Product Description: 2002 - BBC / WGBH Boston Video - Masterpiece Theatre - Mystery ! - The Inspector Lynley Mysteries - 4 DVD Set - 6 Hours / Color / Letterboxed / Not Rated / TV Show - Includes Episodes: Weel-Schooled in Murder / Payment in Blood / For the Sake of Elena / Missing Joseph - Special DVD Features: Q&A w/ Parker & Small / Virtual Tour of Mystery Studio / Cast Filmographies / Cast List / Diana Rigg Bio / Access to Mystery! Web Site / Scene Selection / Closed Captions & Video Description - New - Mint in Package - Collectible
Amazon.com: As Diana Rigg, the host of Mystery!, the venerable PBS series which premiered these films, observes, Inspector Lynley gives his partner, Barbara Havers, class, while she gives him nothing but grief. That's not quite the case, although by the final episode in this four-part series, they can be heard bantering like David and Maddie from Moonlighting. And what is that tentatively wistful look on Havers' face while Lynley regards his relationship with an unrequited love? The Inspector Lynley Mysteries reunites author Elizabeth George's mismatched partners first introduced onscreen in A Great Deliverance. Nathaniel Parker (Eddie Murphy's ghostly host in The Haunted Mansion) stars as Lynley, Oxford-educated detective, and eighth earl of Asherton. Sharon Small costars as Havers, a working class cop. Their class differences and personal prejudices are well delineated in "Well Schooled in Murder," set at a posh boarding school where a young student has been slain, and "For the Sake of Elena," which investigates the death of a Cambridge Universty professor's deaf daughter.
The other two cases are more intriguingly personal, as Lynley is reunited with lifelong friend Helen Clyde. In "Payment in Blood," she is one of a cast of suspects when a playwright is slaughtered. In "Missing Joseph," she returns as a profiler, who assists Lynley in the case of a poisoned vicar. We also see the softer side of Havers as she deals with her increasingly senile mother. While fans of George's books may regret the abridgements necessary to bring each episode in at 90 minutes, mystery buffs will enjoy the contemporary spin on classic genre conventions, and Lynley and Havers' prickly relationship, which is at the heart of the series. --Donald Liebenson
Love the series; Disappointed not all first episodes not included! ^ I love the series and truly enjoyed every episode, which is why I ordered the entire series. Or so I thought. I should have read the description for Series 1 closer than I did. I was under the impression that all the episodes of the Series from the beginning were included, but that was not the case. This series CD does not include the very first episode, the one in which Havers and Lynley are first paired-in the first movie entitled A Great Deliverance. If you want that episode, you'll have to purchase it separately. I don't know why it's not included, but it should be, as it is part of the series. AFter all, this episode began the series, didn't it? Other than that, I highly recommend the series for any fan of mysteries, especially British ones.
Excellent transaction ^ Very enjoyable mystery presentation. Film had a good plot, well acted, and well directed. Although used, the product was received in good condition as described by the seller. An excellent value for the viewer that likes mystery films.
All of my purchase transactions with Amazon.com have been excellent.
Description mislead, only one episode NOT FOUR as listed! ^ This was a disapointment to say the least, I was already to sit and enjoy FOUR episodes as shown on the box and the description area and there was only the FIRST one!! And I DID re-read the description before I had purchased it!
The video was placed wrong side around and the knob was broken in the container to hold it in place...
I won't purchase from Once Sold Tales again!
Otherwise Lynley is good as usual.
Inspector Lynley Mysteries Set 1 ^ After loving Inspector Morse and Inspector Jack Frost, we thought we'd try another British Mystery and bought Lynley. This is horrible soap opera and we were very disappointed. Couldn't watch the last disc it was so bad. If you like wierd soap operas get it. Otherwise save your money. Fred in New York
A rare occurrence of the film version trumping the book ^ I read one of Elizabeth George's books (For the Sake of Elena) and it happens to be one in the first set of Lynley episodes. I was not overly impressed with the book, to be honest, and was a bit wary about watching the show. But all of the issues I had with the books were neatly and wonderfully resolved with the magic of television.
I never had a problem with the storyline or plot of the book - the mysteries are good and solid and translate well into television. My issues were with the writing (descriptive, not dialogue) and mostly with the character of Havers. I think you're supposed to like her in the books, or at least not hate her, but the mental image the descriptions brought to my mind were revolting. She just seems completely unlikeable and annoying, and I really could not understand her interactions with a lot of the other characters. Even her physical description was hard for me to wrap my head around.
In the series, though, the questions about her appearance are put to rest and she seems a lot less irritating. The character on the show is a little offbeat and prickly, but in a likable way. Perhaps if I've kept reading the books I would have eventually come to like her character, but from the first episode of the show I enjoyed her and Lynley and their interactions.
I still probably won't read any more of the books, but will definitely be checking out the rest of the series. Anyone who likes British police/detective shows (Midsomer Murders, Hamish MacBeth, Murder in Suburbia, Foyle's War, etc) should check this one out.
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