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Originally adapted for German television in 1966, Francis Durbridge's mystery novel Melissa was remade as a British miniseries in 1974. That version was sufficiently famous to warrant an expensive four-part reworking nearly a quarter of a century later. Expanding considerably upon the original, this new version of Melissa told the story of war correspondent Guy Foster (Tim Dutton), who, after the death of his wife in a car accident, embarked upon an ocean voyage to forget his troubles. En route, he enjoyed a shipboard romance with an ethereally beautiful woman named Melissa (Jennifer Ehle), who shortly afterward died in mysterious circumstances. The plot thickened as several of Guy's other acquaintances were likewise knocked off, one by one, until the hero found himself accused of their murders. Melissa debuted over Britain's Channel 4 on May 12, 1997.