朱蒂·罗

RachelJamesisshotthroughherkitchenwindowwhilehavingbreakfastearlyonemorning.ShewashavinganaffairwithDr.JulianStorrs,anOxfordprofessorwhoisacandidateforMasterofLonsdaleCollege.Whenhernextdoorneighborisalsokilledhowever,MorsedeterminesthattheshootingofJamesmayhavebeeninerror.Morsealsosuspectsthathemayhavebeenablackmailer.BothStorrsanhisrivalfortheMastersposition,DenisCornfordhadsecretsthatwouldmakethemsuspects.Morsedeterminesthatseveralothersalsohadthingstohideandanyoneofthemcouldhavecommittedthemurders.

Morseistakenseriouslyillatamuseumreceptionandishospitalized.Inthehospital,Supt.Strange,visitsMorsetopushhimtotakeearlyretirement,whileDr.MillicentMillieVanBurengiveshimherbookona140year-oldcourtcaseknownastheOxfordCanalMurders.Thecaseinvolvedthemurderandrapeofayoungwoman,MrsJoannaFranks,travelingbycanalboatfromCoventrytoLondon.Thecaseresultedinthreeboatmenbeingsentencedtodeathandtwoofthemhanged.MorsestartstoreadMilliesbookanddreamsaboutit.Hesoonhasanumberofproblemswiththecase.Whywerentthethreemenalsochargedwiththeft?WhydidMrsFrankstakeaboatinsteadofatrainthatwasmuchfasterandcomfortableandonlyslightlymoreexpensive?WhydidntsheabandontheboataftershecomplainedaboutlewdbehaviorofthecrewattheshippingofficeinBanbury?Whydidshethendrinkandsocialisewiththecrew?Whathappenedtohercarpetbagwithwhichshearrivedontheboatbutwhichwasnotmentionedinthecourtcase,norwasitstoredinthearchiveswithher,almostempty,trunk?Thetrunkwasmarkedwithinitialsofherfirsthusbandwhohaddied.Howdidithappenthathershoeswerefoundontheboatbutnobodysawherreturntotheboatfromtheforest?PCAdrianKershawdoessomebrilliantlegworkforMorse.Hestudiedhistoryandhasinvaluablebackgroundknowledge.Forinstance,hementionsthattheboatmenhadbadreputationbecausetheyworkedonSundaysanddidnotattendchurch.LaterachapelwasbuiltfortheminOxford.Thedeadwomansclothesandtheshoesfoundontheboataresubmittedtomodernforensicinvestigation.Theresultisthattheshoesdidnotbelongtothedeadwomanfoundinthewaterbecauseshewasmuchtaller.Theshoeswereneverusedintheforest.OnlyMrsFrankshusband,CharlesFranks,wascalledtoidentifythebodyofthedeadwoman.Heclaimedthat,whileherfacewasdarkenedanddisfigured,hefoundabirthmarkbehindherear.Theprosecutorwelcomedthatinformationthatonlyahusbandoraloverwouldknow.Theaccusedwerenotshownthebody.Thedefenseattorneymerelyclaimedthattheguiltofthethreemenwasnotproved.Allthreeaccusedclaimedtotheendthattheywereinnocent.OneofthemwasnotexecutedbecauseheembracedChristianityinprison.MorseinstructsKershawtoinvestigateifCharlesFranksbenefitedfromhiswifesdeathand,indeed,hepocketed300poundsinsurancemoney.Caseclosed:CharlesFranksmurderedatallwomenanddroppedherinthecanalaftermeetingJoannaintheforest.IfJoannaFranksjumpedofftheboatatthesametimeasthedeadbodyhitthewater,sheswamtothebankandjoinedherhusband.Thecouplechangedtheirnames,inthecaseofCharlesFranksasecondtimeafterhediedasJoannasfirsthusband.Thefourthboatman,ayoungsterwhowasnotcharged,wasprobablypaidbyJoannatogivefalsetestimony.MorsetravelstoIrelandandhasagraveofJoannasfirsthusbandexhumed.Thecoffincontainsbagsofsandandsomestones.

在外星人的眼中，地球人就是供他们玩乐的消遣。一群外星人打了一个赌，赌注是地球的存亡。他们在地球上随机选了一个人，赋予他心想事成的超能力，如果这个人最终成为了贪得无厌的恶人，外星人就选择把地球毁灭，但如果这个人依然维持着善良的本性，则意味着地球仍然有着继续运转的意义。平凡而又内向的中学老师尼尔（西蒙·佩吉SimonPegg饰）成为了这名干系到地球存亡的天选之子，在拥有了超能力后，尼尔的身边发生了一连串有惊无险令人不知该笑还是该害怕的意外。与此同时，尼尔默默爱慕的女子凯瑟琳（凯特·贝金赛尔KateBeckinsale饰）也被卷入了危险之中。