The Brokenwood Mysteries

When two fishermen find the body of a local farmer in the river, Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd is sent to the small rural town of Brokenwood to investigate the death. Is this the suicide of a man guilty of his own wife's murder or is he the victim of foul play? As Mike uncovers a family's tragedies and secrets he also learns that Brokenwood is a place where shadows lurk just beneath the surface.

With Brokenwood touted for its burgeoning merlot, the annual wine show is a major event. Having bought a 10-acre block with maturing grapes, no one is looking forward to it more than DI Mike Shepherd. But when a guest judge and wine critic is found dead, drowned inside a fermenting vat, the show takes second place to the murder investigation.

A group of erstwhile members of the Brokenwood Golf Club, committee members no less, have gathered for their regular Wednesday morning round. They are playing their approaches to the first green when a zombie-like figure lurches from the early-morning gloom, coming towards them. It takes the golfers a moment or two (apparently) to realise this is actually Adele Stone, the Club owner - her face red and blistering; gasping desperately for breath. Then she falls from sight, into a greenside bunker. By the time the guys get to her, Ms Stone is very much dead. And so Mike and Kristin are called to investigate what appears to be homicide by poisoning.

Four close friends go hunting in the bush on a stag trip. But the groom-to-be never comes back - he was shot through the head. Initially this would seem to be just another tragic hunting accident amidst picturesque New Zealand bush. The only problem is neither of the remaining two friends own up to pulling the trigger that fired the lethal bullet - yet all three had discharged their rifles - with no deer to prove it. The question is - who shot Hayden Renner? Was he mistaken for a real stag or was there something more sinister at play?

The Brokenwood Cheetahs are a local rugby team of legendary status. Their losing streak of 50 straight games has broken national records. So when their hapless coach, Arnie Langstone, is found dead - stripped naked and strapped to a goalpost - some think it might be blessing in disguise - perhaps now they might start winning again.But amidst this DSS Mike Shepherd is perplexed by several other issues. Firstly, why was a pair of women's underwear stuffed down Arnie's throat? And what do the neatly embroidered initials ‘G.G.' signify?But then a second body is discovered and Mike and his team are stretched to the limit. Is this the work of a serial killer or merely a puzzling co-incidence?

When a young cast member of The Brokenwood Theatre Society collapses and dies at the end of a performance of Hamlet, the initial belief is that it was from natural causes.However, Mike detects there is ‘something rotten in the state of Brokenwood' when he gets a whiff of a lethal poison.In doing so he uncovers a complex web of ego driven dissention amongst the troupe. Was Ben Faulkner expended to create opportunity for another young rising star? Or can his death be linked to the words of the Bard himself? And how did Jared end up playing the lead role?As Mike and his team investigate the hidden secrets of this curious group of thespians ‘To be or not to be' takes on a whole new meaning.

The bucolic coastal waters off Brokenwood support a thriving fishing industry. But when Jared discovers a severed human hand in a crayfish pot it appears to be harbouring something far more sinister. Who does the hand belong to and are they still alive?The finger is pointed at the Keely family; fishermen for generations who are very protective of their patch. But what about the deceased's wife who was out at sea, out of cell phone range and out for a good time? And the volunteer fisheries officer seems to be a man who is doing God's work as much as protecting the marine life.As Mike, Kristin and Breen set about fathoming the dark undercurrents of the coastal sea they will be surprised by what lies beneath.

Holly Collins is not only DSS Mike Shepherd's favourite country musician she's also playing in Brokenwood. Unfortunately it turns out to be her final gig.When she is found electrocuted it appears to be a rock'n'roll suicide. But then again it could have been a drunken accident - or, as Mike suspects, it is perhaps something less obvious.With a careless note scrawled in lipstick the only clue, Mike has to set aside his personal interest in the victim and strike the right note with Holly's dysfunctional band members: Slim Fingers, Waylon Strings and Jesse James.But the more he finds out, the more he needs to know and the less he likes what he learns.

