6. The Hired Hand

An old friend has invited Jack and Effy to spend their Christmas at a luxurious hotel, and they're looking forward to the prospect of a nice, relaxing break from crime-solving. But will their holiday be the murder-free getaway they anticipated? 

A familiar enemy returns to Edmonton.    Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Murray Farnell, Rory Turner, Helen Belay, Émanuel Dubbeldam, André Lemay, Trevor Duplessis.  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke  

Once again, our pesky protagonists spent the last episode talking during the performance of a talented singer! Here, unmarred by nightclub background noise or a murder investigation, is Kaleia Odelle's performance of "Why Don't You Do Right," accompanied by Nathanael Wilkerson on the piano. 

Two bumbling criminals get more than they bargained for out of a routine bank heist, and are forced to turn to Jack for help.   Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Rory Turner, Andrés Moreno, Kaleia Odelle Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke, with special guest Nathanael Wilkerson as the pianist

When a local Métis farmhand is framed for the murder of his white employer’s family, his fiancee hires Jack to help clear his name. Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Damon Pitcher, Tej Swatch, Helen Belay, Trevor Duplessis, Monica Maddaford.  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke

Jack and Effy find themselves hobnobbing with high society when a rich eccentric decides that the presence of a real private eye would lend the right note of authenticity to her murder mystery party - but the evening takes a gruesome unexpected turn.  Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Murray Farnell, Rory Turner, Émanuel Dubbeldam, André Lemay, Dave Clarke, Kate Sheridan.  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke

When Jack is hired to track down a beautiful young Chinese immigrant, she discovers that not only is the woman missing, but that she apparently never existed. Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Carol Chu, Marty Chan  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke

A beautiful, mysterious American socialite puts Jack’s resolve never to become emotionally involved with a client to the test.   Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Helen Belay, Michael Vetsch, Murray Farnell.  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke

Our last episode featured a performance by a talented opera singer - but those darn protagonists were talking the whole time she was trying to sing! Here, for your delectation and edification, is Amanda Smith's rendition of "Come Scoglio", from Mozart's Così fan tutte, untainted by any plot happening over top of it. 

A tempestuous opera singer is convinced that the theatre where she's performing is haunted - but Jack suspects that the forces responsible for the string of sinister occurrences at the Strand are all too human.  Cast: Ceris Backstrom, Lauren Hughes, Michael Vetsch, Rory Turner, Murray Farnell, Amanda Smith.  Written and directed by Celia Taylor Technical direction and editing by Tegan Siganski Original score and sound design by Dave Clarke, with special guest Haley Simons as the pianist