Schooled in Murder is the sixth episode of the fifteenth series of Midsomer Murders and originally aired on 30th January 2013.
DCI Barnaby and DS Jones investigate the death of Debbie Moffett, who is found dead at the cheese factory where she worked. She had recently had a run-in with Beatrix Ordish at the Midsomer Pastures prep school after they advised her that her daughter would not be welcome at the school the next term. She was also having an affair with the woman's husband, Oliver. The cheese factory itself was famous for producing Midsomer Blue Cheese, but has been unable to make a profit for some time now. In trying to reduce costs, the owners have upset local milk producers, including Helen Caxton. Several subsequent murders do little to clarify things. Barnaby sees a connection among the various murders however and it leads him to the killer.
Tropes:
- Animal Assassin: Helen and Jim Caxton are trampled to death by a herd of cows after the murderer traps them in the pen and deliberately startles the animals.
- Dying Declaration of Love: Helen tells Jim she loves him right before they're both trampled to death.
- Edible Bludgeon: Debbie Moffett is pinned beneath a set of shelves and has a large wheel of cheese dropped on her head.
- Slut-Shaming: Debbie's daughter, Holly, was about to be expelled from school, as she was on a scholarship from her mother's employer, but the scholarship contained "moral terms" which Debbie had broken by having an affair.
- That Came Out Wrong: Sarah is teasing John about his current case and the Stepford Smilers at the centre of it, claiming that she could be a perfect wife as well. He replies:"Why would I want perfection when I've got you? <beat> Um, that didn't come out quite right, did it?"
- With This Ring: John Barnaby buys a ring for Sarah for their 15th anniversary. However, while distracted by Jones, he accidentally feeds the ring to his dog Sykes. He then has to fabricate reasons to keep the dog with him till he can, um, retrieve it.
