Inspector Lynley - Set 1

Starring:Samantha Baker, Cherie Lunghi, Nathaniel Parker, Sharon Small, Tim Pigott-Smith, James Hillier (II), June Watson, Shaun Prendergast, Elizabeth Kelly, Joanna Brookes, Richard Syms, Will Knightley, Selina Cadell, Sophie Ward, Katie Blake, Richard Lintern, Lucy Scott, David Ellington, Sarah Easton, Fred Ridgeway
Director: Richard Laxton, Kim Flitcroft
Studio: Wgbh Boston
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
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
Description
Love, life and murder. Just a few of Inspector Lynley's mysteries.

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries feature the most celebrated British detective duo in years: Inspector Thomas Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) and Sergeant Barbara Havers (Sharon Small). Over the course of more than 10 intriguing Elizabeth George novels, beginning with A Great Deliverance, Lynley and Havers have won millions of loyal fans. It's no mystery why.

Decidedly uppercrust detective Lynley and his partner Havers endure a marriage made at police headquarters. Lynley is suave, sophisticated, and the eighth Earl of Asherton. Havers is rumpled, resentful, and working classwith an inborn dislike of the highborn. Despite their differences, the sleuths evolve into a potent team, employing their cunning, intuition, and street smarts to unravel some of the most heinousand suspensefulcrimes.

Well-Schooled In Murder When a student from prestigious Bredgar Hall is found dead under bizarre circumstances, Lynley receives a call from an old school chum asking for help. The Inspector and Havers soon discover hints of impropriety among both masters and students and race to crack the case before more students come into harm's way.

Payment in Blood A playwright is murdered in her sleep on the eve of her new play's debut, forcing Lynley and Havers to select from an entire cast of suspects. The mysterious drama is further complicated by Lynley's deepening feelings for a woman involved with the play's director, who is himself a prime suspect.

For The Sake Of Elena The fog lifts over the green hills of Cambridge, revealing the lifeless body of a prominent professor's daughter, a young woman admired for being fun-loving, popular, daringand deaf. The mystery is far from academic as Lynley and Havers discover fatal twists that sealed the fate of one dysfunctional family.

Missing Joseph A rural vicar is the victim of hemlock poisoning. Lynley and Havers discover that everyone from the local herbalist and her troubled teenage daughter to the local constable has a motive. The duo combs the countryside sifting for clues, and finally uncovers the secrets behind the murder.

Special DVD features include: virtual tour of the Mystery! studio; Q&A with Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small; selected cast filmographies; selected cast list; biography for Diana Rigg, host of Mystery!; bibliography for Elizabeth George; selected cast list; link to the Mystery! Web site; scene selections; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.

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.

Description

Love, life and murder. Just a few of Inspector Lynley's mysteries.

Decidedly uppercrust detective Lynley and his partner Havers endure a marriage made at police headquarters. Lynley is suave, sophisticated, and the eighth Earl of Asherton. Havers is rumpled, resentful, and working class—with an inborn dislike of the highborn. Despite their differences, the sleuths evolve into a potent team, employing their cunning, intuition, and street smarts to unravel some of the most heinous—and suspenseful—crimes.

For The Sake Of Elena The fog lifts over the green hills of Cambridge, revealing the lifeless body of a prominent professor's daughter, a young woman admired for being fun-loving, popular, daring—and deaf. The mystery is far from academic as Lynley and Havers discover fatal twists that sealed the fate of one dysfunctional family.

On fourDVD9 discs. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Letterboxed.

Customer Reviews:

excellent.......2007-03-22

Inspector Lynley mysteries are great!! I can't wait to see them all. I hope that there are more than 4 sets to buy.

A great gift.......2007-01-17

This was a present for family members who enjoy British shows, and they seemed very happy to receive it. They had heard of Inspector Lynley before, when the series was on Mystery! on PBS. It seems like an excellent series and was recommended to me by an acquaintance.

Wrong Actor.......2006-08-08

I haven't viewed any of the DVD's or videos but I can tell by the Inspector depicted on the cover that he is wrong. Where is the beautiful blond hair that is described in so many books of Lynley's looks. If they are going to be put to video they should at least be true to the authour's descriptions.