The Frog and Cheetah's publican, Ray Neilson, has branched into tourism with his ‘Lord of the Ringz Tours' tailored to non-English speaking tourists. But when Ray's wife Debbie is discovered dead under a giant foam spider in a supposed film location of Mirklewood things get ‘mirky'. Especially when Debbie's cause of death is revealed to be from New Zealand's only native venomous spider – the Katipo. But if it was, how did one spider administer ten times the lethal dose?Things don't look good for Ray or the nearby arachnologist, Chandra Singh. But then as DSS Mike Shepherd and his team investigate other local tourism operators, they find none of them are particularly sad about Debbie's demise. Her back room deals with the council have seen them banned from the coveted Brokenwood forest. Was her death karma or revenge? Regardless of motive it was definitely murder.

Brokenwood is in mourning as beloved local poet Declan O'Grady is being farewelled at St Judas Church after being struck down by cancer. But things go from bad to worse when his coffin accidentally falls from the hearse revealing that the corpse inside is not Declan but a young woman identifiable only by a notable scarlet tattoo.Mike, Kristin and Breen set about unraveling a strange set of circumstances. The last to see Declan's body was the hapless funeral director Warren Bugle who leads them back to Wadsworth Manor where a mysterious role playing game was conducted the night before Declan's death. It turns out the tattooed woman may have been a player in what was to ultimately be her final game.

The annual Riverstone Beach Hop is a colorful festival that brings classic car enthusiasts together from far and wide to celebrate everything petrol powered and chrome plated. But on the morning of the event Charlie Baxter, the Chairman of the Classic Car Restoration Society, is found dead next to his beloved El Dorado with a lungful of gasoline. Was this a petrol siphoning accident or something more deliberate? And does it have anything to do with the unidentified dead body found in Charlie's garage the day before?

With December approaching Brokenwood is alive and well with Christmas spirit. That is until a gruesome sight confronts Mike and his team; Santa Claus with his throat slit. Or as Mike insists - 'not Santa, but a man dressed in a Santa suit'.The man is in fact the much-loved local Mayor, Evan Whitestone, who dresses as Santa every year for the Christmas parade. But with local elections looming, attention turns to his four rivals for the mayoral chains. Each of them has an axe to grind with Evan or, in this case - a cut throat razor.

When Kristin, Breen, and Gina celebrate Mike's birthday with a picnic in Brokenwood Domain, they are witness to a fatal skydiving accident. To make matters worse, Kristin knows the victim – entrepreneur Andre Barrington, an ex-boyfriend who moved onto another woman – Grace Turner, an adrenalin junkie and fellow skydiver. As the investigation unfolds, an unsettling truth is revealed. Andre's parachute was never going to open as the cords were severed. Was it an elaborate suicide or was Grace having second thoughts about Andre? Then again – Andre's older brother Felix was tired of living in his shadow, and his mother Lorraine's maternal love verged on the side of sinister. Both of them were jumping with Andre too. And what about Andre's business partner Dean Young, who was less than impressed by Andre's work ethic? Mike and his team are forced to confront the old adage: ‘what goes up must come down'… but not always in the way you want.

Charity Highmore-Browne is the owner and curator of Brokenwood's Historic Village. A stickler for all things Victorian, Charity lives in a time warp. Her sudden death by an arrow brings Mike and his team into the realm of New Zealand's colonial past as they deal with a blacksmith, a missionary and the local postmaster. Not to be overlooked is Charity's sister who once represented the country at the Olympics, missing out on a bronze medal in archery. As the investigation brings up questions about Charity's lifestyle and the mysterious disappearance of her husband seven years earlier, the team are faced with the possibility that Brokenwood is dealing with its first serial killer. Things are complicated further when Mike is forced out of the office due to a health scare and Kristin takes charge of the case. But can Mike truly hand over the reins?

Shepherd and his team investigate the death of a farmer found tied up in his field like a scarecrow. Was his murder the result of a feud with neighbors, or something to do with his identical twin brother?

