Ep 2. Marked Twain

In "Marked Twain," the second episode of Murdoch Mysteries' ninth season, we find Detective William Murdoch and his colleagues trying to solve a strange case of vandalism. The Toronto graffiti scene has taken a new turn thanks to an anonymous artist who has been tagging the city's landmarks with quotes and phrases from the works of none other than American literary icon, Mark Twain.

Murdoch struggles to find any motive behind the vandalism, as all the quotes chosen by the artist appear to be quite random and unrelated. Dr. Julia Ogden suggests that perhaps there might be a deeper meaning behind the messages, but Murdoch is skeptical. However, when the duo manages to track down the mysterious artist, they find that he may not be a deranged vandal after all.

Meanwhile, Constable Crabtree is hopelessly smitten with his new love interest, Miss Nancy Webb, who is the spitting image of Julia Ogden. However, Crabtree's attempts to court the young woman are being shadowed by his own insecurities and the fact that his beau's family isn't impressed with his profession as a policeman.

As the case develops and the pieces start to fall into place, Murdoch and his team begin to see that the vandal's unique take on Twain's words may have been a form of expression aimed at addressing a much bigger issue - the political corruption of the time. Confronted with a handful of suspects, the team must zero in on the real culprit before he strikes again.

As always, Murdoch Mysteries delivers an exciting mix of history, crime, and drama in "Marked Twain." Fans of the show can look forward to plenty of twists and turns as Mark Twain's quotes prove to be the key to unraveling the mystery at hand. Meanwhile, Crabtree's love life takes center stage, providing a nice balance to the serious matter of the case. Ultimately, the episode proves to be a satisfying addition to the series' long-standing success.