Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Badger's Drift is a tranquil English village, home to Miss Emily Simpson, a kindly, well-liked spinster. When she is murdered, Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby is asked to investigate. He soon uncovers an unexpectedly seamy side to the village - including old rivalries, old loves and new scandals.
|
Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Disappointing, but Fun December 30, 2008
This book is the first in the Inspector Barnaby mystery series, which is the basis for the popular TV show, Midsomer Murders (which happens to be my favorite show). I was so excited to read this book, but ultimately I was disappointed. It could simply be because I know the characters from TV so well, but I didn't feel that these characters were very well-developed. In terms of the mystery factor, this book is full of suspense and the murders are just gory enough to be believable. The many suspects are enjoyably colorful, and I loved the portrayal of the sweet little village with its many secrets. But many of the details felt glossed over, and the dialog was very messy in some places (it's hard to tell who is speaking). But despite these faults, I enjoyed the story for what it was, and I'm even willing to try the next book in the series.
 "Old School" classic in the tradition of the masters... December 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I picked up a more recent book in the Inspector Barnaby series from my local used bookstore but being the anal soul that I am, decided to read the books in order. Took me a bit of effort to find this first one for a less-than-usurious price but once I got a copy, decided it'll remain in my library (rather than sell it). Graham writes a protagonist like Dick Francis does - a dogged, intelligent individual who follows the threads 'til the end and justice is served. A well-written plot is buoyed by a cast of memorable characters, some comedic, some odd but all with a role to play. I plan on collecting the entire series. Highly recommend.
A classic July 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The traditional mystery, through a glass darkly. Her Death of a Hollow Man is also superb. Come to think of it, all her books are superb.
A Quintessential British Mystery November 11, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Killings at Badger's Drift is an excellently written, well-plotted British mystery. The setting is quaint, the characters are colorful, and the ending was a surprise. I personally love reading the musings of Sergeant Troy, Barnaby's unlikely assistant. His overly critical, insecure thoughts contrasts nicely with Barnaby's rational style, although Barnaby himself has his interesting quirks as well. If you are a fan of British mysteries, this is a must read!
Excellent Series! August 23, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I first "met" the characters in this series by happening upon them in the Midsomer Murders mystery series on TV (I'm not much of a TV watcher, so I found them accidentally!). I was so impressed with the TV series that I decided to try the books. I'm very glad I did. While I found I liked the characters a bit more in the TV series (they are somewhat toned down for TV - Troy especially!), I throughly enjoyed this book and rank Caroline Graham right up there with Agatha Christie and the other top British mystery writers. The characterizations are great for even the more minor actors in the story, her wit and humor are wonderful and the vocabulary is fantastic (finally! an author who isn't afraid to use "big words"!). The plot for this novel kept me guessing right up to the end. A well-paced, well-plotted mystery. I was equally impressed with a subsequent foray into the series - Death of a Hollow Man. If you like the cozy British mystery genre, get these books!
|