Sunset Manor is a rest home in Brokenwood for the aged and bewildered. The new resident is Edward Alderston. Having recently lost his wife, his family has decided Sunset Manor is the best place for him, especially now that the Alzheimer's is taking hold. Mrs Marlowe is a regular visitor, offering sing-alongs at the piano for the residents. But Edward is hoping for more of an ally than that. He's planning an escape. In fact he's been practicing. The only problem is he can't remember the plan. But when a man is found with a Samurai sword through his back floating in his swimming pool in the neighbouring street, Edward's exact whereabouts becomes of real importance. The man was Mitch Waterson, an ex-finance company high flyer, responsible for the loss of many millions to many people – in particular, he is the one responsible for many elderly losing their life savings. Mitch was responsible but never held accountable. It would seem now that the accountability has been sought. Revenge has been exacted. So when Mike, Kristin and Breen begin searching for motive they need look no further than Sunset Manor. Many of the residents were victims to Mitch Waterson's Ponzi schemes and are thrilled to know he's met a grisly end. However, the problem is not only who might have had the gumption and opportunity to do it but– can they remember doing it?

It's the annual Brokenwood A&P show, time for that special kind of Kiwi carnival! Amidst the shearing displays, the ‘Calf Day' competition and wood chopping, is the usual assortment of fun rides and fairground attractions. The sun is shining on happy family entertainment and ever popular this year is the shonky old Ghost Train.But when the surly A&P boss Harold Wilbury takes the minute-long ride as a safety check he gets the fright of his life. Shunted in his carriage through the final curtain, Harold greets daylight wide-eyed and dead. He is quite literally gone in 60 seconds.When a man dies of fright surely there is no question of murder - it's just a case of bad luck. Then again how scary was the Ghost Train ride really? Curiously, Madame Magdalena in the Fortune Teller's tent predicted the tragedy. Was that coincidence or a way of adding credence to her credibility? The Ghost Train operator, Johnny Oades, swears it's nothing to do with him, but there is a question over falsified health and safety checks. And why is Daisy Rose the fairy princess so unhappy?

The Cream Boat is a charming vessel that chugs its way up the scenic Brokenwood waterways. It carries sightseers and Christmas parties and often Hen Parties. Professional tennis player, Ophelia (Fee) Marley, is one such lucky Hen. Her Bridesmaids have organised a big day migrating from the township via the Cream Boat to the Tidal View Lodge where they stay overnight.The following morning the Cream Boat returns to pick up the girls, but as the captain is about to dock a macabre and ethereal sight greets him. Fee is floating semi-submerged downstream in her wedding dress and veil. At first it may seem a tragic drowning, a result perhaps of too much revelry, but Gina reveals she was in fact dead before she entered the river.Where was Fee's fiancé the night of the murder? And why is Best Man Darryn so reluctant to co-operate? Is he covering for his mate or is it something else entirely? Darryn's reticence is partially explained by the fact that he is deaf. Kristin's knowledge of ‘sign' comes in handy as the team works to solve this mystery.

Cycling is very de rigueur around the globe and no less in Brokenwood. When one such MAMIL, (Middle Aged Man In Lycra), Lester Nyman, reaches the top of a local mountain after a gruelling ride and suffers a massive coronary, it doesn't seem suspicious. But then Gina reveals his toxicology showed astronomical levels of caffeine in his system and Mike starts to look more closely. 

On the edge of Brokenwood sits an abandoned mental health facility, an asylum named Brokenwood Downes. Now derelict, the spooky buildings provide a great hideout for local teenagers.But one young couple freak-out when they stumble upon the body of an elderly man in the old hospital wing strapped to a gurney with electrodes connected to his temples. It would seem he was the victim of electrocution by Electroconvulsive Therapy.The victim is Jakob Deschler who used to be the Superintendent of the asylum when it closed in 2011. Recently released from jail for charges of torture it appears that his murder was a revenge for his past cruelty. Mike and the team focus on a group of ex-patients of Brokenwood Downes. The few that have remained in the area are an eclectic bunch of misfits still struggling to reintegrate into the mainstream of society.However, several of them are under the care of local psychotherapist Amy Curnow, whose expertise enables Mike to get a greater insight into the minds of these unique characters. She also has a knack to get Mike to open up about some more personal things about himself. Could it be that our hero is taking a shine to Amy?Mike's interrogation skills will be pitted against the smarts of this crack psychologist. Will it be a case of Mike finally meeting his match – in more ways than one?

