The Brokenwood Mysteries

- Welcome, everyone, on this most auspicious occasion.

All Hallows' Eve is a mysterious and powerful night

where the veil between the physical world and the spirit

world is at its thinnest.

Tonight, we will make contact with the other side.

You might see and hear strange things this night,

but do not be alarmed.

It will merely be the spirits breaking through the veil.

Just so no one can accuse me of any funny business.

And welcome.

To those lost souls also here tonight,

we honor your presence.

Let the séance begin.

Does anyone have a question to get us started?

I've got a question.

Actually, I've got lots of questions.

Um, firstly, what will this week's lotto numbers be?

And then what will next week's lotto numbers be?

And then...

The spirits can't predict lotto numbers.

Oh. Bummer.

Well, so what's the point?

Some people take comfort in hearing

from those on the other side.

Oh, cool.

I know someone on the other side, DC Breen.

This DC Breen...

he's dead?

No.

What happened?

Detective Sims will be gutted.

- I'm asking a question, not stating a fact.

The spirits are telling me he's alive.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's alive.

He's in the Solomon Islands, you know, on the other side.

Just to be clear, I can only communicate

with those who have died.

I know someone who's dead.

That's great, Todd.

Who do you want to contact?

His name was Hunter.

He was my best friend when I was a kid.

- This Hunter, does he have warm brown eyes

and scraggly hair, fond of catching rabbits?

Yeah, that's him.

Uh, I have an offering.

- He is with you right now curled up beside your chair,

wagging his tail.

Oh.

- Communicating with the dead should not be taken lightly.

The spirits can't perform magic tricks.

Can we hurry up with this mumbo jumbo?

I like to be tucked up in bed by 10:00 p.m.

You know, Eileen, I hear a lot

of that dismissive attitude.

But I fully believe in Morgana's spiritual abilities.

You might be surprised.

Now, does anyone have a dead human

they would like to connect with?

Are you sure you want to go through with this?

It's not too late to leave.

- I call upon the spirits of those who have passed.

We welcome you with open hearts and minds.

If you have a message for anyone at this table tonight,

make yourselves known.

Break through the veil and use me as your vessel.

Viktor, I feel a strong presence

coming through for you.

I bet you do, but too late.

We're divorced.

Careful, don't anger the spirits.

They have no time for your stupid jokes.

- I wish to speak to the spirit of my great grandmother,

matriarch of the Marinkovic family.

Nadarajah Prabhakar Latinka Marinkovic, are you here?

She's here.

Oh!

I'm scared of the dark.

What the hell is going on here?

Come on.

Turn the lights back on.

Oh, oh.

Oh, what the hell?

What? Look, Hunter.

What's going on?

What have you got for us, Boss?

Apart from a haunted house.

It belongs to Morgana Marinkovic.

The palm reader?

Turns out she's clairvoyant, too.

There's a difference?

Oh, yes.

- Palm reading involves interpreting physical signs

for spiritual guidance.

It... clairvoyancy is creating a gateway

between the physical and spiritual for interpretation.

She was holding a séance here tonight

because it's All Hallows' Eve.

Hmm, which is?

Well, might you ask.

- It's the best night of the year to contact the dead.

The veil is at its thinnest.

Yeah.

A thin veil... makes sense.

The victim?

Her ex-husband Viktor Marinkovic.

He was killed during the séance?

- Someone took the whole communing with the dead thing

quite literally.

How?

It seems he was stabbed.

Seems?

Uh, follow me.

- Yeah, seems like a stab wound, all right.

So what's the catch?

- There's no sign of a knife or a weapon of any kind.

Yeah, in the body, sure, but...

In the room, a room that was locked when

11 people began the séance.

All nine witnesses swear that no one entered

or exited during the event.

All nine witnesses have been retained in the house.

Well, 11 people minus the victim.

So why are there only nine witnesses?

A 10th left the scene.

Hello, Mike.

You want me now?

Ah, Gina, come through now.

We'll start with the interviews.

- Um, you know, I've dealt with Morgana before.

She'd probably appreciate a woman's touch.

You little piker.

It can't be that bad.

- Mike, it's always a pleasure to see you after hours.

When the call came, I thought, oh, how lovely,

something to fill my evening...

and with you.

It's so nice.

Mm.

Uh, the cause of death seems pretty obvious.

It is interesting.

How?

- Well, this incision looks like a stab wound, yes?

However, there is very little blood.

Do you have the weapon?

No.

You mean it went

I mean, it's not immediately obvious.

Perhaps he was killed by a ghost.

- Mm, perhaps, but in my opinion, unlikely.

What happened, Viktor?

Who did this to you?

And with what?

He doesn't know.

I promise you.

Seriously, he doesn't know.

Who doesn't know what?

Viktor.

He doesn't know who killed him.

It was too dark.

Mm.

Okay.

So how did the night begin?

- I always ask the guests to bring a plate.

It's a lovely way for everyone to get to know...

each other beforehand.

Hi.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, trifle.

Yummy.

My grandmother's recipe.

- So Mrs. Baker was the first to arrive?

Mm.

Mm.

- Were you hoping to hear from anyone in particular?

My grandmother.

I've been dying to get my hands on her Lamington recipe.

Oh, is that bad form, to say "dying,"

you know, considering...

- Break through the veil and use me as your vessel.

There's an elderly lady here

coming through very clearly.

She's well put together with a large bosom.

Oh, oh.

That sounds like my grandmother.

Grandma, I need your Lamington recipe.

- She's saying she doesn't want to talk about Lamingtons.

She's saying... your house is a complete mess.

When was the last time you dusted your mantelpiece?

Is that you, Mom?

Honestly, Peggy.

How hard is it to unpack a dishwasher?

- And another thing... - Okay.

Thanks, Mom.

- So you didn't get the Lamington recipe, then?

I was very disappointed.

Ishbel and Eileen arrived next.

I can never remember which one is which.

But the one with short hair was sort of rude.