Murder in the Barn

Arnold Landon #1

by Roy Lewis

Meet Arnold Landon, mild-mannered history buff turned amateur sleuth. Murder in the Barn marks the beginning of an addictive new series, featuring an unlikely hero whose passions run deep.

IT STARTS WITH A SIMPLE PLANNING REQUEST ...

Rampton Farm, Northumberland, has always been a gloomy, godforsaken place. Now it's earmarked for demolition--to make way for just another tawdry amusement park. It will be progress, and nothing can stand in the way--except perhaps Arnold Landon, the Planning Officer who must glean the lie of the land.

Medieval architecture is Arnold's passion. And scouting the grounds, he makes a thrilling discovery: the Old Wheat Barn. He is captivated the moment he crosses the threshold; its walls echo with whispers of the past. Then and there, he realizes he must save it from the developers. But his efforts meet with hostile resistance. And then the barn offers up its most shocking secret yet ...

A dead body, sprawled in the straw.

What other crimes lay hidden in the dark history of the barn? Arnold won't rest until he uncovers the truth.

Originally published as A Gathering of Ghosts

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, British Literature, Mystery Thriller, Amateur Sleuth, Fiction

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

John Royston Lewis, who published his fiction under the name Roy Lewis, was a prominent English crime writer who wrote more than 60 novels. He was also a teacher, and he taught Law for 10 years before being appointed as One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Further & Higher Education. He lived in the north of England where many of his novels are set.

Lewis is also the author of several law texts, which he published under the name J.R. Lewis.

Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: FIRST PUBLISHED AS A GATHERING OF GHOSTS (1983)

Arnold Landon is a history buff, more accurately medieval architecture. Working for the Planning Office, he is charged with looking at a property that is targeted for demolition, marking boundaries, seeking out of the norms.

What he discovers is The Old Wheat Barn. Many centuries old, and feeling a connection to the long-standing barn, he wants to save the barn from destruction and save it from the developers.

Unfortunately, he meets with a lot of resistance, as there's a lot of money at stake.

But then, there's another discovery.... inside the barn is the body of a dead man.

Who is he? Why was he killed? Why was he in the barn to begin with? Landon wants to know and won't stop looking for answers until he's satisfied he's found the truth.

This was a bit of a slow starter, but it heated up quickly. Landon is not your everyday investigator. His one love is history and his feelings run deep. All the characters are deftly drawn. This is not a fast-paced book, but the suspense is there and maintains a high level throughout. It's an engaging mystery. Of note, this is the first of a series of 22 books.

Many thanks to the author / Books n All Book Promotions for the digital copy of this mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Ronald Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK. Yes, this is a slight book. But it is pretty hard for me to resist a book where the main character is an unassuming uneducated amateur archeologist and the plot turns on his recognition of a particular style of 14th century carpentry joint, to the great discomfiture of the over-stuffed expert professor. Wry humor on almost every page

[Lorne Strachan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unusual murder mystery. It’s my first book by Roy Lewis, therefore the first in this series for me. Even as I was finishing it, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. The protagonist, Arnold Landon, is a mild, shy history buff with a deep knowledge of wood and old building materials and techniques. His job in the planning office gives him some opportunities to further his hobby but his boss wants him to do his job as a professional, devoid of passion or opinion; he wants no involvement in controversy, just clean, clears statements of fact whenever he goes out to investigate applications to build, renovate, develop or demolish anything in the county.

This book starts with a simple planning request. A developer wants to build an entertainment venue on derelict, unproductive Rampton Farm in Northumberland. It should be straightforward and has council support but Landon finds a problem in the form of a specific type of lap joint in an old wheat barn that has to come down. No one else thinks the building is special but Landon is sure the building is almost two hundred years older than anyone else thinks, including the local professor of history. Landon thinks the building should be protected meaning the development may be stopped and the family wanting to sell the land will be out a lot of money. So much for avoiding controversy, not to mention providing motives for murder but this is hardly Landon’s fault as he didn’t intend to stumble upon a dead body when he went into the barn.

This isn’t a really exciting book. There are a few irate, threatening characters but nothing much more than that. You’ll learn more about Mediaeval carpentry than you ever wanted to know but Lewis manages to make it quite readable. Although Landon himself can be pedantic and irritating, he’s kind of compelling in his own slow, methodical way. This makes him different from most characters in murder mysteries and therefore unforgettable.

