Inspector Somerset

Inspector Somerset is a character created for the 2010 ITV adaptation of the short story The Blue Geranium. Somerset is the detective who came to St. Ambrose to investigate the death of Eddie Seward.

Somerset was inclined to believe that it was a case of murder. Eddie Seward was a very rich man and was linked with another rich man, George Pritchard whom was a prime suspect. It made for a very high profile case. Somerset hoped that his success in solving the crime would lead to him being rehabilitated and being sent back to London. He had apparently been in an incident involving his heavy drinking. There had been a complaint and he was sent out into the country to sort himself out.

Miss Marple, on the other hand thought that it was also plausible that Eddie Seward had committed suicide. Somerset did not agree and at first was uncooperative with her until he found out that Miss Marple knew Sir Henry Clithering, whereupon he relented and began to share findings with her.

When Mary Pritchard was later found dead (apparently of fright) and then Susan Carstairs was found strangled with George Pritchard's tie, it appeared that Somerset was on the right track and he moved in to arrest George.

George was expected to plead guilty when tried and for a time, Miss Marple also acquiesced with the conclusion. It was only six months later when his trial began that Miss Marple realised that she and Somerset had got the wrong man. She tried to contact Somerset but he refused to speak to her. She had to go to Henry Clithering instead in order to stop the trial. The part of Inspector Somerset is played by Kevin McNally.