The Lonely House

This one is not a barrel of laughs as a dead body is discovered in a barrel of tar by some road construction workers.

Inspector Duggan is in charge of the case and forensics identify the body as a middle aged woman. Even if they manage to remove all the tar, her best friends would not be able to identify her.

The only thing the police have to go on are her dental records. The dead woman had some bridge work done and when she is identified, the police find out that she was planning to go to Switzerland for a holiday.

When a body of a man is later found in a barrel of tar. The police find more similarities and the trail leads to a marriage bureau. They liked clients who were lonely, middle aged and wealthy.

The victims would be lured to a half finished house to be murdered, the lonely house.

This is another brisk thriller from the Scotland Yard series. Although I think the undercover detective was put at great risk. The others just seem to stand around when the villain went on the attack.

Look out for writer and broadcaster Ludovic Kennedy as a newscaster.

Workmen make a particularly grim discovery, a body found in a barrel of tar, unfortunately further bodies are discovered, Inspector Duggan is once again on the case.

Great twist at the end, and a somewhat unexpected scene for the 1950's.

A little slow to start, despite the wonderfully macabre discovery, but the ending more than makes up for it. I loved the basic idea, and the way it played out.

Inspector Duggan is like Judith Chalmers, a shame he didn't film a travel show, he doesn't half get about, imagine his air miles.

If you get a chance, check out Murder most English, there's an episode called Lonely Hearts, it's a very similar storyline, a very good one, only Brenda Bruce is the target.

One of my favourite episodes so far.

8/10.