This episode begins with an art auction where a painting by a man who used Midsomer as his medium is sold for nearly half a million pounds. The painting was found in the attic of a local woman who announces that the proceeds will go to an art school which has recently lost its funding. The school is for artists who have fallen on hard times, including some with criminal records. It allows total creativity with work in many different forms. At the center, however, is the possibility of art forgers at work. The show delves into an intricate plot to deal with these sham paintings. Barnaby becomes interested in the works of art. His conclusions do tend to be a bit beyond the pale, especially an observation he makes about a breed of pigs. This is a fun episode because while there is murder, there is also a tongue in cheek element to it.
Review of The Black Book