One of the obvious themes of the book is the tension between preserving history while continuing to progress. Another is the push/pull between academic history and that of the specific local knowledge of crafts, which allowed Landon to better date the barn through knowledge of how it was built than can the professor with all his deeds and documents. It's an interesting book but not particularly compelling. I'm glad I read it but wouldn't actually recommend it to any but my nerdiest of friends.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arnold Landon has a passion for wood. Not in the scholarly sense, but the real deal. He knows and has been to the library to study the particulars of a peculiar piece of roofing and has dated it to a precise time in that woodworker's life. 1349. But the greedy builder wants it torn down, the publicity hound professor thinks he's nutz, and the local council isn't sure if it is a Historic property or not.
This book meanders along like Slow-TV in Norway but it certainly keeps interest through all the twists and red herrings.
I see that this is a re-issue of the first book in series and it is set in the 1980s.
I bought the audio done by award winning narrator StevenCrossley!

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new author for me and I have to say that I really enjoyed this story. I found Arnold to be a well rounded character who stuck by his opinions even though there were many, and some powerful, against him. The situations and environment were well described and I found myself reading a good chunk at a time with this story.

I look forward to getting the next in this series and am prepared to lose myself in his world.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arnold Landon is a quiet, unassuming man in the planning permission office in Northumberland. An application to change the user of farmland takes an unexpected turn when Arnold visits the site. He discovers a wonderful historic barn which he believes should be preserved but others disagree with murderous consequences...
Murder in the Barn is a slow burn of a murder mystery novel. The actual murder doesn't happen until halfway through. But I found myself completely enthralled by the planning permission saga that evolves in the first half. Initially, I had no idea who the victim or culprit could be! However my detective brain went into overdrive! I worked it out before the end which made me feel proud of myself but didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book itself.
Arnold's character is wonderful and I warmed to him when he unleashes his passion for historic craftsmanship. He gives a few empassioned speeches which really made him come to life. His quirkiness and the uniqueness of his hobby as well as the emotional background to it make Arnold seem very human and realistic.
There is very little violence or forensic detail despite the murder. Instead, the emphasis is on the establishment of Arnold as an interesting lead and his uncovering of possible mottives. The dialogue feels natural which adds to the believability of the characters and the plot.
Murder in the Barn was originally published in the 1980s and it is enjoyable to return to a time with no mobile phones or social media. It is also the first book in a series of more than 20 books so I can't wait to read more!

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Roy Lewis book and I really enjoyed it. I’d like to give it 3.8 stars. The setting of a county planning office is a most promising one, that is managed without stereotyping, in spite of a cast of characters that would easily enable that - developer, neighbour, hunting enthusiast, dispossessed farmer.

The most interesting element is the portrayal of Arnold Landon, whose father has instilled in him a knowledge of wood and woodcraft, felt through his hands as much as wired in his brain, giving him almost the appearance of a savant. It is a sympathetic and intelligent portrait of someone with unconventional ways of knowing and his struggle to live conventionally with integrity.

He convinced me.

[Kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm glad some people enjoyed this book but it wasn't my cup of tea. It was over 100 pages about planning permissions and maybe a few dozen about the mystery. I think the mystery bit should've started before the first 2/3 of the book was over. I quite enjoy the Eric Ward series so I think I'll stick to that.

[Quartknee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full of purple prose that only detracts from the action. I get that some of the plodding, slow-moving sections mirror the protagonist's personality but he's a dull man in a dull story and I had to abandon this book. This was listed as a Cozy Mystery but all of the secrets of the barn's wood bits made it feel more like something for the Magical Realism genre and that's not what I signed up for.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

INTERESTING STORY

This book was a study of the victory of honesty and perseverance over what was accepted as factual evidence. It also reinforced the idea that the past is never past.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written

What an unusual plot line and cast of characters. A murder mystery, historical background and pastoral setting with political conflict woven in. Mr. Lois has a wonderful command of languageThat is a pleasure to read. I am excited to pursue more of his books.

[Simon Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audio version of this book was read superbly giving added atmosphere and context with character accents. The book is a nice simple story with a gentle plot twists. I enjoyed the experience but wouldn’t rush back for more.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a great mystery and the beginning of a new series for me. It takes place in the far northwest of England near the Scottish border. Arnold Landon is a nonpreposessing government official in the County Planning Department charged with planning or zoning change applications. His supervisor is never named, just referred to as the Senior Planning Officer, but who plays a large role in the story, always wanting to take the easy, noncontroversial way out of problems.

Arnold is assigned to investigate a planning proposal to change the use of a farm so it can be sold to a dodgy developer who wants to tear down all the farm buildings to put in an amusement park. One of the buildings is an old wheat barn that academics have determined from document research is Sixteenth Century. When Arnold investigates the barn, he discovers actual evidence of it dating from the Fourteenth Century and constructed by a quite famous master carpenter. Arnold has no academic degrees, just years of experience in working with, and studying, wood and wood buildings starting with lessons from his father. In spite of his trepidation Arnold goes against his supervisor and recommend to the Planning Council that the application be denied.