Entertaining, but not as good as Morse........2005-12-14

I haven't read any of the novels of Elizabeth George, which is probably just as well, since, with very few exceptions, the film versions of novels usually do not do justice to the originals.

The obvious comparison of these dramas is with the Inspector Morse series, which is superior in some ways. Aside from John Thaw's superb acting, Morse was a far more interesting character than Lynley. Lynley is just a bit too perfect to really identify with. Nathaniel Parker is a pretty good actor - it's his character that's the problem. Lynley would be an upper-class "twit" if it weren't that underneath all his good breeding he is basically a decent human being.

Sharon Small does an excellent job as Inspector Sergeant Havers, I think better than Kevin Whately in the Morse series. In fact, the Lynley series gets most of its dramatic strength from the slight lunacy Havers brings to her relationship with Lynley. Havers is highly IMperfect, to the point that no one will work with her but Lynley. Yet she somehow muddles through, sometimes in a big way, which is a big surprise to everyone, including Havers.

Lesley Vickerage does an excellent job as Lynley's love interest, a brilliant and neurotic psychologist and criminal profiler. In the later series she provides additional human complexity to offset Lynley's superb and gentlemanly perfection.

The plots in this first series are not as good as those in the later ones. Still, the view of England and English society is interesting, even if it's just TV. The cultural divergeance between America and England continues, to the point that Havers' accent is often completely incomprehensible, at least to my ear. It's somewhat surprising that an American could write novels about England and English society that are so well-accepted by the English.

Enjoyable viewing for fans of English mysteries.

A TOUCH OF CLASS.......2005-10-20

I'm coming rather late to this series. As they say, "better late than never". I've completely fallen in love with this Murder/Mystery series. Besides being a superbly presented and acted Murder/Mystery, it has the additional appeal of having the two principle characters being of different backgrounds (classes). Nathaniel Parker is superb as the Oxford educated detective Lynley (in other words "Upper Class".) and Sharon Small is wonderful as the working class cop Havers. Their differences of perception of each case adds just the right amount of "spice" to each case and they end up requiring each others input in order to solve each case.
In light of the above, I look forward to purchasing the other episodes in the series!

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Vol. 1-4

Average customer rating:

Inspector Lynley Mysteries
The Best Crime Fighting Duo on the screen
Complex mysteries that are consistently excellent
Thinking man's murder mystry.
Diane's review of Inspector Lynley Mysteries

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Vol. 1-4
Starring: Nathaniel Parker , and Sharon Small
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

WGBH Boston | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

The Last Detective - Series 2
Midsomer Murders, Set Three
Mystery!: Inspector Lewis
The Last Detective - Series 1
MidSomer Murders: Set Two

ASIN: B000HEWH0A
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Customer Reviews:

Inspector Lynley Mysteries.......2007-07-03

My husband and I love British mysteries. I read many of the books years ago and was delighted to find them on PBS. We have now started to purchase sets. We really enjoyed this series but found Inspector Lynley to be overly harsh to Havers, his DS. I don't remember him being quite so rude in the books. We were not happy with the abrupt ending of the series - many plot lines left unfinished and we're disappointed to not have answers to our questions. The quality of the series was great - well photographed, great dialogue, good plots. I'd buy it again.

The Best Crime Fighting Duo on the screen.......2007-06-13

I've been a long time fan of the good inspector and the Inspector Lynley Mysteries are a cut above the rest, because it really concentrates on the complex relationship between Lynley and Havers. It's not just who dunnit, but more about how Lynley and Havers go about solving it that makes it compelling viewing.

This dvd set, with 17 dvds ( including a Great Deliverance) is like a big box of chocolates - watching it is an absolute treat. If you watch in order, you can see how their relationship evolves from their first reluctant pairing to the genuine friendship that develops.

The acting is sublime - Nathaniel Parker really shows Lynley to be a complex character ( as is the protagonist in Elizabeth George's books) and he captures Lynley's emotions well. Lynley is unlike other British detectives who seem fairly one dimensional and rather wooden. Sharon Small is also outstanding as Havers - from the ugly duckling early days to the assured, s strong character she becomes. Both characters seem very real, again, unlike other detective series and to get these two fine British actors sparring off each other for over 25 hours is television heaven.

