Emmerdale spoilers: Rhona to confront killer Pierce? Next week's drama revealed

Did Emmerdale play fair with the Graham Foster whodunnit? We knew he was going to get bumped off, a gallery of suspects was unveiled and we were all invited to turn detective. And then…Pierce Harris made a surprise comeback and was revealed to be the killer. Surely, this contradicts the rules of a whodunnit, where all the clues are put in front of the audience, so we can try and outwit the sleuth?

OK, so it had been mentioned in passing that Pierce had been released from prison, but he was never part of the official line-up of potential killers. So his unmasking is a bit of a cheat, in much the same way as the revelation that Bobby had murdered Lucy on EastEnders was back in 2015. To give Emmerdale credit, though, this plot line has been a rare and welcome instance of a soap opting not to drag a whodunnit out for months and months. Although I can’t help but feel that they’ve staged this high-profile mystery to coincide with the voting period for the National Television Awards shortlist. Cynical? Me?

Moving forwards and there are still plenty of cliffhanger questions in need of answers. And all the key players on the show are still in the dark when it comes to the issue of Pierce’s return. Rhona, who, let’s face it, has more reason to be fearful than most, has been left horror-struck by the thought that one of her neighbours may have killed Graham and is now determined to discover the truth. Best friend Vanessa, though, is warning Rhona against looking for clues and implores her to stay safe.

But since when did a character erring on the side of caution make for good drama? I fully expect Rhona to be cornered by killer Pierce before the month is over.

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