Case file · Series 13, Episode 5 · Season 13, Episode 5
Master Class
A gifted pianist sees a woman vanish into the river at an elite winter school whose director knows more about her family than he admits.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
Classical music, inheritance and an unsettling family design create one of the era's most operatic cases.
- Best for
- Music school · Piano · Family legacy
- Mood
- Dark
- Team
- DCI Tom Barnaby with DS Ben Jones
- 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
Classical music, inheritance and an unsettling family design create one of the era's most operatic cases.
Zoe Stock earns a place at the Devington Manor Winter School led by celebrated musician Sir Michael Fielding. In the grounds she sees a woman jump from a bridge and disappear, drawing Barnaby and Jones into the school's tightly controlled world.
Murders of a fellow student and a priest, followed by an attempt on Barnaby's life, connect the master class to Zoe's parents and Fielding's past. Her musical talent is central to a plan larger than competition for a place at the piano.
Break the seal: reveal the finding
Who was the killer in Master Class? (spoiler)
Zoe has been drawn to Devington as part of a calculated family scheme. Barnaby uncovers the relationships behind her talent and stops the plan after becoming a target himself.
Spoiler-safe viewing companion
Three questions to carry into the episode
Three spoiler-safe questions for your rewatch.
- Place
What does Devington conceal?
- Theme
Which details could have more than one meaning?
- Teamwork
Watch DCI Tom Barnaby and DS Ben Jones: who notices what?
More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information
Credits, context and checked facts
Production and cast
- TV series
- Series 13
- Episode number
- Episode 5
- Written by
- Nicholas Martin
- Directed by
- Renny Rye
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 6 October 2010
- Reported filming period
- March–April 2010
- Detective
- DCI Tom Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Ben Jones
- Pathologist
- Dr George Bullard · Barry Jackson
- Principal setting
- Devington
- Casebook tone
- Dark
Sources accompany the production credits and filming links.
Fictional settings and real filming places are listed separately. Filming links include 1 mapped area; 5 exact sites.
Credits and archive connections
- Writer credits3 episodes credited to Nicholas Martin
- Director credits23 episodes directed by Renny Rye
- Release positionCase 78 of 144
- Story characterDark · Music school · Piano
- Location evidence5 exact screen-use matches
Dorchester Abbey hosts Zoe's organ performance and the Fleur de Lys becomes The Devington Arms.
St Katherine's at Parmoor provides the school's principal interior.
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.
Selected episode credits
Master Class cast
These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.
Jane Wymark
Kirsty Dillon
Lydia Wilson
Richard Fleeshman
Frances Barber
Ian Puleston-Davies
Sylvestra Le Touzel
James Fox
Matthew James Thomas
Nadia Cameron-Blakey
Michael Maloney
Stephanie Jacob
Katherine Press
Janet Dibley
Tristram Wymark
Clifford Rose
Harry Myers
Elizabeth Bell
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.
John Nettles
Tom Barnaby · Detective Chief Inspector- Bergerac
- Poldark
- Royal Shakespeare Company
Jason Hughes
Ben Jones · Police Constable · Detective Sergeant · Inspector- This Life
- Marcella
- The Pact
Barry Jackson
Dr George Bullard · Police pathologist- Cathy Come Home
- Doctor Who
- Barry Lyndon
Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.
Forensic team
Dr George Bullard
- Credit
- Resident pathologist
- Played by
- Barry Jackson
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
- Orlando Guest
Murder · Strangulation or hanging
Performer check- Orlando Guest: Matthew James Thomas
- Rev. Gregory
Murder · Stabbing or impalement
Performer check- Rev. Gregory: Clifford RoseThe list of deaths calls the victim ‘Father Gregory’; the published cast record credits ‘Rev. Gregory’, used here.
- Mad Molly
Suicide · Drowning
Performer check- Mad Molly: not listed in the current published cast recordNo Mad Molly performer appears in the current published cast record.
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Who was the killer in Master Class? (spoiler)
Sir Michael Fielding · Miriam Fielding · Constance Fielding · Jonas SleeSir Michael directed his children in a eugenic scheme centred on Zoe Stock. Jonas physically killed Orlando Guest, while Miriam and Constance killed Rev. Connor Gregory; Miriam also sabotaged the Stocks' car in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Zoe leaving. Mad Molly's earlier drowning remains suicide rather than another family murder.
Verified motive
Sir Michael believed exceptional musical ability had to be preserved through the Fielding genes and planned to father a child with Zoe, who was both his daughter and granddaughter. The family killed Orlando as an impediment, Gregory for having hidden Zoe from them and attempted to remove her adoptive parents so they could control her and complete the eugenic scheme.
Verified important clue
Archive case 78 · checked 16 September 2026The DNA match from Molly's locketA strand of Molly's hair interwoven with Zoe's in the locket matches the saliva taken at Communion, proving the concealed mother-daughter relationship and exposing the family scheme that Father Gregory threatened; it preserves Molly's historical suicide and the later car sabotage as distinct events.
Verified decisive clue
Archive case 78 · checked 17 September 2026The DNA match from Molly's locketA strand of Molly's hair interwoven with Zoe's matches the saliva taken at Communion, proving the concealed mother-daughter relationship and exposing the Fielding scheme that Gregory threatened. It separates Jonas's killing of Orlando, Miriam and Constance's killing of Gregory, the later car sabotage and Molly's historical suicide.
Verified death and discovery order
Archive case 78 · checked 16 September 2026- deathMad Molly's earlier death remains suicide
Molly's historical drowning begins the hidden family history but is not reassigned as one of the Fieldings' murders.
- discoveryZoe's return revives the family scheme
Sir Michael recognises Zoe as both his daughter and granddaughter and plans to use her musical talent in his eugenic project.
- deathOrlando Guest is killed
Jonas physically kills Orlando after Sir Michael identifies the young musician as an impediment to the plan for Zoe.
- deathRev. Connor Gregory is killed
Miriam and Constance kill Gregory because he helped conceal Zoe after Molly's death and can reveal the family history.
- discoveryThe Stocks survive a sabotaged journey
Miriam tampers with the adoptive parents' car, an attempted killing intended to prevent them taking Zoe away.
- discoveryThe family roles and genealogy are exposed
Zoe escapes the incestuous breeding scheme as the investigation separates Sir Michael's direction, Jonas's killing and the sisters' murder and sabotage.
Real place → fictional identity
Where was Master Class filmed?
Dorchester Abbey
Used as: The abbey appears as a Causton church during the organ scenes.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.The Fleur de Lys
Used as: The hotel becomes The Devington Arms.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.St Katherine's
Used as: The country house provides Devington Manor's interior.
Watersmeet Theatre
Used as: The theatre represents Causton Concert Hall.
The Old Police Station
Used as: The building appears as Causton Police Station.
Sources accompany the identified filming places.
Wider filming areas