The Village Murder Casebook

Case file · Series 24, Episode 3 · Season 24, Episode 3

Claws Out

A village dog search discovers a pet detective dead inside an animal cage while another, much larger dog remains missing.

Verified filming locations

Every filming site currently documented in this Casebook file is listed here. The published evidence does not establish a complete production itinerary.

  • The Horn · Crazies Hill, Berkshire

    The pub exterior is redressed as the Indian restaurant in fictional Binwell.

    Filming source ↗
  • Crazies Hill Village Hall · Crazies Hill, Berkshire

    The village hall supplies one of Binwell's community exteriors.

    Filming source ↗

Map lookup by place name. A private house’s exact address is not marked.

Selected episode credits

Claws Out cast

These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.

The 60-second case card

Should I watch this one?

Pet ownership, training culture and inheritance law combine in a case where almost every clue has teeth.

Best for
Missing pets · Dog training · Inheritance
Mood
Eccentric
Team
DCI John Barnaby with DS Jamie Winter
Spoiler guidance
Read the premise freely; open the marked sections only after watching. Check the linked provider advisory for further viewing information.

Why it matters

Pet ownership, training culture and inheritance law combine in a case where almost every clue has teeth.

Volunteers searching around Binwell for a missing dog instead find pet detective Frank Bailey dead in a cage associated with Storm, a missing Czechoslovakian wolfdog. The discovery turns an apparently communal search into an examination of rivalries among owners, trainers and Frank's family.

A disputed inheritance and a second death change the financial consequences of the case. Barnaby and Winter have to separate hostility towards the victim from the movement of the missing animal—and decide which apparently helpful searchers are controlling the evidence.

  • Missing pets
  • Dog training
  • Inheritance
Break the seal: reveal the finding

Who was the killer in Claws Out? (spoiler)

The pattern of inheritance, the staged use of dog-training equipment and the truth about Storm's disappearance expose a plan built to redirect suspicion through the animals.

More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information

Credits, context and checked facts

Production and cast

TV series
Series 24
Episode number
Episode 3
Written by
Helen Jenkins
Directed by
Paul Gibson
Listed transmission date(s)
18 December 2023
Reported filming period
May–June 2023
Detective
DCI John Barnaby
Partner
DS Jamie Winter
Pathologist
Dr Fleur Perkins · Annette Badland
Principal setting
Binwell
Casebook tone
Eccentric

Sources accompany the production credits and filming links.

Fictional settings and real filming places are listed separately. Filming links include 0 mapped areas; 2 exact sites.

Credits and archive connections

  • Writer credits6 episodes credited to Helen Jenkins
  • Director credits3 episodes directed by Paul Gibson
  • Release positionCase 139 of 144
  • Story characterEccentric · Missing pets · Dog training
  • Location evidence2 exact screen-use matches
Crazies Hill becomes Binwell

The Horn pub was used as Binwell's Indian restaurant, while the village hall and a local cottage supplied further exteriors.

A distinctive animal co-star

Storm is identified in the story as a Czechoslovakian wolfdog rather than an ordinary domestic crossbreed.

Sources for the production file

Published episode chronology and credits ↗Official ITV programme page ↗Filming-location reference index ↗

Credits follow the linked chronology. Dates can differ between territories. Consult original credits for story, teleplay and adaptation wording. External synopses may contain spoilers.

The performers behind this case

Core cast

Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.

Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.

Forensic team

Dr Fleur Perkins

Credit
Resident pathologist
Played by
Annette Badland
Meet the Casebook pathologists →

Spoiler-controlled deaths

Deaths recorded in this case

3 people die in this case, according to the linked death record.

Break the seal: reveal the list of deaths
  1. Frank Bailey

    Murder · Other recorded death

    Performer check
  2. Tai Yang

    Murder · Electrocution

    Performer check
  3. Lorna McIntosh

    Murder · Strangulation or hanging

    Performer check
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Series 24 · episode 3 · checked 15 September 2026

Who was the killer in Claws Out? (spoiler)

Perry Fleming (physical killer) · Madeline Saunders (instigator and killer)

Madeline manipulated terminally ill Perry into targeting Tai Yang, although Perry first killed Frank Bailey by mistake. Perry then killed Tai; Madeline killed Lorna McIntosh after Perry disclosed the scheme to her. Perry's later confession falsely claimed responsibility for all three deaths.

Verified motive

Madeline's controlling belief that Tai was derailing Daniella's future drove her to exploit Perry's gratitude for Edison’s heart donation and his terminal diagnosis: she asked Perry to make Tai disappear, accepting the risk because he would not live to face the consequences. Perry killed Frank by mistake and then Tai out of obligation to Madeline; Madeline killed Lorna when Perry's confession threatened to expose them.

Search the complete deaths index →

Real place → fictional identity

Where was Claws Out filmed?

Crazies Hill, Berkshire

The Horn

Used as: The pub exterior is redressed as the Indian restaurant in fictional Binwell.

Crazies Hill, Berkshire

Crazies Hill Village Hall

Used as: The village hall supplies one of Binwell's community exteriors.

Sources accompany the identified filming places.

Wider filming areas

Places connected to this file

Location research remains open.

No real filming place is confirmed for this case.