Have you watched the new series of a TV programme called Winter?
Winter is a police procedural television series set to broadcast on ITV and ITVX and PBS Masterpiece. It is starring Richard Armitage and Annabel Scholey and is based on the long-running French series Balthazar. It premiered on ITV on 30 September 2026.
In Bristol, forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter and policewoman DI Lauren Bell work together to solve complex crimes.
One of the themes of this TV series is that his wife was murdered in odd circumstances, yet she appears to him and they talk and she seems a very real ghost!
There are 6 programmes in the first series and a second series has been commissioned.
Balthazar is on ITVX too for comparing French and English versions
Then I read a book by a new to me author, the first in a series.
17 years ago the inhabitants of Edenscar, a small town in the Peak District, was hit by tragedy when a school bus veered off the road and plunged into the reservoir. Everyone on board drowned except for young Joseph Ashe. His miraculous survival has haunted him and the town ever since.
Joseph still 'sees' his best friend who died in the crash. Yet is amazingly real and has also grown up as Joseph has. Also when Joseph sees the parent of one of the drowned children that parent is able to 'see' their dead child beside Joseph.
Joseph is now a Detective Sergeant in the local police and is called to the scene of a brutal and apparently inexplicable crime. The whole town is spooked but Joe's new boss DI Laurie Bower, who is more used to inner-city police work, has no time for superstition. She just wants to find the real killer who has left no trace and seems to have no motive.
Then just to add in another TV series on 4 called Anna Pigeon, taken from books by Nevada Barr. Which is about an Enforcement Park Ranger in Montana, but filmed in Calgary, who gets herself in to all sorts of trouble but often sees her dead husband whenever she is in danger. (Surprising that we have this series over here so quickly as it's brand new in the USA and Canada).
Having very real ghosts in fiction isn't a new thing of course and I watched something on Walter Presents channel a couple of years ago where a police person had his dead wife often visit him. Can't remember what it was - something from Europe with subtitles but not Balthazar which is mentioned above.
It seemed an odd coincidence to read a book and watch two TV series with 'real' ghosts in the same month.
Seems like there is a theme there! I am about to watch Moonflower Murders, having watched Marble Hall Murders and Magpie Murders - another theme there!!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course there's the time-travelling Atticus Pund as the resident ghost . . .
ReplyDeleteOf course, I forgot about Atticus Pund. I still have the latest of these to watch on my list. I found the books impossible to follow!
DeleteIt seems as though you've come across what must be the current trend (again). Long ago now, my favourite tv show was Due South where Leslie Nielsen was a visible (to his son) ghostly Canadian Mountie. I suppose everything gets recycled over time.
ReplyDeleteI looked to see when Due South was on TV = 1995-1999, that explains why I didn't see it as we were in the early years at the smallholding, there was never time for much TV back then!
DeleteI haven't watched or read any of those, though that book sounds like it might be something I'd enjoy. Thank you for mentioning the new Ladies' Detective Agency book in a recent post, I'd missed that there was a new one out but I've now reserved it at the library.
ReplyDeleteThe new No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a good story. I thought it better than some of the other recent ones.
DeleteI remember watching 'Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)' on television as a child... a pair of private detectives where one, Hopkirk, was dead and only Randall could see him. I think we could tell Hopkirk was a ghost because he always wore a white suit.
ReplyDeleteI'll watch out for the series you mention
Oh yes, I'd completely forgotten about Randall and Hopkirk - that's going back a while! I just looked and it was 1969/70.
DeleteWe've been following Winter too. It's certainly different. And we've also watched the Atticus Pund series with Lesley Manville. I'm enjoying this third one the most, I think.
ReplyDeleteAngie
I just clicked on it in the schedule to turn over for tonights episode - not much else on tonight although I've gone back to watching House of Games now Richard Osman has gone and Strictly Takes Two which is better than it was I think now with Ellie Taylor presenting.
DeleteMy eldest son practises in Bristol , and can see the Suspension Bridge from his sitting room - so I watched the programme for the familiar sights , but found everything about it wooden , particularly the acting / and the geography of the City was weirdly portrayed too
ReplyDeleteMiriam
Things filmed in Suffolk often join lots of places together, when they aren't close at all -I guess they do that everywhere
DeleteI will watch anything with Richard Armitage in it, don't care about the story!
ReplyDeletePenny
I shall now have to look at what else he has been in
DeleteThe topic today reminds me of "Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!"
ReplyDeleteThat's a film I never bothered to watch all the way through!
DeleteI loved Winter, it was a bit different, but from what you say after thinking about it, there are a lot of detectives that 'see' their dead relatives, friends or colleagues'. The best one for me was the series with Nicola Walker as the murdered detective that hung around, it was called River, now that was very good.
ReplyDeleteIt's obviously quite a thing . I shallhave to look and see what River was.
DeleteI am currently reading a book with a ghost in in, A Curious Ending by Sally Page. A little confusing sometimes!
ReplyDeleteI looked it up - does sound a bit different
DeleteThat sounds like a good show. I love a good murder mystery. I have read some of her books but not that sure about that one!
ReplyDeleteHave you read Charles Todd's detective novels? The detective is haunted and helped by the ghost of a young man he executed on the WWII battlefield for desertion.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for this series! And the book sounds fascinating. I think I would like that very much. Thanks, Sue!
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