Masterpiece Mystery Inspector Lewis: Series II Preview

Masterpiece Mystery continues with seven new episodes of Inspector Lewis: Series II premiering on Sunday, August 30th on PBS. Kevin Whately (Inspector Morse) returns as Inspector Lewis for a second season. The much-loved Oxford policeman is joined once again by Laurence Fox (Becoming Jane) as his young partner DS Hathaway. As the relationship between inspector and sergeant grows and develops, the viewer sees new sides to the inimitable duo.

There are several actors with Austen connections in the series: Tom Riley (George Wickham in Lost in Austen), Neil Pearson (Richard Finch in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason & Bridget Jones’ Diary), Pippa Haywood (Frankie in Lost in Austen), Tom Goodman-Hill (Mr. Lushington MP in Miss Austen Regrets), Ian McNeice (Quizmaster in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Richard McCabe (Captain Benwick in Persuasion 1995) Jason Watkins (Rev. Clarke in Miss Austen Regrets & Charlie Parker-Knowles in Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason), Tom Mison (Charles Bingley in Lost in Austen) and Adrian Lukis (George Wickham P&P 1995).

Here is preview of the coming season:

'And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea'
Sunday, August 30, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Stolen rare books and the murders of a brilliant Oxford fine arts student and a library maintenance engineer lead Lewis and Hathaway to a treatment center for gambling addicts and two talented painters. Can Oxford’s finest trace the killers before they claim their next victim? Pictured (l-r): DI Lewis (Kevin Whately), Philip Horton (Tom Riley) and DS Hathaway (Laurence Fox).

'Music to Die For'
Sunday, September 06, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The worlds of no-rules boxing, Oxford dons and Cold War intrigue surround the death of a prominent Oxford don. Consequences from the investigation hit Lewis surprisingly close to home, leading to revelations about the loss suffered by Lewis since the death of his wife. Pictured: Jack Roth (Bradley James) taking part in an underground boxing match.

'Life Born of Fire'
Sunday, September 13, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

A serial killer seems to be targeting a religious group, “The Garden,” which claims to give guidance to lost souls. As he learns more about the group and its true purpose, Lewis’ trust in Hathaway wavers when he finds that his young sergeant has his own dangerous personal connections to “The Garden.” Pictured (l-r): DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) rescues Hathaway (Laurence Fox) from a fire.

'The Great and the Good'
Sunday, September 20, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a teenage girl is assaulted, Lewis and Hathaway track down a possible suspect — only to find he has a seemingly watertight alibi provided by three pillars of the Oxford community. When the suspect is suddenly murdered, Lewis untangles a web of intrigue to expose the Oxford elite. Pictured: Kevin Whately as DI Robert Lewis.

'Allegory of Love'
Sunday, October 04, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

Literary whimsy becomes murderous reality with the death of a Czech barmaid. The scene of the crime yields two puzzling clues: a bloodstained note and a broken antique mirror. To find the killer, Lewis and Hathaway must uncover the hidden connections between the victim and a prominent Oxford professor, a literary society and a book by Oxford’s hottest new author. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Norman Deering (James Fox) and DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately).

'Quality of Mercy'
Sunday, October 11, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

When a young actor is murdered during a student Shakespeare production, Lewis (Kevin Whately, shown) and Hathaway sift through the motives of several suspects — from a jealous thespian to an Oxford dropout to a playgoer only too anxious to use his ticket stub as an alibi. As the duo tracks down the truth, they unearth a dark secret that hits Lewis eerily close to home.

'The Point of Vanishing'
Sunday, October 18, 2009, 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm ET

The murder of a small-time criminal leads Lewis and Hathaway to a prominent Oxford don-turned-celebrity atheist who years earlier had been the intended target of a botched murder attempt. Could these isolated incidents be connected? As the pair investigates further, they uncover a web of deceit and a case of mistaken identity that will lead them to their killer. Pictured (l-r): DS James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), DI Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) and Hope Ransome (Zoe Boyle).

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose