The Inspector Lynley Mysteries

infobox television
show_name = The Inspector Lynley Mysteries


caption = Cover of the first series (U.S. DVD)
format = Crime drama
runtime = 90 min.
creator =
starring = Nathaniel Parker
Sharon Small
Lesley Vickerage
Catherine Russell
country = United Kingdom
network = BBC
first_aired = 12 March 2001
last_aired = 1 June 2008
num_episodes = 23
imdb_id =
tv_com_id = |

"The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" is a series of BBC television programmes about Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton (Nathaniel Parker) of Scotland Yard and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers (Sharon Small). In addition to the tensions involved in solving murder cases, the series thrives on the characters' clashes regarding personality, gender, and class, since Lynley is an earl (a peer of the realm), while Havers comes from a working-class background.

All episodes from the first two series and two from the third are based on novels by the American author Elizabeth George. Later episodes are original stories for television based on her characters. The first broadcast was on 12 March 2001. The theme music is by Debbie Wiseman.

In August 2007, the BBC announced its intention to make no more episodes of "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries". Fans of the series mounted a campaign to save the series with a petition and contacts to the BBC.

In the first episode, Lynley drove a Peugeot 607; in subsequent early episodes, he drove a Jensen Interceptor, and in later episodes a Bristol 410. Despite the frequently recurring remark in PBS "Mystery!" presenter Diana Rigg's introductions to the series that Lynley "is the one with the Bentley", he has not driven a Bentley to date.

Exterior shots were filmed at the Bircham Dyson Bell solicitors offices on Broadway, central London. In the pilot episode the character of Helen was played by Emma Fielding.

Episode list

"Episodes are based on the novel of the same name unless marked *";Pilot
*"A Great Deliverance" (12 March and 13 March 2001) "A Great Deliverance" was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" in two parts, on 19 and 26 August 2002 as "Inspector Lynley I."

;Series 1
*"Well-Schooled in Murder" (8 April 2002)
*"Payment in Blood" (15 April 2002)
*"For the Sake of Elena" (22 April 2002)
*"Missing Joseph" (29 April 2002) Series 1 was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" on 31 August and 7, 14 and 21 September 2003 as "Inspector Lynley II."

;Series 2
*"Playing for the Ashes" (10 March 2003)
*"In the Presence of the Enemy" (17 March 2003)
*"A Suitable Vengeance" (24 March 2003)
*"Deception on His Mind" (31 March 2003) Series 2 was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" on 5, 12, 19 and 26 September 2004, and rebroadcast on 14, 21, 28 August and 4 September 2005, as "Inspector Lynley III."

;Series 3
*"In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner" (4 March 2004)
*"A Traitor to Memory" (11 March 2004)
*"A Cry for Justice" (18 March 2004) *
*"If Wishes were Horses" (22 March 2004) *Series 3 was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" on 26 June and 3, 10 and 17 July 2005 as "Inspector Lynley IV."

; Series 4
* "In Divine Proportion" (17 March 2005) *
* "In The Guise of Death" (24 March 2005) *
* "The Seed Of Cunning" (31 March 2005) *
* "Word Of God" (7 April 2005) *Series 4 was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" on 10 September, 17, 24 and 1 October 2006 as "Inspector Lynley V." The third and fourth episodes were rebroadcast 26 August and 2 September 2007.

; Series 5
* "Natural Causes" (20 July 2006) *
* "One Guilty Deed" (27 July 2006) *
* "Chinese Walls" (3 August 2006) *
* "In The Blink Of An Eye" (10 August 2006) *Series 5 was broadcast in the United States on PBS on "Mystery!" on 9 September, 16, and 7 October and 14, 2007 as "Inspector Lynley VI." "In the Blink of an Eye" was the final broadcast of "Mystery!" before WGBH retooled the classic anthology series, along with "Masterpiece Theatre", into "Masterpiece".Series 5 was rebroadcast on "Masterpiece Mystery!" on 24, 31 August and 7 and 14 September 2008.

; Series 6
* "Limbo" (2007) broadcast postponed, but was broadcast on BBC1: 8.15-9.45pm 25 May 2008 (BBC Entertainment:11 November 2007) *
* "Know Thine Enemy" (16 June 2007) broadcast postponed, but was broadcast on BBC1: 8.00-9.30pm 1 June 2008 (BBC Entertainment:18 November 2007) *

Series 6 aired in the United States on PBS stations on "Masterpiece Mystery!" as "Inspector Lynley VII." The first episode, "Limbo", was shown 10 August 2008, and the final episode of the entire "Inspector Lynley" series, "Know Thine Enemy", aired 17 August 2008.

Regular cast

Guest Cast

Guest cast includes Kari Corbett, Neve McIntosh, Stuart Antony and Caroline Hayes.

DVD

The complete Series are available on DVD in the UK.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/lynley Official Website] hosted by BBCi
* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/lynley/ Official "Mystery!" website.]
*imdb title|0988820
* [http://www.nathanielparker.com Nathaniel Parker's Official Homepage] covers all the latest news on the series as well as a [http://www.nathanielparker.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=134 complete collection of episode reviews]
* [http://www.sharonsmall.org Sharon Small Website] News, info, pictures & media regarding Sharon Small, who plays Barbara Havers.
* [http://saveinspectorlynleymysteries.start-a-petition.com Save ILM Petition] Fan petition to save the series.
* [http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Inspector_Lynley_Mysteries/ USA based Yahoo ILM Discussion Board] Forum for discussion of "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries." International membership.
* [http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/inspectorlynley/ UK based Yahoo group for discussion of the BBC's Inspector Lynley TV series ] Photos,fan fiction,links
*http://www.theinspectorlynleymysteries.net/, with information from all over the world and pictures from the series.