Empty your pockets, please.

- [splutters] I just forgot.

I haven't done anything.

- Wait with the constable, please.

- You ain't gonna pin this on me.

- Should we be taking his clothes from him, sir?

- We don't have grounds.

- He knew about the petrol, and he had access to it.

He lives with a Major Arkwright.

Old enough to be his granddad.

He said they're friends, but-- - So what, you think there might be a sexual element?

- Yeah, maybe.

It's obvious he's been in trouble before.

He's likely to do a runner.

- Take his prints and a full statement, but we don't have grounds to hold him.

Put a DC on him until we know what we're dealing with.

- Got it.

- The Blazing Car Murder, sir.

If this is some weird copycat killing, then the body in the car... - Might not be Neville Dupayne, yes.

Though we can't assume Mrs.

Clutton was accurate in her account or that she's telling the truth.

- Sir.

I just want to say... about after the shooting... [soft dramatic music] ♪ - You were in shock.

- I'm okay.

I mean, I don't want any concessions.

I just want to keep going like before.

- I know.

[stirring music] ♪ I can now confirm that the person who died in the fire on Friday was Dr.

Neville Dupayne.

- [gasps softly] - Oh, no.

I'm so sorry.

We're all so sorry.

- Thank you.

- And I can also confirm that this is now a murder investigation.

We'll be taking any outstanding witness statements.

I must ask that you don't discuss the events of Friday night, either between yourselves or with the press or anyone else.

For the time being, the museum will remain closed.

- Um, I have several small groups, private tours booked in.

Academics mainly.

Can they go ahead?

- Yes, as long as you have details of everyone who attends.

And keep them well away from the crime scene.

- I can see to that.

- I have a live radio interview I'm supposed to be doing this afternoon.

It's a history thing.

Is that okay?

- Yes, just keep us informed of any movements, please.

All of you.

[tense music] ♪ [keys jingle] - Neville's keys.

He gave me them a couple of years ago for emergencies.

- Thank you.

- I always thought we'd have more time.

Maybe when we were older, when we'd settled down.

I need to go to the school.

Open day for prospective pupils.

♪ - Bedside table.

Looks like he did have someone.

- Marie Annette Strickland, 15th of February, 1920.

- French?

Marie Annette.

- Half French, half home counties.

- And what's your role here?

- I conduct tours.

I help Marcus Dupayne curate the exhibits.

- Must be interesting work.

- It is.

Have you ever visited us?

- I would have if I'd known about this place.

I studied history at university.

- Which one?

- Cambridge.

- Clever boy.

Now you're slumming it with the police.

- [laughs] They need good people to run the force, don't you think?

- Well, you should, uh, have a look round while you're here.

The picture gallery is excellent.

- I will.

I bet this room's the most popular though.

- Oh, by a country mile.

Everyone loves a good murder.

Sorry.

That was tasteless.

- It's strange, isn't it?

All that carnage in the wars, genocides, and yet people fixate on deaths of individuals.

Lovers, philanderers.

Bodies in trunks.

No, people can't deal with the big stuff.

- You're right.

They can't.

- So, um, when did you last see Neville Dupayne?

- I heard him leaving the library on Friday at around 3:20.

- And what time did you leave here that night?

- 5:30.

I went straight home.

I live alone, so I'm afraid that's not a very effective alibi.

- And who was still here when you left?

- Tally, Muriel, and the boy, Ryan Archer.

[tense music] Have you spoken to him?

- Yes.

Why?

♪ - Just wondered.

- Ryan.

Ryan?

Where are you going?

Have you told the police you're leaving?

- Uh, no.

Um, I have to go.

[spluttering] I-I--I'll see you sometime.

- No.

What's the matter?

- It--it's best you don't know.

- Is it something to do with the murder?

Because-- - Mrs.

Clutton.

- Oh.

Oh, ..... Don't tell him, okay?

♪ - The, um--the photofit, is now okay?

- Yes.

- [over PA] Dr.

Cartwright to reception, please.

Dr.

Cartwright to reception.

- We appreciate you coming in on your day off.

- It didn't feel right sitting at home anyway.

- Did you see him on Friday?

- Yes, first thing and at lunchtime.

- How about after lunch?

- He had a meeting at the museum.

And then he was going to see Mrs.

Shaw.

She's the wife of one of his patients.

- Do you know if he definitely went there?

- I don't know.

Do you want me to ring and ask?

- If you could.

- Actually, can you write her details down, please?

