Tess Moffatt is a telephone switchboard operator with a flair for exaggeration, introduced in Season 4 of Murdoch Mysteries. She is played by twins Rachel Wilson and Sarah Wilson.
Tess is described as a nuisance by the Inspector, calling in false crimes that she misinterprets by listening in on phone calls at her work as a telephone operator. She is quite keen in helping, and is rather fond of George Crabtree.
Appearances and Mentions[]
Dial M for Murdoch[]
- Tess overhears what she believes to be a woman being strangled from an off the hook phone at the Whittaker residence. She reports this to Crabtree but Inspector Brackenreid believes she is making another prank and orders her to leave. She does so, but not before reminding them that she was breaking phone company rules by repeating what she overheard. Detective Murdoch decides to at least investigate and finds drops of blood at Whittaker's house.
- Tess is later enlisted by Crabtree to listen in on a phone call made by a street urchin named Dory to his "uncle", figuring that it may help solve the death of another boy named Pip. As Crabtree is monitoring the call, it is official police business, therefore her job is not at risk. Her involvement uncovers a jewel theft ring that uses urchins ("nephews"), who are ordered to rob vacant houses by their "uncles", who report to the boss ("grandfather"). When Crabtree tell her that Whittaker is suspected of being the "grandfather", Tess decides to act on it. Knowing that all the phone lines from Whittaker's house are routed to Station House Four, Tess calls Whittaker at his house, revealing she knows who he is, before confronting him in his own house. With the phone off the hook for the police to record, she tricks Whittaker into saying incriminating statements. Somehow, she manages to overpower and bind him so Murdoch and Crabtree can arrest him. Once the case is closed, Tess decides to start her own detective agency, being the lead female detective, and offers a position to Constable George Crabtree.
The Murdoch Trap[]
- Tess makes a cameo.
- At the switchboard, Tess detects the Morse code message sent by trapped Murdoch in hopes that the constabulary would find him.
Gallery[]
