'The Chelsea Detective': Episode 2 Recap

In the opening episode of Acorn TV’s The Chelsea Detective, we saw how DI Max Arnold’s persistence, powers of observation, and intuition serve him well on a murder case but don’t help at all when it comes to his relationship with his ex-partner Astrid. Following the grand epic of the hostage coffee machine, Episode 2 begins with Max making an early-morning call to Astrid’s apartment. He wants to ask her the name of a book expert she knows, to help with the inventory from his father’s bookstore. Rightly exasperated (couldn’t he have just texted her?), and on her way out, Astrid doesn’t let him in the door. But Max’s hackles are raised when he briefly meets Astrid’s next (handsome, male) visitor and through a license plate check identifies him as Patrick Thompson (Michael D. Xavier).

At a popular, well-established family restaurant, Mrs. and Mrs. Romano’s, everything seems to be going well. The customers are happy, the owners have recently published a bestseller glossy cookbook, and Julia Romano (Pooky Quesnel) is anticipating her 50th birthday party. Her wife Robyn (Stella Stocker), the business’s social media maven, takes a quick, happy video of Julia’s cousin, head chef Jonno Romano (Joseph Millson), and his staff. It’s all very amiable apart from the fact that they’re having trouble firing deliveryman Franco (Martin Marquez).

Robyn drives home that night and suspects something is wrong in the house. The patio door is unlocked. Later, her elderly neighbor hears a loud noise and a scream, followed by a car leaving at high speed, and calls the police. Max’s first impression is that it could be a missing person case, but there are bloodstains outside and on the ceiling by the patio door.