All in all, a great DVD collection to own. Bring on Series 5 and 6 please!

Complex mysteries that are consistently excellent.......2007-06-04

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Vol. 1-4 British murder mysteries are considered by most to be the most sophisticated, and the Inspector Lynley mysteries are second only to Midsomer Murders in quality. The acting by Nathanial Parker (Lynley) and Sharon Small (Havers) is convincing and their intereactions with each other consistently provide a secondary but interesting subplot within the main mystery. The only tiresome part of this series involves the trial and tribulations created by Havers demented mother who is as annoying as she is unlikeable. What realism and character development this might provide is offset by the distraction. Fortunately, this sideshow diminishes in importance with each episode. And each episode is outstanding with enough clues provided to help give the viewer a fighting chance to solve the crime, but enough false clues to make it difficult (and for this reviewer, almost always impossible). The end result is that you can watch these episodes 3 or 4 times and catch nuances that were missed the first time, and enjoy the acting, which is consistently excellent. If you like Midsomer Murders, you will like these mysteries as well. And these are a much better deal.

Thinking man's murder mystry........2007-05-14

The Inspector Lynley mysteries have a certain level of complexity that is not found elsewhere. Modern and realistic with a very real human side adds up to great entertainment.

Diane's review of Inspector Lynley Mysteries.......2007-05-07

I liked this British Mystery Series very much. Would recommend it to anyone.

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Series 1, 2, & 3

Average customer rating:

British mystery fan
Lynley & Havers Rock!!
The best of the British mysteries
A captivating collection of 13 episodes of backstabbing, intrigue, and murder

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Series 1, 2, & 3
Starring: Nathaniel Parker , Sharon Small , Anthony Calf , Amanda Ryan , and Emma Fielding
Director: Richard Laxton , Tim Leandro , and Edward Bennett
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

WGBH Boston | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Inspector Lynley Mysteries - Set 4
Foyle's War - Set 3
Midsomer Murders - Set Five
Midsomer Murders - Set Six
Midsomer Murders - Set One

ASIN: B0009UZG82
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Description

Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sergeant Barbara Havers, the most celebrated British detective duo in years, employ cunning, intuition, and street smarts to unravel some of the most heinous and suspenseful crimes. Despite their obvious differences- he is an upper-crust aristocrat, while she is decidedly working class- the sleuths evolve into a potent team, deciphering tantalizing mysteries. Based on the popular detective novels of Elizabeth George, and starring Nathaniel Parker (Far from the Madding Crowd) and Sharon Small (About a Boy). Includes A Great Deliverance, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3--13 Inspector Lynley mysteries in all.

Customer Reviews:

British mystery fan.......2007-01-10

I like the author, Elizabeth George, and I like these adaptations. They do not follow the story line all the time, but they are still excellent.

Lynley & Havers Rock!!.......2006-11-10

Wait. They're British, and somewhat understated, so they can't really ROCK!!! But they rock anyway. Best detective series out there (other than Foyle's War).

The best of the British mysteries.......2006-10-07

Over the years I have seen several of the Inspector Lynley mysteries and was very impressed. This collection provides 13 intriguing episodes including the premier. The pairing of Lynley and Havers makes for great characters and brisk repartee between the lofty Inspector and the common sargent Havers. This is really a great mystery series with suspenseful plots and very talented actors. The DVDs are of high quality and the first series has quite few extras. Well worth the money.

A captivating collection of 13 episodes of backstabbing, intrigue, and murder.......2005-12-09

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Series 1, 2, & 3 is a three-DVD compilation of Mystery! episodes originally aired on Public Television, centering upon the British detective duo of upper- crust aristocrat Inspector Thomas Lynley and intuitive working-class Sergeant Barbara Havers. Special features include a virtual tour of the Mystery! studio, closed captions and descriptive video for the visually impaired, a Q&A session with lead actors Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small, and much more. A captivating collection of 13 episodes of backstabbing, intrigue, and murder, including the pilot, offering hours of viewing suspense. Approx. 1244 minutes on 13 DVDs, color.