I loved the character descriptions, the minutia of the planning process, and the backbone development of Arthur. Yes, there was a murder and suspects galore, but really the meat of the story was Arthur and his obsession with the history of building with wood. It was fascinating, and I look forward to reading more in this series.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"My land, my application."

A planning application to allow one man's farmland to be converted for use by sale to a dubious leisure pursuits company sees the investigator for the Planning office take a personal interest when he discovers an old barn on the land to be older by some 300 years than previously established by historical records.Tempers rise as planning permission is disputed, to the senior Planning Officer's distress.

A marvellous introduction to the main character, Arnold Landon, and unusually set in 1980s rural Northumberland, England, before the advent of mobile phones. With very visual description and a slow paced, rather gentle mystery, this is not an action filled story but one to savour and enjoy. The excellent narration by Steven Crossley further enhances the enjoyment, each protagonist given the own individual voice.

Simply delicious, I'll be looking out for any further books in the Arnold Landon series in the future. This Audio book is currently free for download through the Audible Plus programme.

[Jeanne-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading the Arnold Landon series at book 6 because I received an excellent deal on the set of books 6 through 10. If I had started with this book, # 1, I would not have continued the series. I thoroughly enjoyed books 6–10, and thought I should start the series at the beginning to get a deeper insight into Arnold Landon. In book one I found him to be pompous, prissy, and generally annoying.
I would not like to spend any time with this man and couldn’t wait for the book to be over. Discarding all the unnecessarily wordy prose reveals a good storyline, but it’s a tough slog to get to the meat of the tale. Mr. Lewis had made Arnold more interesting by Book 6, and had significantly pepped-up his writing style. By starting at Book 6, I liked Arnold. I was very disappointed with his early iteration but delighted to see how far he’d come. I may read books 2-5 just to watch his development.

[Carol Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't really know where to start for reviewing this book, I was waiting for the murder to happen but instead got nearly a book on council planning Arnold a history buff mainly of wood stops the planning going through because the dilapidated barn containing a joint that is made years ago and the only murder there was, was near the ending of the book and can't quite make out why the history teacher professor got bumped off to start with unless mistaken identity, but could work out that somewhere there is another body that was done years ago.
Very slow burner not very interesting and found the whole book quite boring. That very abrupt ending of the build-up Anyone would have thought Arnold did not get out of the barn alive but was in the office with his boss having a up of tea very odd ending.

[Nira Ramachandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a long time, I got my hands on a book, which I just couldn't put down. As I read detective novels most of the time, this is very unusual. A seemingly simple tale, an unlikely detective, more an anti-hero than a hero, an unusual setting-a Planning Board, Routine onsite checks and an application to convert a moldering farmhouse and farm to other, more lucrative uses.
More than a mystery, it tells the story of one man's passion for the past and his own inherited skills, with which he refuses to compromise, another far more qualified expert on history but with an eye to the main chance, a decades old tale of love and passion, and compromise brought together in a simple yet convoluted tale.

[Pete Ffrench · Rating 5 out of 5]

The old wheat barn has more of a history than even Arnold imagined. Although he is something of a savant when it comes to wood and woodwork his skill also seems to spread to reading people. It takes a while but he eventually figures out why Ben Kelvin was so set on preserving it. Molly Stavely was a victim despite her calculating ways and when Rampton farm was denied her she set her sights on Ben Kelvin who had already taken a better offer in his eyes. A crime of passion or just covering his mistake then another accidental killing by the same hands in the same place makes for a good tale and Arnold Landon is a good character to uncover the whole tawdry affair.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in the Barn is an excellent British police procedural, the first in the series 'Arnold Landon', Roy Lewis writes classic British mysteries, and the Arnold Landon series is special and available on Kindle Unlimited. Arnold is a little bit fussy, a man who feels he is not fully prepared for his job with no special schooling, etc. He is single, lives to work, and doesn't always realize,nor is he appreciated for, what he has to offer in the way of crime solving.

Said barn is on Rampton Farm in Northumberland, and Arnold, a man with a lifelong love of wood in all its facets, immediately appreciates this barn for what it is - a 14th-century building still sturdy and able to do the job it was built to do. A group of questionable investors wants to buy Rampton Farm - and the owners are desperate to sell. But that sale would bring in a tourist-attracting, mega entertainment center that would wake up this sleepy little community, bring in the big bucks, an amusement complex offering entertainment to those not wanting to drive clear across the country for a bit of fun. The farm buildings will have to go -and that includes the Old Wheat Barn. Arnold wants the barn added to the historic buildings register and protected. He and many of the natives of Northumberland would love it if the tourists would head south, and leave their sleepy little hamlet in peace. But it appears that Arnold is too overwhelmed by the voices of progress at council meetings, and if he can't get over his sense of ineptitude and speak out with confidence about the history he knows so well from the wood used, Professor John Fisher, a man deeply involved with the plans to open the county to excessive tourism, will succeed in refuting Arnold's informed estimate of the barn's age with his contradictory estimate based on written historical records which date the construction of the barn two centuries later, thus not rare at all in that part of England, so not eligible for historical protections. The majority of the community doesn't want the sort of change the entertainment center would impose on their township. But Money talks. Loudly. Arnold will have to find his voice.

