Case file · Series 17, Episode 2 · Season 17, Episode 2
Murder by Magic
A church magic show ends in a crushing death, leaving Barnaby to decide whether the victim—or the illusionist—was the intended target.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
A strong stage-magic case in which misdirection is both the evening's entertainment and the investigation's central problem.
- Best for
- Stage magic · Church show · Sabotage
- Mood
- Eccentric
- Team
- DCI John Barnaby with DS Charlie Nelson
- 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
A strong stage-magic case in which misdirection is both the evening's entertainment and the investigation's central problem.
Famous illusionist Gideon Latimer stages a show in the church at Midsomer Oaks, but his dramatic entrance becomes fatal when a suspended stage box falls and crushes pub landlady Hannah Altman. Dr Kate Wilding establishes that the safety system was sabotaged, raising the possibility that Gideon was meant to be inside it.
Barnaby and Nelson examine the Latimer family, the village pub and relationships shaped by performance, resentment and old loyalties. Every suspect understands something about controlling an audience's attention, so the detectives must distinguish a genuine mistake from a deliberately planted false target.
Break the seal: reveal the finding
Who was the killer in Murder by Magic? (spoiler)
The sabotaged illusion is designed to misdirect the investigation as carefully as the audience. Barnaby reconstructs who was expected to stand where, then uses the families' shared past to expose the purpose behind the apparent failed attack.
More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information
Credits, context and checked facts
Production and cast
- TV series
- Series 17
- Episode number
- Episode 2
- Written by
- Rachel Cuperman & Sally Griffiths
- Directed by
- Charles Palmer
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 4 February 2015
- Reported filming period
- June–July 2014
- Detective
- DCI John Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Charlie Nelson
- Pathologist
- Dr Kate Wilding · Tamzin Malleson
- Principal setting
- Midsomer Oaks
- Casebook tone
- Eccentric
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 credits4 episodes credited to Rachel Cuperman & Sally Griffiths
- Director credits1 episode directed by Charles Palmer
- Release positionCase 102 of 144
- Story characterEccentric · Stage magic · Church show
- Location evidence5 exact screen-use matches
St Mary's in Haddenham appears as St Cyprian's, while the Green Dragon exterior and the Crown at Sydenham combine to create The Green Man.
Andrew Lee Potts plays illusionist Gideon Latimer, with Amanda Burton as Carole Latimer.
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
Murder by Magic cast
These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.
Amanda Burton
Burton plays Carole Latimer in Murder by Magic, a Series 17 case involving an illusionist and a fatal stage performance. Her casting brings a familiar British crime-drama lead into the Midsomer guest ensemble.
Open actor profile →Fiona Dolman
Stephanie Leonidas
Andrew Lee Potts
Joe Absolom
Justin Salinger
Deborah Findlay
Fraser Ayres
Noma Dumezweni
Jack Shepherd
Alan McKenna
Merelina Kendall
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.
Neil Dudgeon
John Barnaby · Detective Chief Inspector- Messiah
- Life of Riley
- The Mrs Bradley Mysteries
Gwilym Lee
Charlie Nelson · Detective Sergeant- Bohemian Rhapsody
- The Great
- Jamestown
Tamzin Malleson
Dr Kate Wilding · Police pathologist- Teachers
- Bodies
- Unforgotten
Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.
Forensic team
Dr Kate Wilding
- Credit
- Resident pathologist
- Played by
- Tamzin Malleson
Spoiler-controlled deaths
Deaths recorded in this case
5 people die in this case, according to the linked death record.
Break the seal: reveal the list of deaths
- Hannah Altman
Murder · Crushing
Performer check- Hannah Altman: not listed in the current published cast recordThe episode synopsis names Hannah Altman, but no performer for her appears in the current published cast record; Luke Altman is a different character.
- Andrew Maplin
Murder · Stabbing or impalement
Performer check- Andrew Maplin: Justin SalingerThe published cast record includes Andrew Maplin’s church title; the concise list of deaths retains the name without it.
- Annabel Latimer
Murder · Other recorded death
Performer check- Annabel Latimer: Stephanie Leonidas
- Sir Hugo Melmoth
Murder · Burning or heat · historical or before the main case
Performer check- Sir Hugo Melmoth: not listed in the current published cast recordNo Sir Hugo Melmoth performer appears in the current published cast record.
- William Holt
Accidental, natural or other · Explosion · historical or before the main case
Performer check- William Holt: not listed in the current published cast recordThe historical victim is named in the episode dialogue, but no matching performer appears in the current published cast record.
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Who was the killer in Murder by Magic? (spoiler)
Carole LatimerCarole killed Hannah Altman, Andrew Maplin and Annabel Latimer because each threatened her son Gideon's career or secret, and then tried to kill Luke Altman in Gideon's fire illusion. Luke and Gideon had both contributed to William Holt's accidental death as children, while Sir Hugo Melmoth's historical killing by villagers remains separate from Carole's crimes.
Verified motive
Carole's controlling mother-love centred on preserving Gideon's success and keeping his childhood role in William Holt's death secret. Hannah's blackmail, Andrew's words that Carole misread as exposure and Annabel's perceived betrayal each threatened the life and career Carole had built around her son; Luke remained the surviving witness.
Verified decisive clue
Archive case 102 · checked 25 September 2026The shared secret behind William Holt's deathLuke's childhood fire also involved Gideon, who escaped responsibility. Hannah learned the secret from Luke, while Andrew's talk of exposing murderers was misunderstood. Their apparent pagan connection was misdirection: Carole removed perceived threats to her son, killed Annabel and tried to kill Luke.
Real place → fictional identity
Where was Murder by Magic filmed?
Chenies Manor
Used as: The Tudor manor represents the Latimer family home.
Church End garage
Used as: A private garage is transformed into Rhodri Probert's florist shop.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.The Green Dragon
Used as: The pub exterior becomes The Green Man in Midsomer Oaks.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.St Mary's Church
Used as: The church appears as St Cyprian's, venue for Gideon Latimer's magic show.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.The Crown
Used as: The pub interior is paired with Haddenham's exterior to create The Green Man.
Sources accompany the identified filming places.
Wider filming areas