Abandoned by the army, who took it over in World War Two the village of Little Auburn is to be reoccupied, with three groups of people submitting ideas for its resurrection. When Finn Thornbury, who, with girlfriend Corinna Craven, had opted for an eco- friendly village, is killed Barnaby and new sergeant Winter discover he had a secret wife nobody knew about. Of the rival bidders elderly Sylvia Lennard, seeking to restore the village to former glories, hated the deceased but property developers Blake and Lucy Keswick claim to have had no argument with him. Corinna's father Roderick, who was to judge the worth of each party, is the next victim, Finn's mother Andrea oddly being his main beneficiary. With the discovery of an illegal snake farm and more secrets unfolding Barnaby must decide whether greed or passion accounted for the murders in the village that rose from the dead. Written by don @ minifie-1

The Bleakridge village watch are a Draconian bunch, penalizing the pettiest of offences. Barnaby and Winter investigate when one of their number, butcher Angus Colton, is murdered whilst looking into a spate of burglaries and his sister-in-law, the fearsome Ingrid Loxton explains that the group was established after her brother was killed in an unsolved hit and run. Not everybody supports the watch, notably landlord Mitch McAllister, who is attacked and his pub vandalized and who is prime suspect when another member of the group is killed. When Ingrid relents by asking Barnaby to help catch the murderer he discovers not only a burned out car stolen two years earlier from café owners Barbara and Duncan Walton for the hit and run but the identities of the burglar, putting Ingrid in a bad light, and the driver - who has cause to silence those watch members likely to expose their own form of crime and punishment. Written by don @ minifie-1

Leo Henderson, star player of the Lower Pampling Panthers, is murdered following a one day tournament called C10, a format disapproved of by committee members St John Beachwood and retired player Germaine Troughton.. Barnaby is mystified by the unexplained amount of cash in Leo's account and the appearance of an unshaven Ben Jones, calling himself Jack Morris and with Leo's widow Melanie when her house is burgled. New captain Fitz Theara, who is taking bribes to throw matches, is the next victim, leading Jones to explain that, with Germaine's cooperation, he is investigating match fixing. - a possible key to Leo's new-found wealth and the financial problems of C10 organizer Elliot Luthando. Whilst a twenty year disappearance is resolved Jones' new role as the leading player makes him a likely target and, unless Barnaby unmasks the killer, the last man out. Written by don @ minifie-1

Barnaby is called to Belville Hall small pets show after young estate agent Seb Huntington is murdered, seemingly trying to stop a saboteur releasing the animals. Seb had been in dispute with obsessive rabbit breeder Tim Benson over the sale of his house following his split from wife Ailsa and was also, unsuccessfully, trying to persuade the show's organizer Delphi Hartley to let him sell her house. None of them have alibis. When Tim's prize stud rabbit is stolen he blames Seb's boss and rival exhibitor Cleo Langton but she too bites the dust. Then Barnaby discovers that Seb was the actual saboteur, making any supporter of the show a suspect. When a third victim is claimed it becomes evident that nature is not the only thing that is red in tooth and claw. Written by don @ minifie-1

When a young girl slips away from a Jane Austen weekend dressed in period attire, and is found stabbed in the woods, Barnaby needs to look back in time to find the killer.

When a prize-winning violinist is killed with his Stradivarius stolen, Barnaby must sort through a myriad of suspects and motives to find the real killer.