The Brokenwood Aeronauts, a group of Steampunk enthusiasts, are having their annual convivial in a barn that has been kitted out with all manner of rustic Victorian bric-a-brac.Joyous news is in the air when a local festival to celebrate their sub-culture is announced. But not long after, body parts are in the air, too, when an explosion kills one of their members — Lionel Bridges.Mike and his team are taken into a world of dress-up and escapism where all the suspects have alter-egos; the perfect place to hide a motive, evidence or a weapon. Was Lionel the victim of revenge, jealousy or simply an unfortunate accident?

World-renowned crime-writing author Jack Rudd visits Brokenwood to give a reading at the local book club from his latest novel ‘Knife in the Back'.He visits — but never leaves, falling victim to a method of murder portrayed in his own book.Jack was a literary rock star — tall, dark and sexually magnetic - and it transpires he cut quite a swathe through the womenfolk of Brokenwood before he met his demise. And one woman in particular has a close personal connection to DSS Mike Shepherd.When Mike and his team delve into the backstory of the book club members it is quickly revealed all of them knew Jack and all had an axe to grind or - was it a knife — in the back?

The members of the Brokenwood Duck Stalking Association are set to shoot on the first day of the new season. Fingers are ready on the trigger as the eight hunters wait patiently for ducks to fly. But then the misty morning presents an unusual sight as a lone wildlife protester sails into the duck shooting cove. Ducks fly, shots are fired but only the protester, Leslie Garrett, falls down dead. With nobody prepared to take the blame Mike and the team are led to believe Leslie was shot by a mysterious ninth hunter seen briefly through the mist. Unable to determine who it was, Mike is forced to think more laterally than usual. Was Leslie's death just a case of careless use of a firearm or were the ducks never the target in the first place?

A suspicious suicide in Brokenwood Women's Prison leads Mike and the team to uncover a complex murder. And for Mike this one is personal — he knew the victim Corina Doyle from his days prior to Brokenwood.As Mike and the team investigate they're brought into contact with several familiar female convicts from the past: Trudy Neilson, Brenda White and Rayleen Hogg. They're all doing their time and all up to no good.And with Corina's passing new information surfaces about an old crime. A secret from her past that will answer a nagging question that Mike has carried for 8 years.However, for that secret to come out, Corina had to entrust it with someone and that someone wants Mike to do a deal.

Mike and his team are thrust into a world of antiquities when a TV crew from the hit series 'All Things Old and Beautiful' comes to town, and one of the hosts is murdered.

The Brokenwood Health Retreat proves rather unhealthy for one unfortunate visitor, leaving Mike and the team with the very tricky case to solve.

When four masked men attempt to rob the Brokenwood Savings Bank, it's up to Mike and the team to determine which one of them pulled the trigger and killed the bank manager.

Mike, Kristin and the team investigate the murder of a Farmer's Market Owner who staggers into the crowd with a garden implement fatally embedded in her back.

A fundraising evening at the historic Brokenwood Empire Cinema becomes fatal when a fire breaks out, and after the smoke clears, a businessman is found strangled.

When Mike mysteriously leaves Brokenwood on other police business, Kristin is left to lead the investigation into a 1970s party where several party-goers wind up dead.

Mike and the team get a lesson in local history when the Brokenwood museum uncovers a dead body in the most unlikely of places.

The Brokenwood crime fighters are called in to investigate a murder at a music festival, where it would appear the victim was quite literally killed by sound.

In the remote community of beaches at Pateke Point, a local resident ends up bludgeoned to death by an unknown blunt object and locked inside a house not her own.

