Hell's Bells

***Hell's Bells*** is the second episode of the first season of *Agatha Raisin*. The episode was written by Stewart Harcourt and directed by Geoffrey Sax. It aired June 14, 2016 on Sky One.

The episode is based on the *Agatha Raisin* short story of the same name.

## Synopsis

A rich newcomer to the village, Amanda Ballard, has found little favour among the Carsely locals. And when her body is found hanging from the bell ropes of the church in an apparent suicide, Agatha suspects foul play.

## Plot

With a visit from the bishop looming, a newcomer to the village, Amanda Ballard, has gathered together a group of villagers to practice ringing the bells. Eager to fling herself into the cut and thrust of village life once more, Agatha is among their number. And although Agatha and Amanda have struck up a friendship, the same cannot be said for vicar's wife (and Ladies' Society extraordinaire) Sarah Bloxby, who resents Amanda's closeness with her husband Jez.

Murder soon rocks the tiny Cotswolds village of Carsely again when Agatha discovers the lifeless body of Amanda hanging in the belfry. With a suicide note left beside her, the village assumes that widow Amanda took her own life. But not Agatha. Amanda was full of life and this bell ringing project was close to her heart, she would not have ended her life like this.

Agatha ropes a reluctant Roy into helping her research the case and soon finds that many villagers had a motive to kill, including the vicar, who turns out to be hiding a very guilty past.

Agatha discovers that Amanda's ex-husband is very much alive and has been paying for her expensive tastes. Jez comes under suspicion, having known Amanda before she came to the area, as does Amanda's old school-friend Steph, who is recently out of rehab. Agatha deduces that Amanda was killed by somebody she was black-mailing but that still leaves rather a lot of suspects.

As Agatha's investigation takes her back to the bright lights of London, she discovers that Amanda, too, was leading a double life. But can she unmask the killer?

## Cast

* Mathew Horne as Roy Silver
* Katy Wix as Gemma Simpson
* Jamie Glover as James Lacey
* Matt McCooey as DC Bill Wong
* Jason Barnett as DC Wilkes
* Lucy Liemann as Sarah Bloxby
* Rhashan Stone as Rev Jez Bloxby
* Tim Stern as Gene Harvey
* June Watson as Mrs Josephs
* Maddie Monti as Kyra Simpson
* Daisy Beaumont as Mary Fortune
* Jason Merrells as Sir Charles Fraith
* Michael Byrne as Bishop Parsons
* Georgia Taylor as Steph
* Elexi Walker as Tracy Forrest
* Richard Dixon as John Marlowe
* Richard Braine as Canon Gibson

## Trivia

* The events of this episode take place during July 2016.
* This is the only episode to be based on an *Agatha Raisin* short story, rather than an *Agatha Raisin* book.
* Amanda Ballard comments that the tenor bell was not sliding right; in the short story this episode is based on, the tenor bell was the only one that was actually fit for ringing (before the other bells were rehung). (BOOK: *Agatha Raisin: Hell's Bells*)
* Although their characters didn't share any scenes together, this episode reunites cast member Katy Wix with her former 'Not Going Out' co-star Sally Bretton.
* Jason Merrells is credited as Sir Charles Fraith in this episode, he can be seen in attendance at Amanda's funeral but does not have any lines of dialogue.

## International premieres

* August 8, 2016 (USA)
* February 17, 2017 (Germany)
* June 25, 2017 (France)
* January 25, 2021 (Spain)