The world of organic baking crumbles in Midsomer Murders

The world of organic baking is on a downward roll following incidents at the newly revamped Larkton’s Mill…

The superstar couple of the baking world – artisan baker Tom Larkton and his pâtissière wife Chrissie have recently revamped her family’s beautiful old water mill. Following intensive refurbishment, Larkton’s Mill re-opened with a state-of-the-art water turbine making it fully sustainable, producing 100% organic flour – which has brought the couple huge success and a dedicated online following.

But despite growing up in the village, Chrissie has not been welcomed back with open arms. The popularity of Larkton’s as a destination has caused resentment in Lower Blissingham. Many of the old village businesses are now struggling, traffic has increased, and rumour has it that Larkton’s have plans to expand.

Denise Bantrig, the landlady of The Highwayman Inn, is outraged by the impact Larkton’s Mill is having on the village and has organised a protest group against the couple. She is supported by Maria, who runs the old village café and will not let her business go down without a fight…

While the charismatic power couple may seem to be living the magazine cover dream, things are not quite as perfect as they seem when they become targets of aggressive online hate. The threats appear to escalate when locals boycott the Larkton’s attempt to build bridges with the village, a Midsummer’s Eve Party, embarrassing them in front of the local press. But things take a sinister turn as Chrissie begins to hallucinate and is nearly killed as she staggers into the mill pond in a trance-like state before being saved by head miller Gabriel.

Barnaby and Winter are called in to investigate as patrons at the pub were similarly affected. Fleur has a hunch that the seeded rolls which Chrissie ate were contaminated. But why would the pub, the hub of the protest, have eaten the rolls from Larkton’s Mill?

When a farmer is murdered Barnaby and Winter must race to work out the truth before the killer can strike again. Is this revenge for the poisoned rolls? Or is something hellbent on preventing the success of Larkton’s Mill?

Midsomer Murders, ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player, tonight at 8 pm