When the world champion of the curious sport of Spoofing is found dead in a fountain, the Brokenwood detectives must determine who was willing to commit murder in order to win at all costs.

A 160-year-old family feud over gold becomes the main motive for murder when a modern-day cowgirl is gunned down in cold blood.

The charred remains of a body are discovered in the burned-out remnants of a rural shed, but no one lived there, and no one was meant to be there at all. As Mike and Kristin are tasked with identifying the unidentifiable, it becomes apparent this is the third in a run of "accidental" deaths, all attended by the Brokenwood Fire Brigade. Could one of its members be Brokenwood's first serial killer?

A musical theater performance reenacting Brokenwood's history goes horrifically awry when the composer is electrocuted on stage. But was it murder or just an unfortunate accident?

Mike and the team discover more than one dead body, and a significant amount of family rivalry, in the manor house where a pair of aging siblings live.

The strangulation death of a nun on her way to chapel poses a challenge for the investigators when they learn members of her order have taken a vow of silence.

Mike, Kristin, and Chalmers must determine who wanted a veterinary nurse dead, with the answer seemingly tied to simmering tensions between the twin sisters with whom the victim worked.

While Mike's off getting his divorce papers signed, Kristin and Chalmers are left to uncover the cause of death of a man found in a motel room, with few signs of trauma to the body or disturbance to the room.

The Mama's Angels, an all-women motorcycle club, are in Brokenwood for the wedding of one of their members, until a murder casts suspicion amongst their ranks and throws the town into chaos.

When dinosaur fossils are discovered in the foothills around Brokenwood, locals are thrilled at the prospect of tourism revenue. Unfortunately, the suspicious death of an expert palaeontologist throws a spanner in the works…

Brokenwood's Mexican "Day of the Dead" celebration seems like a great idea until an actual dead body becomes part of the festivities.

A writing retreat is interrupted when the event's mentor, Dame Audrey McKinnon, is found floating under a waterfall on the premises. 

After local dentist Sonny Lyman is romantically pursued by Jools Fahey, his wife is found dead in an oven – making Jools the prime suspect.

A local haunted house becomes a great deal more frightening when a teenager is found dead with a sickle through his neck. 

While a visiting theatrical troupe puts on a nativity play at St. Judas, a precious holy relic goes missing, and the actor playing Jesus is killed.

Shepherd and his team investigate when a devoted fan of the band Stolen Arrow falls to her death from a bell tower. The detective must dig into the band's secrets and dark history to find the actual cause of the victim's demise.

When popular radio host Ryan Osborne is killed in an explosion at his old high school, the shockwaves rattle the community. The hidden rivalries and secrets that emerge create a long list of suspects for Shepherd.

After a man is fatally stabbed during a séance, and no weapon is found, Shepherd digs into the eerie incident to catch the murderer. Questioning if supernatural forces were involved, the team must separate superstition from reality.

When Brokenwood's elite begin to act strangely, the occurrences come to a head after a wealthy man is crushed by a chandelier in his home. As Shepherd investigates, he uncovers a tangled mystery filled with greed and revenge.

A science teacher mysteriously dies ziplining while staffing a leadership camp for teens. But after the victim's past reveals a web of uneasy alliances and rivalries, Shepherd must cipher through a long list of suspects.

When a man dressed as Santa is found dead on the side of the road, the team investigates. But after Gina examines the body and concludes the cause of death was a heart attack, potentially triggered by scrotal electrocution... foul play is suspected.

A dead chef, a crop circle, and alien abduction theories.

Young and charismatic priest Canon Zach Mantell shakes up Brokenwood's parish with his unconventional style. But when his wife dies in the church cemetery, Mike and Kristin find clues that point to a murder.

A lavish New Year's Eve masquerade comes to a tragic end following the death of its mysterious host the following morning. But as gripping secrets emerge, Mike and the team must unmask the killer among the party guests.

A celebratory vintage train ride ends in tragedy when a bride is murdered and thrown out beside the tracks. As Mike and his team investigate, they must dig through old rivalries and family tensions to find the killer hiding on the train.