The Killings at Badger's Drift: A Midsomer Murders Mystery 1

Description

'Simply the best detective writer since Agatha Christie' The Sunday Times Named by the CWAs as one of 'The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time', The Killings at Badger's Drift is the first spectacular novel in the Midsomer Murders series by Caroline Graham, the novel that inspired the ITV hit drama, now featuring an exclusive foreword by John Nettles who played best-loved TV detective and star of Midsomer Murders, DCI Tom Barnaby. If you love Agatha Christie, M C Beaton and James Runcie's The Grantchester Mysteries, you won't be able to get enough of the Midsomer Murders mysteries. The village of Badger's Drift is the essence of tranquillity. But when resident and well-loved spinster Miss Simpson takes a stroll in the nearby woods, she stumbles across something she was never meant to see, and there's only one way to keep her quiet. Miss Simpson's death is not suspicious, say the villagers. But Miss Lucy Bellringer refuses to rest: her friend has been murdered. She is sure of it. She calls on Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby to investigate, and it isn't long until the previously unseen seamy side of Badger's Drift is brought to light. But as old rivalries, past loves and new scandals surface, the next murder is not far away. Praise for Caroline Graham's novels: 'One to savour' Val McDermid 'A mystery of which Agatha Christie would have been proud. . . A beautifully written crime novel' The Times 'Tension builds, bitchery flares, resentment seethes . . . lots of atmosphere' Mail on Sunday 'A witty, well-plotted, absolute joy of a book' Yorkshire Post 'Swift, tense and highly alarming' TLS 'Lots of excellent character sketches . . . and the dialogue is lively and convincing' Independent 'Read her and you'll be astonished . . . very sexy, very hip and very funny' Scotsman

Caroline Graham, the creator of Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, was born in Warwickshire and educated at Nuneaton High School for Girls, and later the Open University. She was awarded an MA in Theatre Studies at Birmingham University, and has written several plays for both radio and theatre. She has been dubbed by The Sunday Times as, 'Simply the best detective writer since Agatha Christie'.

A mystery of which Agatha Christie would have been proud. . . A beautifully written crime novel * The Times * Tension builds, bitchery flares, resentment seethes . . . lots of atmosphere, colourful characters and fair clues * Mail on Sunday * Everyone gets what they deserve in this high-class mystery * Sunday Telegraph * A witty, well-plotted, absolute joy of a book * Yorkshire Post * A treat . . . haunting stuff * Woman's Realm * Swift, tense and highly alarming * TLS * Lots of excellent character sketches . . . and the dialogue is lively and convincing * Independent * Hard to praise highly enough * The Sunday Times * Her books are not just great whodunits but great novels in their own right -- Julie Burchill Enlivened by a very sardonic wit and turn of phrase, the narrative drive never falters * Birmingham Post * Read her and you'll be astonished . . . very sexy, very hip and very funny * Scotsman * The mystery is intriguing, the wit shafts through like sunlight . . . do not miss this book * Family Circle * Wickedly acid, yet sympathetic * Publishers Weekly * One to savour -- Val McDermid