Hollywood glamour comes to the Moon as the team investigate a murder in the run up to a film premiere.

After last month’s series opener, Conflict continues with a death on the Moon. Standard fare for the Star Cops you might think? However, the twist comes with the fact that the victim is a star of “Shadow of the Moonlight” – a movie following the exploits of a fictional Star Cop Commander.

Shadow of the Moonlight

With the death of actor Striker Torrence, shot at the exclusive Rothchester-Remini hotel which is to be the home of the movie’s upcoming live stream premiere of his latest movie, Nathan his team leap into action.

This involves meeting screen icon Coral Goldfinch, the film’s star and producer who was also engaged to the victim. The role of Commander Vivienne Rankin film is anticipated to be her big comeback after the tragic drug-related death of her daughter. As a movie buff himself, Nathan’s in his element and he finds a fellow aficionado in Jackson O’Neill, Goldfinch’s private security chief.

As the story develops, amid the tension of threatening messages and personal revelations, there’s great fun in Mark Wright’s script. Firstly, it’s impossible to get past “Shadow of the Moonlight” – Big Finish may not be using Justin Heyward’s marmite Star Cops titles (personally, we love it!), but it lyrics hold the perfect blockbuster title.

He brings back Nathan’s predilection for quoting from old movies – we adored the Galaxy Quest nod – and presents the brilliant image of the premiere with the waiting staff all dressed as Star Cops. We also loved Nathan’s terse aside at the whole concept of a Moon hotel in the first place.

There’s also room for commentary too. Just like the idea that Nathan’s coppering instinct wins out over the police computer, savvy audiences will demand authenticity in movies and not settle for films generated by AI.

Death on the Moon

This is a great tale for David Calder’s Nathan, with his usual cynicism rounded off by a little Hollywood glamour. He’s well matched by Samantha Boffin as his movie star counterpart – she’s imperious, driven, and ultimately a tragic figure. We also loved Cameron Johnson as Jackson O’Neill, who plays a fascinating role in the tale and will please long-term fans in the drama’s final scenes.

While there were no obvious links to the overall Conflict plotlines begun last time, there’s a reference to Nathan being back full time with the appointment of the new Moonbase Coordinator. Additionally, Kenzy’s relationship with Howard Lesser (Ben Miles) is bubbling along after multiple dates and the gift of a pendant too.

In Summary

Although it appears to stand alone from the series plotline, Shadow of the Moonlight is a terrific, touching tale. It manages to be futuristic and engaging, and throw kisses back to the original series too. It’s one of the best instalments we’ve heard so far, and there’s a high bar. As Devis would doubtless say… cushty.

Star Cops – Conflict: Shadow of the Moonlight is available to download now from Big Finish.

The series continues with ‘Prisoner and Escort’ in March. Then, Conflict concludes with three further monthly releases, between September and November 2026.