Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies — release date, cast, plot and everything we know

Midsomer Murders 2024: A Debt of Lies Barnaby with wife Sarah and old boss Sebastian
DCI Barnaby with wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman) and old boss Sebastian (Tom Conti) (Image credit: ITV)

The Midsomer Murders 2024 episode "The Debt of Lies" has now aired on ITV1 but is available still to watch on ITVX.

The plot sounds a little bit like Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club in that it's set at a retirement community. To be exact a police retirement community where a resident is found dead. Being a load of ex-cops they're very keen to crack the case themselves and all eyes are on DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).

Annette Badland, who plays pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins, told us she was very excited that Tom Conti was among the guest cast. "I have to say, both Fleur and myself got a little hot under the collar! He's such an attractive, charismatic man and a wonderful actor. So I got a bit girlish and shy! But the one bad thing about playing a pathologist is that I don't get to perform with these guest stars unless they're dead, so they're usually lying on a bit of plastic on cold, wet grass or on the mortuary steel!"

We also have a guide to the next episode in the series called "A Grain of Truth".

Here's everything we know…

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies release date

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies was released on Tuesday, July 16 at 8.15 pm on ITV1 in 2024. The episode is available to watch now on ITVX, while BritBox is the place to go for Midsomer Murders in the US.

Another episode of Midsomer Murders 2024 is on the way called "A Grain of Truth". That episode airs on Tuesday, July 23 at 8 pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

What's the plot?

Tom Conti dressed up as Seb in Midsomer Murders 2024

(Image credit: ITV)

Barnaby and Sarah head to a party to celebrate the retirement of DCS Elaine Bennet. Barnaby doesn't know that Elaine is unwell.

The makers tease: "At the party, Sarah is introduced to Barnaby’s old gaffer — Sebastian Cabot – who informs the pair that Elaine is his new neighbor – she has recently moved into Challis Court. Set up by an independent charity fifteen years ago, Challis is a collection of desirable apartments within a grand estate providing comfortable and secure housing for retired police officers.

"A remark from Sebastian tells Barnaby that Elaine may not be as popular as the turn out suggests — her husband is not even in attendance. Barnaby is further intrigued when he notices Elaine having a heated argument with someone outside the party.

"As the event draws to a close, Barnaby sees that behind the handshakes and smiles, some of the officers are harboring resentment and bitterness. After bidding farewell to her colleagues, Elaine heads home… only to be later found dead in the Bennet’s family car after crashing into a tree.

"Barnaby and Winter arrive at the scene and realise there are no signs of braking, it appears as if Elaine deliberately drove off the road without a seatbelt and died of massive trauma. It is Fleur who corrects the pair and explains that the brake cable has been cut — this was no accident… And as Challis Court is a gated community that means the killer was inside and they are looking for an ex-officer.

"Barnaby and Winter must interview these retired officers who are wise to their line of questioning, and who are keen to offer their expert opinion on the handling of the case. Is an ex-colleague out for revenge? Can Barnaby steer through the lies to catch the killer before it is too late?"

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies cast

DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), his sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and no-nonsense pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland) are all back. Tom Conti guest stars as Barnaby’s former boss, Sebastian Cabot.

What happens in A Grain of Truth?

ITV teases: "The world of organic baking begins to crumble after a series of incidents at the newly revamped Larkton’s Mill..."

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet.

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David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

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