‘Dalgliesh’ Season 2 Episode 1 recap: ‘Death of an Expert Witness – Part 1’

The new season of Dalgliesh launched in the UK tonight!

Based on the Dalgliesh stories by P.D. James, the 1970s-set crime drama series is back for a second run on Acorn TV and Channel 5,

Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster) reprises his role as the show’s titular Detective Chief Inspector in six brand new episodes, with guest stars including Daisy Waterstone (The Durrells), Sorcha Cusack (Father Brown), David Bamber (Flesh & Blood), and Jeremy Irvine (War Horse).

If you missed the first season of Dalgliesh, you can catch up on Acorn TV with a free 7-day trial!

Watch the Season 2 trailer here:

The first part of ‘Death of an Expert Witness’ premiered at 9pm on Thursday 27th April 2023 on Channel 5 in the UK and is streaming on Acorn TV in the US.

Here’s a plot recap:

In an intimate London venue, Miskin watches Dalgliesh give a moving poetry reading.

Meanwhile in a clunch pit in Norfolk, some drunk teenagers stumble upon the body of a young girl.

Across the village, we meet irritable forensic scientist Dr Edmund Lorrimer, unassuming pathologist Dr David Rollinson, smug director of the Lab Maximilian Howarth, and his prepossessing sister Domenica. That night, Dr Lorrimer is killed in his Lab by an unknown assailant.

Dalgliesh and Miskin are called to Norfolk to assist with this delicate inquiry.

Howarth assures them that only he and Lorrimer had personal keys to the building – the other two are kept in a locked safe, and at the police station. Miskin notices vomit in one of the toilet basins, and investigates.

Receptionist Brenda Pridmore – who found the body – and junior biologist Clifford Bradley both insist they went straight home last night.

Later Dalgliesh and Miskin interview Old Mr Lorrimer (the victim’s father), who recalls that a mysterious woman once rang the house wishing to speak to Edmund, mentioning the numbers 18 and 40.

In Edmund’s desk, they find passionate love letters to Domenica, who breezily admits to their affair.

Meanwhile, Lorrimer’s cousin Angela Foley is distraught to learn that he left her nothing in his will: instead, he made young Brenda his beneficiary.

Clifford Bradley finally admits to returning to the lab last night, where he found Lorrimer dead and ran away in a panic, noticing a car outside with its headlights on.

Later, Angela’s girlfriend Stella heads out into the night. Brenda walks home from work, becoming spooked at the sound of footsteps.

She runs to the chapel where she finds another dead body: that of Stella Mawson.

Dalgliesh is available to watch on Acorn TV with a free 7-day trial.