Midsomer giveaway!!

If you want a real taste of beautiful scenery, village life, chocolate-box-pretty towns, and the occasional dead body, I've got just the thing for you!  Acorn Media is releasing a collection of recent DVDs in the Midsomer Murders Village Case Files. 

If you've never visited the lovely English county of Midsomer, you're in for a treat!  Nestled in the middle of England (the real filming takes place in villages in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire), the events portrayed in Midsomer Murders take place in towns with charming names like Midsomer Mallow, Midsomer Wellow, Badgers Drift and Morton Fendle.  It's up to the dogged DCI Tom Barnaby (played by John Nettles) and his assistants DS Dan Scott and DC Ben Jones to clear up the many cases of murder that inexplicably happen in such gorgeous surroundings.

In every episode we are also treated to scenes from DCI Barnaby's home life, including his long-suffering wife Joyce (very sweet, but decidedly lacking in culinary skills) and daughter Cully (an aspiring actress).  The play between Barnaby and his underlings is also interesting to watch.  Somehow the assistants are always the ones directed to chase and tackle fleeing suspects or to overnight in barns and lofts to await developments.

The episodes generally start with the victim meeting his untimely end, and Barnaby and sidekick rushing to the scene.  There will likely be more bodies piled up before the evildoer is finally tracked down!  Many of the mysteries are set in specialized worlds.  The people involved (victims and suspects) might be involved in the local horse racing scene, or be collectors of rare orchids or all have psychic powers.  Everyone is a suspect (well, until he or she turns up dead, that is!) and it's fun to see if I can suss out the murderer before Barnaby does (generally not!).

The series began in 1997 in the UK and since then more than 65 feature-length episodes have aired.  The series is still in production, although John Nettles is set to retire from the show this year).  The Village Case Files set contains 4 sets of DVDs containing 16 mysteries.  The scenery is lovely.  There are plenty of thatched cottages, flowers, stately churches and village fetes to whet the appetite for a quick visit to this lovely area of England!  Bonus features include text interviews with John Nettles and Jason Hughes, fascinating facts, The Killings of Badger's Drift connection, production notes, Caroline Graham (who wrote the novels that inspired the series) biography and cast filmographies.

Thanks to Alyssa at Acorn Media, I have one copy of Midsomer Murders Village Case Files to giveaway!  To enter, just leave a comment stating a mystery you would recommend.  It can be a book or a TV series or even a film.  Make sure your email address is in your comment or profile (if you have a blog) so that I can contact you.  Open only to the U.S.  Enter by Oct. 20.

Disclaimer:  I received a review copy and a giveaway copy of Midsomer Murders Village Case Files from Acorn Media

Final Verdict for Midsomer Murders Village Case Files:  Five Gherkins, for being a cosy look at an idyllic British countryside . . . if you can overlook all the dead bodies!