5 of the most creative kills in murder mystery Ragdoll

Here’s a tip for free: this six-part series is going to require all your concentration. If not, it will seem all over the place, and confusing, but the sharp-eyed viewer will reap the reward of seeing how all the parts fit together (and perhaps even pick up the darkly comedic quips), a bit like the rag doll of the title – which refers to the discovery of six body parts from six victims stitched together and suspended from the ceiling in an abandoned flat.

The location is not random, and neither is the finger on the one hand, pointing across to the flat where DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) happens to live. He’s on the case along with DI Emily Baxter (Thalissa Teixeira) and DC Lake Edmunds (Lucy Hale, Pretty Little Liars), an import from the US.

The first connection is the head of the rag doll – it’s Mark Hooper, previously known as the Cremation Killer for setting his victims ablaze. Rose, then a DI, bungled the case and went on to beat Hooper up in court when the verdict didn’t go his way. Hooper went to prison; Rose went to the loony bin.

There he met Joel Shepton (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), who told him about a man known as The Faust. How it worked was you phoned the number, gave the name of the person you wanted dead, and it would be done. But you’d be killed too.

“At least you’d die with peace of mind,” says Shepton. You can’t argue with that logic.

The dramatic opening with Hooper’s head on the patched-together human remains is the killer’s way of introducing his plan: Rose wanted Hooper dead, but instead of only Rose paying the price, The Faust has made a list of five other names, all connected with Hooper and his case, which he shares with the police.

And thus ensues a string of increasingly creative murders, meticulously planned and executed. Even as the police try to stay one step ahead, The Faust (now known as Ragdoll) brazenly takes it in his stride, adapting as necessary, while being mindful of not appearing “gratuitous and overzealous”.

From the outset it’s easy to see we’re in for a gruesome ride. Let’s get into the most creative kills, with as few spoilers as possible and hopefully only some teasers.

1. Episode 1: Mayor Ray Turnbull

Number 1 on the list is mayor Ray Turnbull (Phil Davis). Rose and Baxter bring him in to try to protect him and put him in a separate office. Through a combination of a multitude of flower bouquets, the mayor’s inhaler, and his cigarettes, he meets his end in flames – appropriately with Rose in the office at the time, just to keep his PTSD on a nice manic level.

2. Episode 2: Nick Hooper, brother of the Cremation Killer

Nick Hooper (James Tarpey), the Cremation Killer Mark’s brother, first goes on the run, but then turns himself in, saying he’s seen the killer. He dies while in custody, after meeting with his lawyer. Did she do it? If so, it was because she was being blackmailed and her son had been kidnapped. But dead women tell no lies.

3. Episode 3: Former guard Eric Turner

The third potential victim is former guard Eric Turner (Douggie McMeekin), who tackled Rose at the trial while he was laying into Hooper. He’s driving prison transport these days and refuses Baxter’s offer of protection. She and Edmunds follow him anyway. If you’re really paying attention, you’ll notice a tiny visual clue, bold on the part of the killer, but I’m leaving that up to you.

This murder includes an IED, hallucinogenics, and snakes. But wait, there’s more: there’s someone relevant in that prison truck too, someone Rose knows and has questioned in his side investigation – the murder of Joel’s sister, Theresa. Again, I urge you to pay close attention. It will come up again.

4. Episode 4: Judge Matthew Wingate

Matthew Wingate (Angus Wright) was the judge at Hooper’s trial. By this time, Rose and Baxter are making clever plans. This one involves a vest with FX blood squibs to fake Wingate’s death. This is where the killer really takes the bull by the horns. He not only uses deep-fake voice technology to trick Rose and Baxter, but he takes extreme risks to carry out his mischief.

5. Episode 5: Andrew Daly – but which one?

Episode 5 brings some challenges for the detectives. The name is Andrew Daly and there are a lot of them, none with any obvious connection. That’s because it’s an anagram, and the cause of death is a lethal version of a scold’s bridle to send a bloody message, along with a couple of accessories to increase suffering.

Our sleuths are beginning to close in now, and are piecing things together – and so will you, Armchair Investigator. Ragdoll/Faust has ticked off number five, leaving only Rose for episode 6. And this is where I’m going to stop because you have to see it all come together for yourself. The delightful shocks at the end neatly set things up for a possible second season.

With a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Ragdoll is “Not for the squeamish, or for those who object to the diabolically improbable … [it] teases the sort of ghoulish mastermind who’d be right neighborly with Hannibal Lecter,” says TV Insider.