Waking the Dead Season 8 / 9 (2009, 2011)

The end of End Game has psycho genius Ruth Gemmell given some good stuff to get her teeth into as she organises an ingenious escape from prison, then takes Boyd on a journey to kill the nutter who's killed his son (Barbara Marten) - but he can't, even though Grace will die. The genius though has let herself down somewhat as she's in the next room as Boyd, and ends up learning how not to fly.

I had a feeling we'd seen Harbinger before - I'd remembered the scene where the WPC in the empty house is set on fire. It turns out to be one of Ed 'Tall Tales' Whitmore's most successful stories, about a woman whose family seems condemned to die of illnesses and the disappearance of her husband; and the appearance of a weird looking couple.

We're misdirected to think that nurse Cecilia Noble has something to do with it.

 

Actually now I come to think of it, some of it is quite far-fetched. But an enjoyable ride. Genevieve O'Reilly is suitably mad.

Also Spence has somehow moved back into the unit after being in CID for five minutes, and a new DCI - Sarah Cavendish - played by Eva Birthistle from Bad Sisters - has joined the team after 'falling off a high wall'.

We were impressed with some of Crispin Green's editing.

We started Care, Richard Warlow, which revolves around a horribly corrupt care home which seems to be run by the children.

I finally (!) realised that we know nothing about Boyd's private life, never see him 'off duty'.