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The year is 1890. Detective Sergeant John Billings is an honest and hard working man who has risen swiftly through the ranks to become one of Scotland Yard's youngest detectives. But in his private life he struggles with the demons of loneliness and morphine addiction.
While Scotland Yard is in the midst of foiling a Russian counterfeiting operation, Billings is asked to investigate the cold blooded murder of Lord Palmer. The main suspect is a rough looking vagrant called Brendan Lochrane who was employed by Lord Palmer to live as an 'ornamental hermit' in a grotto in his estate. When Billings visits Lochrane in his holding cell, he is moved by the look in the man's eyes. This is not the 'Wild Man' the press have made him out to be. Lochrane is mute, docile and unresponsive. A gut feeling leads Billings to suspect that the man is being framed. But who is framing him? And why?
Billings travels the length and breadth of Britain investigating the case. As he pieces together the fragments of Lochrane's extraordinary life, he slowly finds himself becoming embroiled in a web of corruption and deceit which goes right to the heart of Scotland Yard.
'The Ornamental Hermit' is a thrilling mystery which leads the listener on a colourful journey into Victorian England.
CAST
David Ault as Billings
Sarah Bowers as Nancy
Laura Mirsky as Cecilia Forester
Mike Young as the PrisonGuard/Al Bull/Barnabas Crooke
Matt Sykes as Sebastian
Bob Lawrence as Clarkson
Anthony Hewston as Jacobs
Tanya Rich as Mrs Appleby
Karim Kronfli as DI Wright
Luke Mulloy as DC Cooper
Ivan Wilkinson as Arthur Etherbridge
Shaun Mendum as Oswald Crooke
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