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Chief Inspector Barnaby #4
Blutige Anfänger
This is the fourth novel in the Inspector Barnaby Series. Written in Blood was dramatized as part of the Midsomer Murders TV series, produced by British television and broadcast in the U.S. Who's Likely to Like This? Fans of Deborah Crombie, Peter Robinson and Caroline Graham's The Killing's at Badger's Drift, and Death in Disguise
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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1596 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Graham
25 books616 followersCaroline Graham is an English playwright, screenwriter and novelist. She attended the Open University, and received a degree in writing for the theatre from the University of Birmingham.
Series:
* Chief Inspector Barnaby
Series:
* Chief Inspector Barnaby
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April 4, 2025
Written In Blood from 1994, is the 4th novel about Chief Inspector Barnaby by the English mystery writer Caroline Graham, and is one of the best novels in the series of seven. It has an intriguing plot centring on a group of amateur writers. Although "Midsomer Murders" is now a popular TV drama, with a huge number of episodes and writers involved, the few original novels by Caroline Graham are far less cosy.
The themes are also darker than in an average "cosy" mystery. This particular novel looks at child abuse, transvestism, insanity, power, manipulation, jealousy, and the nature of unconditional or obsessional love. The novel was dramatised in 1998, as the second episode of the TV series, "Midsomer Murders", and apart from a couple of minor details, such as far more involvement for Barnaby's wife Joyce, (who always seems to be partly responsible for the solution in the TV programmes) sticks quite closely to the plot of the novel. However, of course, there is less psychological insight, humour and detail in the TV version, as with all dramatisations.
We are introduced to the main characters via a lively set of cameo sketches. "The Midsomer Worthy Writer's Circle" is a group of amateur writers, making for a very entertaining hotchpotch of hopeful dabblers. Their secretary is Gerald Hadleigh, who writes thrillers. There is also an unbearably arrogant school teacher, Brian Clapper, who writes what he fondly thinks of as contemporary drama. His current piece of pretentious rubbish is entitled, "Slangwhang for Five Mute Voices." His downtrodden wife Sue writes cute children's stories about a friendly dragon. An antique shop owner, Laura Hutton, writes romantic fiction. An overbearingly patronising character, Honoria Lyddiard, is keen to inform everyone she is the last in one of the oldest families in England; she is writing about its history, and her widowed sister-in-law, Amy Lyddiard, writes poetry.
The novel starts with the group trying to decide who they would like to invite as a guest speaker. They fix on a celebrity, Max Jennings, who had formerly been a psychiatrist, but is now a best-selling novelist who has written a popular book entitled "Faraway Hills". Gerald Hadleigh is unaccountably very opposed to the idea, but as he will not say why, is soon overruled by the rest of the group.
The feeling of the novel becomes quite edgy, as clearly Gerald Hadleigh is a rather reclusive, introverted personality. He is so troubled and jittery that he feels forced to ask a neighbour, Rex St. John, not to leave him alone with their guest speaker when he arrives. The day arrives, and Max Jennings proves to be a charming and helpful speaker. Interestingly, later on he shows himself to have been a bit of a smoothtalker, clearly not missing a trick, with this nicely judged report of the individuals in the group,
"There was a woman with red hair - I'm afraid I forget her name - who was in love with Hadleigh. And extremely unhappy about it. A ghastly little man called Clapton. Hopelessly ineffectual and, I suspect, completely untalented, with his poor squash of a wife. A sweet old chap so distrait it hardly seemed safe to let him loose without a keeper and a fearsome, barking-mad woman with legs like Nelson's column and a quite Lawrentian idolatry for what she kept calling "true English blood.""
Max Jennings gives his talk to the group, yet it is clear to everyone that the relationship between himself and Gerald Hadleigh is very tense. The scene is set for action.
What Gerald had feared, of course happens, and the two are left alone. What follows is a dark and horrific story, a murder with a baffling puzzle at its root. There are also hilarious descriptions of some of the characters - Rex St John for one - and three intriguing and very involved subplots focusing on minor members of the group. Both of these may well have you cheering from the sidelines, as in each case the bullies get their comeuppance. And there is another death.
The detectives in these seven novels are not the friendly duo the TV "Midsomer Murders" aficionados are used to, but embittered ruthless coppers, often at each other's throats.
Here is Barnaby's sergeant,
"Gavin was a walking mass of insecurities. He also had an overwhelming need to be admired, which, given the public's current perception of the Force, was in no danger at all of being satisfied."
The quotation shows the droll nature of Caroline Graham's writing, and also that the TV's gentle but slightly gormless and naive portrayal of Gavin Troy is a heavily sanitised version of the novel's self-centred, judgemental and brooding character.
"Barnaby had said that he felt sometimes his sergeant objected to murder not so much because it was an outrageous violation against a human soul but because it was chaotic. Troy had been both hurt and angry at their remark and the lack of moral sensiblity that it had implied. He had dwelt upon it at some length ... which made him angrier still, for introspection was not his forte and he avoided its dangers whenever possible."
In Barnaby's eyes,
"Troy suffered greatly from what Barnaby always thought of as the "treading-water syndrome". Panic at being out of one's depth. Fear that, if a case did not quickly yield up its secrets, it would remain forever impenetrable. Troy craved for something to hold onto, and quickly."
