At the end of series 2, Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) was, let’s just say, a little down. For good reason, too. When we last set eyes on the young Endeavour,  he was last seen isolated and alone languishing in prison, falsely accused and framed for the murder of Chief Constable Rupert Standish. Seems as though Endeavour had unearthed corruption and missing police evidence at the very heart of the Oxford CID but his investigation had taken a rather bizarre twist.

Adding to his despair, let’s not forget the life of Endeavour’s senior officer, DI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), was hanging in the balance after being shot in the chest. With series 3 of Endeavour premiering on PBS’ Masterpiece this Sunday, June 19, at 9pET / 8pCT, Shaun Evans explores where we last left Endeavour Morse.

For the series 3 premiere, which airs this Sunday, it’s March 1967. A country fair turns sinister when Jeannie Hearne, a young bus conductress, is found brutally murdered in the Oxfordshire countryside. DC Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) isn’t part of the team called in to investigate her murder; instead, he’s brooding over his suspension from duty, pending an inquiry. But when Jeannie’s body turns up near his doorstep, he begins his own covert investigation, uncovering a disturbing secret that is hidden in plain sight.

Endeavour “Ride”, S3 Ep1 – June 19 9pET / 8pCT

March 1967. A country fair turns sinister when young bus conductress Jeannie Hearne is found brutally murdered in the Oxfordshire countryside. DC Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) isn’t part of the team called in to investigate her murder; instead, he’s brooding over his suspension from duty, pending an inquiry. But when Jeannie’s body turns up near his doorstep, he begins his own covert investigation, uncovering a disturbing secret that is hidden in plain sight.

Endeavour “Arcadia”, S3 Ep2 – June 26 9pET / 8pCT

April 1967. The death of an artist in a horrendous house fire leaves Oxford City Police baffled. Then when a young housewife dies, seemingly of a mysterious ‘tummy bug’ that has sickened half of the police force, DC Morse’s investigation leads him to an inner-city supermarket, owned by a wealthy Oxford family riven with personal and professional problems.

Endeavour “Prey”, S3 Ep3 – July 3 9pET / 8pCT

June 1967. A missing persons case of a Dutch au pair proves far from routine, pulling Endeavour into the duelling worlds of Oxford scientific academia, the city’s vast parks, Night School and the untamed wilderness of the Oxfordshire countryside. Connected to the investigation is an august family of three troubled siblings. When a suspected link between the au pair’s disappearance and a cold case from years back is unearthed, unconventional methods in that investigation created fraying tensions across the police force. As the body count rises, Endeavour deduces that there may be darker forces at play.

Endeavour “Coda”, S3 Ep4 – July 10 9pET / 8pCT

June 1967. Endeavour is occupied with unexpected strife in his personal life. Recruited by a college mentor to monitor the movements of his estranged younger wife, Endeavour finds himself drawn to the woman he is investigating. The grisly murder of a man who works in fashion causes a shakeup in Oxford’s criminal underworld. Meanwhile, Endeavour considers his future on the force, leading to an agonizing conclusion to the series.

The best news of all as we settle in for series 3 is that series 4 has already been commissioned by ITV. The prequel to Inspector Morse, Endeavour will return to ITV and PBS for a fourth series.  Also set in 1967, the new films will go into production in late Spring 2016 with a very tentative definite 2017 broadcast transmission.

Having come together on screen for the first time in January 2012 in the one-off single film which marked the 25th anniversary of Inspector Morse, both Evans and Roger Allam will return for series 4 with scripts, once again, written by Russell Lewis, who also wrote for Inspector Morse and created Endeavour. Colin Dexter, whose first Morse story was published in 1975, continues his association with the drama, acting as a consultant to Endeavour producers.

Endeavour S3 returns this Sunday, June 19 on PBS