Journalism student Jamie Marshall falls to his death from the roof of a derelict college building. Previously, he had posted an angry online rant about extortionate tuition fees and suicide is suspected. But, Vera learns that somebody had assaulted him days before his death? His friend Lucy recalls hearing him argue with an older man? Vera investigates the death and finds out that Jamie might not be all he seems to be. A university security guard and a building surveyor are reluctant for the police to go up the dilapidated building to investigate. This sets off alarm bells for Vera.
Vera discovers that Jamie uncovered a scam regarding the refurbishment of this building which would cost the university millions. However Jamie also knew that his father was involved in a hit and run death some years earlier. The victim's father was a bounce castle owner who Jamie had contacted for the job. Then there is a rugby player who seems to be unduly upset at Jamie's death and his father is a well known lawyer. The suspects begin to mount up. There are a lot of plot strands in this episode, this sets the mystery up nicely and one of the stronger episodes in the seventh series.
Additionally, Jamie was hoping to sell a story to a local newspaper that would "ruffle feathers"? Children's entertainer Ian Holland bears a bitter grudge against Jamie's long-estranged father. Ian enters the frame of suspicion. Reticent fellow student Rory Marston and his glib lawyer father Alan also have something to hide? Vera must establish whether Jamie's murder was an act of revenge or was it to prevent him from exposing a high profile fraud? 5* (I really liked this series)
89 min, Crime directed by Lee Haven Jones and written by Ann Cleeves and Robert Murphy with Brenda Blethyn, Kenny Doughty, Jon Morrison, Noof Ousellam, Christopher Colquhoun, Riley Jones, Fraser Wall, Chris Gordon, Stuart Grahm, Philip Arditti, Michael Shaeffer, Hebe Beardsall, Steven Elder, Steven Hillman.
Note: Imdb 8* out of 10* with 320 ratings, Rotten Tomatoes 71% with 7 user ratings, Amazon 4.9* out of 5* with 514 global ratings.
Special Note: Two of the hospital scenes were filmed in the closed wards of Harlepoot General Hospital. Some of the university scenes were filmed at Ushaw College in Durham.University scenes were filmed at The University of Northumbria though the university is called University of Northumberland in the program. Graveyard scenes were filmed at the old Spion Kop cemetery in Hartlepool.
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