This is very much a slow burner, a slower paced psychological thriller, it may move at a more casual pace then other episodes in the series, but it's well worth sticking with it. Such a clever and smart story, you wonder if Betty Drew is crazy, injured, plotting something, or if something more sinister is going on behind the scenes. The story is along similar lines to An Echo of Theresa, mystery, strange unexplainable goings on, but it's so much more watchable, Zena Walker is excellent as Betty, as is Donald Gee, who is admirable as the dogged Constable Tom Patterson. I really enjoyed the way this one played out, some clever plot elements, and a great ending. 8/10
5 Reviews
Reasonably interesting
analoguebubblebath31 August 2005
'Murder In Mind', along with 'An Echo Of Theresa', is one of Thriller's first series' weaker efforts. Weak by Thriller's standards however - which essentially means entertaining by any other barometer.
The story is concerned with murder. With a difference. Betty Drew (competently played by Zena Walker) is a confused woman who wanders into her local police station raving about a murder she and her husband, a crime novelist, have committed. Needless to say her story is not initially believable and is dismissed without question.
The episode progresses in a somewhat laborious fashion but our interest accelerates when we realise that the murder being referred to is in the future, not the past.
As always, worth at least one viewing.
The story is concerned with murder. With a difference. Betty Drew (competently played by Zena Walker) is a confused woman who wanders into her local police station raving about a murder she and her husband, a crime novelist, have committed. Needless to say her story is not initially believable and is dismissed without question.
The episode progresses in a somewhat laborious fashion but our interest accelerates when we realise that the murder being referred to is in the future, not the past.
As always, worth at least one viewing.
Murder in mind
coltras355 February 2023
A woman stumbles into a rural police station, clearly distressed, possibly with a head injury, unable to say what her name is or where she has come from. The only thing she does know, is that she has committed a murder.
While her identity remains a mystery, the details of the murder plot come out bit by bit, the time, the place, the victim, the reason. It all sounds a lot like the plot of a murder mystery. And that's what it turns out to be, as her identity becomes clear, and it's revealed that she is the wife of a best-selling author of murder mysteries, and she has recounted the plot of his latest book. Mystery solved. Or is it? Because the whole thing doesn't sit right with the newly promoted Detective Constable who heard the woman's story, and he's willing to stick his neck out, to continue to look into the matter, despite the supposed victim still being very much alive.
A rather enjoyable mystery tale with the usual sinister atmosphere and tension prelavent in this anthology sorrows, however the twist can be a bit laboured and confusing. The pace can be slow and the execution is a bit flat. But the idea is intriguing and generally it keeps on watching. Loved the police station banter.
Donald Gee is particularly strong as the dogmatic Detective Patterson. Richard Johnson doesn't have a great deal to do but carries quite an air of mystery about him.
While her identity remains a mystery, the details of the murder plot come out bit by bit, the time, the place, the victim, the reason. It all sounds a lot like the plot of a murder mystery. And that's what it turns out to be, as her identity becomes clear, and it's revealed that she is the wife of a best-selling author of murder mysteries, and she has recounted the plot of his latest book. Mystery solved. Or is it? Because the whole thing doesn't sit right with the newly promoted Detective Constable who heard the woman's story, and he's willing to stick his neck out, to continue to look into the matter, despite the supposed victim still being very much alive.
A rather enjoyable mystery tale with the usual sinister atmosphere and tension prelavent in this anthology sorrows, however the twist can be a bit laboured and confusing. The pace can be slow and the execution is a bit flat. But the idea is intriguing and generally it keeps on watching. Loved the police station banter.
Donald Gee is particularly strong as the dogmatic Detective Patterson. Richard Johnson doesn't have a great deal to do but carries quite an air of mystery about him.
Amnesia and affair
AvionPrince1623 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
So yeah the episode was pretty interesting and more complex than it seem at the first view . We have a woman who claim a murder but no body can be found . And after we will get suspicious with the big case that the husband will hide under the stairs and it will reveal that it was only books inside .
Slowly we will also discover the psychology of that woman about her condition . And also we will reveal that the husband wanted to kill his wife and took the money : he had also an affair with that secretary that we thought she was dead .
So yeah the episode have interesting revelations ,mysteries ,characters and our young detective will save that woman from her own husband . I really like the episode and how it was build and the psychological part too .
Slowly we will also discover the psychology of that woman about her condition . And also we will reveal that the husband wanted to kill his wife and took the money : he had also an affair with that secretary that we thought she was dead .
So yeah the episode have interesting revelations ,mysteries ,characters and our young detective will save that woman from her own husband . I really like the episode and how it was build and the psychological part too .
Slow-moving and not very thrilling
lists-926 October 2004
A woman arrives at a police station, distraught and confused, to confess to murder. It soon becomes clear that she does not know who she has murdered, or even who she is.
One of the lesser episodes of the Brian Clemens series. This is just not very exciting, or even very interesting. Zena Walker as the confused wife makes the most of an underdeveloped part. Richard Johnson as the crime writer husband and Donald Gee as the police detective are adequate but unimpressive. Although the plot is not predictable, in this case it's hard to sympathise with the characters or, really, to care about who (if anyone) has been murdered.
The "action" scenes at the climax and the sudden ending are particularly disappointing.
One of the lesser episodes of the Brian Clemens series. This is just not very exciting, or even very interesting. Zena Walker as the confused wife makes the most of an underdeveloped part. Richard Johnson as the crime writer husband and Donald Gee as the police detective are adequate but unimpressive. Although the plot is not predictable, in this case it's hard to sympathise with the characters or, really, to care about who (if anyone) has been murdered.
The "action" scenes at the climax and the sudden ending are particularly disappointing.
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