Thursday, 8 December 2016

In Plain Sight

Last night I watched the first episode of a new drama on television called "In Plain Sight." It's based on true events that took place in Lanarkshire in the 1950s; the seven murders committed by Peter Manuel. He had started as a petty criminal and escalated to rape and murder - the police suspected him but it took a while to pin him down with enough evidence. I was very interested because I can remember clearly my Mum and Dad talking about the murders; they all took place very near where we live and must have had a huge impact on the community. My Dad knew someone who was at Manuel's trial where he sacked his lawyer and, with misplaced confidence, defended himself. Dad also remembered that everyone in his Glasgow office was very preoccupied with the news on the day that he was hanged, until the solemn atmosphere was defused by someone telling a joke in bad taste!
Episode 1 of the series was very well done, with the excellent Dougie Henshall playing Inspector Muncie and an actor that I haven't seen before called Martin Compston being suitably sinister as Peter Manuel. Strange that it's like a period drama with old-fashioned clothes and cars, when it all took place only six years before my birth! 

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