Inspector Lynley - Great Deliverance 1-2

Average customer rating:

Beware: Addictive!
Caveat Emptor - duplicate titles
Bah Humbug!

Inspector Lynley - Great Deliverance 1-2
Starring: Inspector Lynley Mysteries
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

WGBH Boston | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries - Set 3
Inspector Lynley Mysteries - Set 4
Foyle's War - Set 3
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Series 3 & 4
A Touch of Frost - Season 1

ASIN: B0002XVRT8
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Description

The gruesome murder of a country farmer is a puzzling case, but it's Inspector Lynley's new partner, Sergeant Barbara Havers (Sharon Small, About a Boy), who's proving indecipherable. Despite being mirror opposites, this marriage made at police headquarters must thrive in order to solve a heinous crime. Based on the best-selling mystery by Elizabeth George, A Great Deliverance introduces Inspector Thomas Lynley (Nathaniel Parker, Far from the Maddding Crowd) with first-rate performances and abundant amounts of nail-biting suspense. Then, Inspector Lynley and Srgt. Havers, the most celebrated British detective duo in years, return, employing cunning, intuition, and street smarts to unravel some of the most heinous—and suspenseful—crimes. Despite their obvious differences, the sleuths are evolving into a potent team, deciphering four more tantalizing mysteries:Well-Schooled In Murder, Payment in Blood, For The Sake Of Elena, and Missing Joseph. And finally, Nathaniel Parker returns as Inspector Lynley, in the latest series of mysteries, Playing for the Ashes, In the Presence of the Enemy, A Suitable Vengeance, and Deception on His Mind.

On five DVD9 discs and four DVD5 discs. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: letterboxed.

Customer Reviews:

Beware: Addictive!.......2006-03-25

I purchased this set knowing nothing about the series. Over the course of two semi-sleepless nights, I viewed 15 hours of Detective Lynley and his partner, Detective Havers. Normally, I don't forego sleep to view DVDs, but after watching the series pilot, The Great Deliverance, I was hooked!

Each episode is 90 minutes long, a movie unto itself. There are always oodles of suspects and the interplay between Lynley and Havers makes for compelling entertainment.

Be forewarned, if you wish to experience sleep deprivation, this series is for you. Or, with restraint, you may have 90 minute interludes with Lynley and Havers, over a period of nine nights.

Caveat Emptor - duplicate titles.......2004-12-08

5 stars for the product
1 stars for the product information on the site. I had to go to another place altogether to find out the information I needed to make an informed decision.

Nowhere in the product description (at Amazon) does it tell you all the episodes included in this set, which are:

A Great Deliverance, Well-Schooled In Murder, Payment in Blood, For The Sake Of Elena, Missing Joseph, Playing for the Ashes, In the Presence of the Enemy, A Suitable Vengeance, and Deception on His Mind.

FYI, these titles are also contained in other sets:
A Great Deliverance
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries 2

Bah Humbug!.......2004-10-03

Having already purchased set 1 and about to purchase set 2, I am distressed to see that a complete(?) set will come out in November. As of October 3rd, there are no posted details on Amazon, except that it will contain Great Deliverance, consist of 9 DVDs and play for 900 minutes. This appears to be set 1 & 2 plus Great Deliverance. Judging by the price, I feel that once again, I am being penalized for buying too early.

Strangely, as of 10/3/04, Amazon is listing three separate DVDs from set 2 - basically released within the same month. What is the point of so many options in a series that only has 9 episodes?

I am increasingly irritated by the artificial packaging of British shows in "series" of 4 episodes. Even though each show is often less than 90 minutes, the packages are always one episode per DVD. The list price looks good if you count the DVDs, but the cost per hour is often higher than that of recent movies. When one considers the age of some of these series, the word exploitation comes to mind.

A worse case is the Morse series, which can only be purchased in single episodes on Amazon. Many of these shows are very old. Anyone wishing to buy them all would pay a small fortune. Inevitably, they will be repackaged and many people will buy the sets, even though they will include episodes already purchased.

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