It's Victoria Day 1901, an auspicious day for the maiden voyage of the SS Keewatin, a steamship intended to sail the Great Lakes with passengers from Toronto to Chicago. All, however, is not well. The ship's owner has called the police after receiving an anonymous postcard showing a painting called 'Death and the Maiden' which he tells Detective Murdoch and Inspector Brackenreid he believes is a threat against the maiden voyage. The policemen are not entirely convinced and are about to leave the ship when Detective Murdoch sees Dr Ogden aboard the ship and decides that perhaps it is best to remain.
While Murdoch and Dr Ogden are deep in conversation, they are interrupted by a young woman whom Murdoch recognises as the fiancée of the ship owner's son. She has clearly been upset by something he said to her. Murdoch offers her his handkerchief, and she disappears along the deck. Moments later there is a cry of "man overboard!" Murdoch rushes to look at the water. He sees the woman's hat, but no sign of her.
Meanwhile, back at Police Station 4, a woman famous for going over Niagara Falls in a barrel comes in to complain that someone has stolen her barrel, emphasising to Constable Crabtree that it is her livelihood.
Later, a friend of the young woman says she saw her aboard the ship after the alarm was raised, but she was dressed as a maid. This sparks a thorough search of the vessel, during which the Inspector discovers a body hidden in a cargo crate. Nobody recognises the dead man, and Dr Ogden performs a post-mortem which reveals he died from being stabbed with a strange-shaped blade, which later is found to be a special screwdriver. Murdoch's handkerchief also turns up, covered in blood, but the only sign of the young woman is a maid's cap, found in a cargo hold.
As the Police pursue their investigation aboard, so they use the wireless telegraph on the ship to communicate with Police Station 4, where Dr Grace reports that her mortuary skeleton has gone missing.
Soon, things become even more complicated when the owner tells the police he has received a telegraph message that there are bombs aboard, set to explode at midnight. There is a race to find the bombs and the missing young woman, not to mention the skeleton and the barrel. How will Murdoch and Crabtree solve their respective puzzles?
This episode is full of action and incident, and makes a fine series opener, especially as it gives Dr Ogden an opportunity to repay a very big favour.
While Murdoch and Dr Ogden are deep in conversation, they are interrupted by a young woman whom Murdoch recognises as the fiancée of the ship owner's son. She has clearly been upset by something he said to her. Murdoch offers her his handkerchief, and she disappears along the deck. Moments later there is a cry of "man overboard!" Murdoch rushes to look at the water. He sees the woman's hat, but no sign of her.
Meanwhile, back at Police Station 4, a woman famous for going over Niagara Falls in a barrel comes in to complain that someone has stolen her barrel, emphasising to Constable Crabtree that it is her livelihood.
Later, a friend of the young woman says she saw her aboard the ship after the alarm was raised, but she was dressed as a maid. This sparks a thorough search of the vessel, during which the Inspector discovers a body hidden in a cargo crate. Nobody recognises the dead man, and Dr Ogden performs a post-mortem which reveals he died from being stabbed with a strange-shaped blade, which later is found to be a special screwdriver. Murdoch's handkerchief also turns up, covered in blood, but the only sign of the young woman is a maid's cap, found in a cargo hold.
As the Police pursue their investigation aboard, so they use the wireless telegraph on the ship to communicate with Police Station 4, where Dr Grace reports that her mortuary skeleton has gone missing.
Soon, things become even more complicated when the owner tells the police he has received a telegraph message that there are bombs aboard, set to explode at midnight. There is a race to find the bombs and the missing young woman, not to mention the skeleton and the barrel. How will Murdoch and Crabtree solve their respective puzzles?
This episode is full of action and incident, and makes a fine series opener, especially as it gives Dr Ogden an opportunity to repay a very big favour.