Do you know if Dr.

Dupayne was in a relationship with anyone?

- Um, I'm not sure.

- No one ever rang him here?

Came here?

- No.

- Sit down, please, Mrs.

Fox.

Am I right in thinking you wrote this?

[soft dramatic music] ♪ - [sobbing] Um, my husband, you won't tell him?

- Unless it becomes necessary.

- I loved Neville.

He didn't love me.

We'd sleep together sometimes.

And then I'd come here and think things would have changed between us, but it was always the same.

Like it hadn't happened.

It was, um, painful seeing him every day, wanting to matter to him and knowing I never would.

Neville didn't trust.

He really had a problem with it.

Something to do with his father, probably, and his horrible siblings.

- Are you saying he didn't get on with Marcus and Caroline?

- He didn't.

They bullied him about the museum.

That's why he wanted it to close.

- To close?

- That's what the meeting was about.

They must have told you.

They all had to sign a new lease or that was the end of it.

♪ [indistinct chatter] - Yes, that's primarily what the trustees meeting was about.

- Did Neville agree to sign the new lease?

- No, but he would have done eventually.

We always talked him round.

- According to our source, he was determined the museum would close.

He wanted to release the capital which would have been raised by the sale of the collection.

- Your source clearly didn't know him like we do.

Excuse me.

- Did the staff know the museum would close if he didn't sign?

- If they did, they didn't hear it from me.

Is that all?

- I think you know it would have been helpful if you'd spoken to us about this.

- My brother has just died.

I haven't been thinking about outlandish theories as to why.

- Is Marcus a famous historian?

- I've seen his books on the shelves, but I've never read one.

- Does he trade off the museum's reputation?

- I'm quite sure he does.

- Hello, stranger.

I know I shouldn't be here, but you never answer your phone.

- I'll see you upstairs.

I'm in the middle of a murder investigation, Blanche.

- This won't wait.

The Garnett Prize.

You've been nominated.

Now, I'm going to push my luck.

America.

The tour.

We need a decision by the end of the week.

- Then you'll have one.

- Good.

Mission accomplished.

- Blanche.

Let's not do this again.

- Noted.

Congratulations, by the way.

You can do a little dance later.

- And the eyes?

You've really got nothing?

- [breathes deeply] [tense music] - Are you all right?

♪ You all right?

- I know this will sound strange, but... it's possible that he was wearing a mask.

- A mask?

- I suppose I might just be imagining it.

- What sort of a mask?

- A robber's mask by any chance?

- No.

No, it's more like the kind of mask someone might wear to a fancy dress party or a carnival, like in Venice.

Well, it does explain why I can't remember any of his features, and yet... I can hear his voice so clearly.

- But you haven't been able to place his voice yet?

- No.

- You've been very helpful, Mrs.

Clutton.

The trustees meeting at the museum on Friday, did you know what it was about?

Did the other members of staff know?

- Did Ryan Archer know?

- We all knew.

♪ [stairs creaking] - What are you doing?

- We now have a possible motive.

If Neville Dupayne doesn't sign the lease, all these people lose their jobs.

- And Marcus loses his father's legacy.

The Dupayne name loses some of its shine.

Caroline, it's harder to say, but she and Marcus are close and probably operate as a team.

- Tally Clutton loses her home.

She and Ryan could have been working together.

I don't believe this business about the car and the mystery man.

- No, I don't buy Tally being involved.

This was a brutal, premeditated murder.

- Which is why she gets Ryan to do it.

Ryan has form-- two charges for shoplifting.

- Since he turned 18?

- No, juvenile, but-- - It's a big leap.

No, whoever killed Neville must have been looking straight at him when they threw the petrol over him and set him alight.

And actually, I've been thinking about that, sir.

It's hard to really project petrol out of one of those cans.

It would have taken several goes, wouldn't it, to get enough petrol onto him to-- - Probably, yes.

- So maybe the killer transferred the petrol into a different container, a bucket-- - No, we didn't find anything at the scene.

- Sorry, we just got a shout-out about Major Arkwright.

You did background on him yesterday, sir?

- Yes.

- He's been attacked.

Neighbors said it was Ryan Archer.

He's disappeared.

- Surprise, surprise.

- Go after Tally, please.

If Ryan's going to reach out to anyone, it's her.

- A lot of fuss about nothing.

Damn nosy neighbors.

- But Ryan did attack you.

- He pushed me, I fell, and I banged my head.

It was entirely my fault.

I cornered him.

