Ep 3. Tontine

The Brokenwood Mysteries season 5 episode 3 titled "Tontine" takes the lead detective Mike Shepherd and his partner Kristin Sims on a thrilling case that revolves around a unique financial arrangement called a tontine.

The episode begins with the accidental death of Joanne, the wife of one of the participants in a tontine. A tontine is a financial arrangement in which a group of people pool their resources together and the last surviving member receives the entire sum. As the detectives delve deeper into the case, they realize that the tontine had been established over 15 years ago and the remaining members had not seen or heard from each other since.

Mike and Kristin interview all the members of the tontine, including their spouses, and discover that some have fallen on hard times, while others have prospered. They begin to uncover a web of deceit, greed, and jealousy among the participants.

As they continue their investigation, another member of the tontine is killed, and the detectives realize that they need to act quickly to catch the killer before anyone else is hurt. They discover that the participants had kept a secret from each other, one that ultimately leads them to the murderer.

"Tontine" poses an intriguing mystery that keeps the viewer guessing until the very end. The case takes many twists and turns as the detectives dig deeper into the lives of the tontine members. The episode is engaging and well crafted, with witty banter and strong performances from the cast.

Overall, "Tontine" is a strong addition to The Brokenwood Mysteries series and continues to prove why the show is so popular with audiences who enjoy a good whodunit. The episode balances suspense, intrigue, and humor, making it one of the standout episodes of the series.