This book, first published 1980, contains a dictionary of British terms that might not be known to its American readers. Not written as a historical, but a perfect window of life in Northumberland and most of Britain, Roy Lewis takes us way back... Joffe Books is responsible for bringing us this picture of that world.

Reviewed on August 20, 3033, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, BookBub, and Kobo. Not available for review at B&N.

[Gina Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

While some reviewers didn't seem to care for the foray into how government works & wanted more action, less bureaucratic detail, that didn't bother me, as I've worked with all levels of government for many years. In fact, I felt a little reassured that someone else knows what it's like to jump through the hoops of a bureaucracy!

What inspired my 5 star review though was the passion that Arnold expresses in sharing the beauty of woodwork and the artistic genius that goes into the creation of something as simple as the roof of a barn. As a history dork myself I am frequently awestruck by a beautiful building and find myself putting myself in the place of the people that not only built the structure, but lived their lives in it. I thought that this writing was a thing of beauty.

[Denise Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Storyteller

Roy Lewis is a brilliant storyteller, I have read all his books but have to admit that the Arnold Landon series is my favourite . I read them as library books first then bought the paperback books so I could read them again. When space became more difficult I gave the books away and then Ebooks were a more viable option. Having bought all the Eric Ward series I was so pleased that finally they are bringing out the Arnold Landon series and have just enjoyed reading the first in the series .and about to read the second in the series

[Caroline Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing protagonist and an unusual murder mystery.

This was my first taste of Roy Lewis' writing skills and I loved it. This is the first in his series about Arnold Landon who works for the planning department. Arnold is fascinated by wood and, whilst involved in a survey for a change of user from agricultural land to a leisure company's rather dubious plans, he finds something exciting in an old barn. What he finds and where it leads are the plot of this really excellent gentle read.

[Alžběta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roy Lewis's "Murder in the Barn" is a perfect blend of mystery, investigation, appreciation for history, and dry, witty humour. Arnold Landon is an unusual but excellent protagonist. Just like with the Eric Ward series, Lewis manages to make seemingly unbearably boring areas fascinating - in this series, it's planning permissions and land disputes. I understand some might find the book too slow, but I loved it and especially enjoyed the bits explaining historical building methods. I can't wait to read the rest of series.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

I planned on giving this book 4 stars because I really liked how Arnold stood up so determinedly for what he believed, I loved his integrity, the way he didn't let the "elite" shout him down just because he had no formal education. But then he had to get sloshed at work and throw up all over people and make a complete fool of himself. He was lucky he didn't get fired on the spot. That irked me so very, very badly. Still, except for that, it was a good book and I will definitely get the other parts in the series.

[Barbara McCarley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story—one of a kind murder mystery subtly revealed

Arnold, actually a genius, pursues his fantastic interest in the works of centuries old structures of amazing craftsmanship, finds himself in awe of an old barn, facing destruction. A proposal for use of the land as a project to develop dubious centers for “amusement” purposes challenges for Arnold as well as those held hostage by the promise of financial gain.

[Dorothy Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past and Present

As well as a buried secret this book gives wonderful insight into our valued heritage in an unassuming way with a reminder of that which links last and present . I found this book quite by chance and was enthralled in feeling the passion of the main charactijner and the regret of loss sprinkled with touches of wit and humour in the characterisation of those involved in our uniquely English phenomenon the Committee

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

Another great story Roy Lewis and not part of his two series. A really different crime story which does not feature a detective in the true sense of the word. I am unable to guess at this stage as to whether there will be more but it will be interesting to see how the main character can be developed.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arnold Landon has been doing a survey and looking at the old barn has dated it back to the 1300's. Professor Fisher disagrees with him. The owner wants to sell the farm and Mr Burke wants to make it a commercial enterprise. Arnold's boss is not happy as he wanted a clean easy report. How this will end is the question.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't get enough of this series and still love the main character. He's even more lovable in this story and shows his tenacity and common sense. He's not without his foibles but they make him more real somehow. It's unfortunate that I haven't read the series in order but the stories are good on their own despite the fact that his career has gone backwards.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I liked that the protagonist was a history and architecture enthusiast. However the story just seemed to drag for me, and I found my attention wandering often. It seemed like things didn’t really start to pick up with the discovery of a murder until after halfway through the book. Overall it was ok, but just not my cup of tea.