I should never have done that.

Ryan was abused.

He was frequently battered by his mother's boyfriend.

Of course he would lash out.

- Why did you need to corner him?

- Because he was taking money.

My money.

He was extremely agitated-- frightened, even.

- Do you have an address for his mother?

- No, I don't.

I don't know where he's gone.

Back on the streets, most likely.

A tragedy waiting to happen.

- Is that where you first picked him up?

Is Ryan a homosexual?

Were you telling me the truth yesterday when you said you didn't know what time he got in?

- I'm not in the habit of lying, Constable.

And I'd thank you not to jump-- - A man was brutally murdered.

So frankly, your sensibilities aren't high on my list of priorities.

And it's Sergeant.

- If you bully people, they're apt to shut down.

- I wasn't bullying him, was I?

- A touch more grace, Sergeant.

- Control to Sierra 3.

- Get the search underway, please.

- Yes, sir.

- Control to Sierra 3.

Come in.

- Sierra 3 to Control.

- Is this your son?

- Yes.

He's in Australia.

- You must miss him.

Is that why you're so fond of Ryan?

- [chuckles] Probably.

Ryan's not a bad boy.

- How much do you know about him?

- Well, I-- I put a job advertisement in the post office.

He came with a good reference, a major in the army.

Do you have children?

- No.

[tense music] ♪ [indistinct chatter] - Adam?

- Roger.

- Still here then?

- Apparently.

- [chuckles] Thanks for coming.

I found out this morning about your investigation rather late in the day.

The fact is, your museum is a place of interest for us.

Old Felix Dupayne, you ever meet him?

- No.

- He co-ran Special Operations during the war, amongst other things, and afterwards spent some time in the GDR.

An exceptional network of sources.

And the connection didn't end with his death.

- Which one?

- Suspect?

- Yes.

- Strong?

- As strong as anyone else at this stage.

- When you discover whodunit, I need you to come to me first.

Understood?

I mean it, Adam.

Don't upset the apple cart.

And at risk of offending you with a mixed metaphor-- bigger fish.

[tense music] ♪ - ça va?

- ça va.

[telephone ringing] - Answer it, please.

Don't mention that I'm here.

- Hello?

- You've got to tell me what to do, Tally.

- Ryan.

- I need money.

I-- - Try to calm down.

- I need to get out of here.

[foreboding music] ♪ - Look, we should have mentioned the issue with the lease.

I-I accept that.

It was difficult for Nev growing up.

There's quite an age gap between us and him, and he clashed with Father.

Different politics.

But he was still one of the family.

He wouldn't have let us down.

- Oh.

You came.

- Listen, I'm leaving tonight.

I have to go.

It's not safe for me anymore.

- Have you ever seen this man?

- Well, it's hard to say.

Why the mask?

- Mrs.

Clutton believes she encountered this man fleeing the scene.

She now thinks he may have been wearing a mask.

- Okay, well, sometimes people do park here illegally after dark.

Head off onto the heath for, you know, God knows what sorts of activities.

Is it possible Neville confronted this man?

Argued with him?

It's the sort of thing he'd do.

- Another possibility is that your brother wasn't the intended target of the attack, that the intended target was someone with a... more complex range of associates.

♪ Anything I need to know?

- Nothing out of the ordinary at all.

I'm barely active.

It's a lot more humdrum than le Carré would have you believe.

- Hm.

- Calm down.

I don't know what you're so frightened of.

- [spluttering] I-I'm going.

I--I have to go tonight.

- Look, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Listen to me.

- No.

- Police!

Don't move.

- Oh, no, no, no, no.

- All you have to do is tell them the truth, and-- - Stand still, Ryan.

It's okay.

- Get off me!

Ow!

What have you done?

- Hands behind your back.

- She's gonna get me.

....!

....!

- Who's going to get you?

- She's gonna kill me!

She's gonna bloody kill me!

- Come on!

- Who-- - Get off me.

[grunts] ....!

- And this is a case you will have all heard about because this man recently confessed to the crime, having been found innocent at his trial.

- Hm.

- [clears throat] - Bit of fresh air?

- [laughs drily] Yes.

Um, Mancini was defended by a certain Norman Birkett.

That's Lord Birkett to you and me.

Oh no, we don't open the trunk.

The lining's extremely fragile.

- We do, occasionally.

Let's make an exception today.

[all screaming] [suspenseful music] ♪ [panicked chatter and whimpering] - Just calm down.

♪ ♪