Painted in Blood

Joyce Barnaby finds a dead woman while water-colour painting in Midsomer Florey with a group of amateur painters organised by local artist Barrett Filby. She quickly realises that it was one of their number Ruth Fairfax who was killed but the more that Barnaby & Troy look into her background the more mysterious she seems. Barnaby is soon taken off the case because his wife was part of the group but he retains an interest in its proceedings. Meanwhile a bag containing a valuable document and some incriminating photos is stolen in a mugging nearby but the victim is reluctant to report the crime.