Directed by Sam Yates, Toward Zero is based on the Agatha Christie novel, in which a police officer named Leach tries to solve a double murder. We saw how, in true detective novel fashion, Lady Tressilian, owner of Gull's Point Castle, was murdered in the most brutal way. Detective Inspector Leach discovered that it was an insider, as all the doors and windows were locked and there were no signs of forced entry. Thus, Lady Tressilian's family, along with her entire staff, became suspects in the murder. Before Detective Inspector Leach could make any discoveries, the family lawyer, Mr. Treves, was also found dead the next day, further deepening the mystery. So, let's find out who was behind the double murder and what their intentions were behind it.
At the beginning of Toward Zero, we saw that tennis star Nevile Strange was going through a rough patch in his marriage, and he had no one else to blame. His wife, Audrey Strange, discovered he was having an affair with Kay Elliott and decided to file for divorce. Adultery was a solid ground for divorce, and after Kay's powder compact was found in Nevile's car, Audrey's lawyer had no trouble proving that Nevile was having an affair with her. The relationship between Nevile and Audrey was very peculiar. They had known each other since they were children. Audrey's parents had died when she was a child, and Nevile had always been very understanding of her.
Stars: Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Mimi Keene, Ella Lily Hyland
At times, it seemed as if they were both sizing up each other's moves and then acting as if it were a game. Kay was frequently humiliated during the trial, as she was called all sorts of insults. But the strange thing was that Nevile didn't care, as he wanted to do what was best for his cause. Nevile didn't want to cause a scandal, but since the situation had gotten so out of hand, he had no choice but to play along and somehow prove that he was still worthy of his name. So, at the end of the trial, Audrey was divorced, and soon after, Nevile decided to marry Kay.
Generally, Nevile loved spending time at his aunt, Lady Tressilian's, house. Gull's Point was like a summer retreat for the family, and Nevile wanted to be there with Kay and show her around. Nevile learned that Audrey would be there as well, and that's when the game began. Instead of changing their dates and going after Audrey left, Nevile decided to visit Gull's Point with Kay. He thought being on friendly terms with Audrey might be good for the family and also for his public image. Plus, it made Kay feel like he wanted to mend his relationship with Audrey, as he felt she had suffered greatly because of his actions. Kay didn't like the idea of spending time under the same roof as Audrey, but she didn't have much choice. So Kay, Nevile, and Audrey arrived at Gull's, unaware that another guest was supposed to grace them with his presence and take them by surprise.
As in every detective novel, in Towards Zero, everyone became a suspect once the crime had been committed. One of Nevile's cousins, Thomas Royde, arrived at the castle unannounced, even after Lady Tressilian made it absolutely clear that she didn't want even his shadow around, having been banished from the castle for his past actions. Now, Thomas was Nevile's cousin, and back then, due to an incident, their relationship had become strained. If Lady Tressilian and Nevile's testimony was true, then Nevile had mistakenly killed a boy named Peter James in the past.
Apparently, Nevile never intended to hurt Peter, but he shot an arrow, and Peter got in the way. Peter succumbed to his injuries, and Nevile confessed that he had been the one who had made the mistake. Thomas, who was also present at the scene, always believed that Nevile had intentionally killed Peter, but no one believed him. Thomas had returned because he wanted money from Lady Tressilian, and he was willing to do anything to get it. Just before Lady Tressilian was murdered, Thomas blackmailed her, making him a prime suspect. During her absence, Thomas wrote letters to Mary Aldin, Lady Tressilian's companion and distant cousin. Mary hadn't told anyone she was in contact with Thomas. Mary had developed feelings for the man over time, although she didn't know he was going there with the intention of extorting her.
Lady Tressilian was extremely unhappy with the way Nevile and everyone else had behaved in front of her. She didn't like how Nevile's private life had been made public, believing it brought the family into disrepute. Just one day after Lady Tressilian decided to change her will, she was found dead in her bedroom.
The next day, everyone came for breakfast, and it was then learned that Frederick Treves, the family lawyer, had also been murdered. Inspector Leach returned to the castle and realized that Matthew Hutton had likely been framed for something he didn't do. He questioned everyone in the household and noticed something very strange about Nevile and Audrey: from the way they spoke, it seemed as if they were plotting something and weren't revealing everything. To Kay's dismay, Audrey and Nevile bonded again in that short period. Furthermore, speaking of the evidence, at first glance, everything pointed to Nevile. Lady Tressilian was murdered with her golf club; her cufflinks were found at the crime scene; and, furthermore, her coat was obtained and kept as if someone was trying to keep it hidden.
Interestingly, the pillow used to suffocate and kill Treves smelled of Audrey's perfume. Nevile's coat had traces of a powder compact on the lapel. Furthermore, a lock of Audrey's hair was also found in her coat. It didn't take Inspector Leach long to understand what was happening. He knew it was a classic case of double jeopardy, where the culprit incriminated himself in the most obvious way, only for the detectives to conclude that he wasn't the victim and that he was being framed. It was Nevile who killed Lady Tressilian and Treves because he wanted revenge on Audrey and beat her at her own game.
The end of Towards Zero revealed that the compact found in Nevile's car, which Audrey used to prove she was engaged in an adulterous affair, was actually planted by her. Nevile knew this, but played along and decided to get revenge when the time came. Nevile's intention in going to his aunt's castle, coinciding with Audrey's presence, was to frame her for the murder and make her pay for what she had done.
Nevile's plan was to kill only Lady Tressilian, but when Matthew Hutton became the prime suspect, he realized he would have to kill someone else, only for the blame to fall on Audrey once again. Nevile Strange confessed to his crimes and told Audrey that she shouldn't have divorced him, because he was apparently the love of his life. Audrey could have planted the pact and made Nevile pay for what he had done, but she wasn't maniacal enough to kill someone, as her ex-husband did.
As for the residents of Lady Tressilian Castle, each went their own way. Mary and Thomas decided to stay in touch, and I hope they can find a solution in the future and end up together. Kay left with Morel, realizing that the world she so longed to be a part of wasn't for her, while Audrey left with Matthew, determined to take whatever life had to offer.
Inspector Leach was relieved to solve the case and, in the end, decided to take in Sylvia, who was previously under the care of Mr. Treves. Mr. Leach was haunted by his past. He had been the leader of a battalion that had gone to war and had seen his men die before his very eyes. Leach had nothing to look forward to in life other than his job, but I think that will change, as he now has a beautiful little girl to raise.
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