Traditionalist Joe Ferabbee's circus performs in his home town, on land contested by his estranged brother, farmer Curtis, who wants to chase them. Barnaby was railroaded by his wife to attend a show with their daughter Betty, who luckily was 'powdering her nose' while the clowns duo's finale, shooting a 'bang flag' pistol, turns bloody as the talented clown who announced just before he's leaving for a more modern show is shot with a real one by his devastated sidekick. Autopsy however shows the real killer was using a rifle from a public seat, the type used by locals like Curtis, who misses one. His on farm abattoir laborer and orphaned protege with a violent criminal record Mostyn Cartwright hides one, and more, in his gore secret basement quarter, and a next murder occurs in the pigs slaughter line while Barnaby and DS Winter dig into the maze of dirty secrets among circus people and their loved ones/kin, where even Joe's son Harry Ferabbee runs out of patience with his outdated concept which ruins the circus. Yet the finale focuses on a much older drama.
Characters: []
DCI John Barnaby
Sarah Barnaby
Betty Barnaby
DS Jamie Winter
Dr. Fleur Perkins
Paddy The Dog
Guest Stars: []
- Joseph Ferabbee-Frankie McLaughlin/Jason Watkins
- Freya Ferabbee-Lorraine Burroughs
- Curtis Ferabbee-George Paish/Neil Stuke
- Harry Ferabbee-Andrew Gower
- William ''Billy'' Ferabbee
- Daniella Sadofski/Bellini-Lorraine Ashbourne
- Sophia Bellini-Joni Kamen
- Terry "Groucho" Bellini-Kevin Eldon
- Elsa Sadofski/Bellini
- Mostyn Cartwright-Andrew Knott
- Les "Oucho" Morrison-Mike Grady
- Ray Dawkins/Raoul Delgado-Jonathan Bonnici
- Ashley Denton-Terence Maynard