Orchis Fatalis

Midsomer Malham has a significant orchid growing community including a retired teacher Madeline Villiers who goes on distant collecting trips who is found murdered at her home. Barnaby discovers her notebook written in Latin which records all the illegal sales of her collected specimens including one nicknamed the Yellow Roth to a local of an extreme rarity for £125 000 as well as some imaginative details of sexual exploits. Then a series of other people who have owned the orchid are also murdered. Suspects include local handyman and ex-con Harry Rose who seems to be involved with many of the people of the village and Jimmy Fong Madeline Villiers collecting associate who is a wanted man in several countries for smuggling that contravenes CITES regulations.