This Midsomer Murders conspiracy theory is bonkers(ly brilliant)
Don’t let the fact you’ve (probably) never heard of the prize detract from your enjoyment – we didn’t.
does anyone want to hear my conspiracy theory
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
Oh, go on then.
1.
it’s about the Griffin Poetry Prize, the most valuable poetry prize in the world https://t.co/1rnpNRO2on
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
2.
2017: Alice Oswald won the Griffin Prize for ‘Falling Awake’. Her brother, Will Keen, played ‘Preaching’ Pete Kubatski in Midsomer Murders
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
3.
Five years earlier, in 2012, David Harsent won the Griffin for ‘Fire Songs’. Harsent made his living writing scripts for Midsomer Murders
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
4.
in 2011, Seamus Heaney was nominated for ‘Human Chain’. In 2010 he told a BBC journalist that Midsomer Murders was his favourite TV program
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
5.
(evidence for that last one: https://t.co/V2O5hqXxLO )
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
6.
In 2009, C.D. Wright won the Griffin for ‘Rising, Falling, Hovering’. Midsomer Murders was commisioned for TV by an gent called..C.D. Wright
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
7.
In 2007, Ken Babstock was nominated for Airstream Yacht Land. A 2005 episode of Midsomer Murders was set in the village of Midsomer Babstock
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
8.
perhaps you hear all these things & think ‘coincidence’. but, we are barely halfway through
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
9.
In 2007, Paul Farley was nominated for ‘Tramp in Flames’. 2004 MM episode ‘The Straw Woman’ featured a former tramp who is burnt alive
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
10.
In 2008, John Ashbery won the Griffin for ‘Notes from the Air’. Several episodes of Midsomer Murders were filmed in the village of Ashbury
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
11.
(evidence for last one, also v interesting in its own right: https://t.co/UHQ0u1MD4T )
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
12.
In 2010, Louise Gluck was nominated for ‘A Village Life’, whose title comes close to blowing the lid on the whole conspiracy
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
13.
In 2011, Dionne Brand won the Griffin for *Ossuaries*. In the MM episode ‘Death in Chorus’, a victim is beaten to death with a branding iron
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017
15.
Sorry there were loads of customers. we’re not through yet
— LRB Bookshop (@LRBbookshop) June 27, 2017