Since this novel marks both the midpoint and the high point of the series, the reader has become very interested in these two damaged personalities. Here, their differing reactions are nicely contrasted, when a suspect comments that they have never done a "proper day's work",
"Barnaby, though he had experienced in his long career tiredness so absolute that, waking or sleeping, he seemed to be trudging endlessly down a dark corridor of exhaustion in iron boots, rode this supercilious attack with ease. Troy took it personally, as he did everything, and reacted as if stung."
At another time, the volatile Troy,
"responded sharply as he always did to any adverse comment on his driving."
At almost every moment he seems to resent his boss,
"Not that the chief didn't have gut feelings but in his case, they were called perceptions and treated with cautious respect. When Troy had perceptions he was told he was being sloppyminded and to think things through."
And even when Gavin Troy does admire Barnaby, it is only because Barnaby has behaved peremptorily towards someone else, and Troy is feeling sour about the other person,
"his helpmate [Troy] smirked invisibly at the sweet neatness of this riposte. Arrogant fart-faced old biddy."
Barnaby, the older man, having seen more of life, has more true self-confidence,
"Barnaby was not afraid of emotion and would say, without hesitation, what was in his heart as well as what was in his mind if he thought the occasion warranted it. But, like all policemen, he tried not to get personally involved in an investigation, recognising the need for a clear and disinterested viewpoint."
He is also thoroughly committed to the job in hand,
"Thoughts about Jennings, always on a quiet, subterranean bubble, surfaced."
But Barnaby himself is not without prejudice, a certain type of inverted snobbery, quick to judge,
""Imagine living in that." Barnaby, looking back at the house, spoke with a certain scorn ... "Talk about medallion man write large." Not knowing what to say, for he had loved the house and everything in it, Troy shivered and kept silent."
The action of the novel is very well balanced between the complexities of the main mystery, the histories of all the characters involved, the development and conclusions of the subplots and the psychological makeup and interactions between the police involved. There is even a new enthusiastic young copper, not yet experienced enough to suffer from the prevailing malaise and jaundiced attitudes,
"D. C. Willoughby, looking even more crackly crisp than he had yesterday. Even his smile was freshly ironed."
And another copper, the bane of Barnaby's existence, Inspector Meredith, whom he sees as,
"sharp-eyed, snake-hipped, snake-headed, with his painted-on black hair and golden origins. Listening, falsely respectful, offering ideas with mock tentativeness. Biding his time. Youth and high-riding ambition on his side."
Quite a lot of the police work takes place in the police station or an incident room. Again, this is a more realistic approach than is seen in the TV dramatisations, where the entire case seems to be solved by the daring duo, aided, all the while, by Barnaby's wife, who as mentioned before, not only often provides a clue which enables Barnaby, with a flash of inspiration, to solve the puzzle, but seems inevitably embroiled in every murder in the sleepy villages of Midsomer. Here the denouement is not in fact provided by Joyce, but by means of a long soliloquy by one of the characters.
For a final quotation which made me smile, here is one character's assessment of TV and radio in the UK. It's a typically witty and apt description. Laura considers daytime TV to be,
"depressingly seedy. She had no wish to join what she had always assumed was an audience composed of the elderly, house-bound mums or the long-term unemployed. She had switched the radio on and off a dozen times. Radio 3 played music that was either totally insipid or so rowdy it hurt her ears. Radio 4 offered rising young lunatics from Westminster swearing eternal fealty to the electorate with their hands on their wallets. When the unctuous pieties of "Thought For the Day" started she had almost thrown the transistor across the kitchen."
Altogether this is a solid and enjoyable mystery story, dating from a decade ago; the time just before mystery stories became more about the back story and explorations into psychology than about the mystery itself. The characters are entertaining and well drawn, and their histories and personal developments are detailed and engrossing. Yet they are not overdone at the expense of the plot. It is quite lengthy, coming just at the time when the fashion for longer mystery novels started. But this complex plot is devious enough to tempt any mystery addict. And of course, it is quintessentially English.
The themes are also darker than in an average "cosy" mystery. This particular novel looks at child abuse, transvestism, insanity, power, manipulation, jealousy, and the nature of unconditional or obsessional love. The novel was dramatised in 1998, as the second episode of the TV series, "Midsomer Murders", and apart from a couple of minor details, such as far more involvement for Barnaby's wife Joyce, (who always seems to be partly responsible for the solution in the TV programmes) sticks quite closely to the plot of the novel. However, of course, there is less psychological insight, humour and detail in the TV version, as with all dramatisations.
We are introduced to the main characters via a lively set of cameo sketches. "The Midsomer Worthy Writer's Circle" is a group of amateur writers, making for a very entertaining hotchpotch of hopeful dabblers. Their secretary is Gerald Hadleigh, who writes thrillers. There is also an unbearably arrogant school teacher, Brian Clapper, who writes what he fondly thinks of as contemporary drama. His current piece of pretentious rubbish is entitled, "Slangwhang for Five Mute Voices." His downtrodden wife Sue writes cute children's stories about a friendly dragon. An antique shop owner, Laura Hutton, writes romantic fiction. An overbearingly patronising character, Honoria Lyddiard, is keen to inform everyone she is the last in one of the oldest families in England; she is writing about its history, and her widowed sister-in-law, Amy Lyddiard, writes poetry.
The novel starts with the group trying to decide who they would like to invite as a guest speaker. They fix on a celebrity, Max Jennings, who had formerly been a psychiatrist, but is now a best-selling novelist who has written a popular book entitled "Faraway Hills". Gerald Hadleigh is unaccountably very opposed to the idea, but as he will not say why, is soon overruled by the rest of the group.
The feeling of the novel becomes quite edgy, as clearly Gerald Hadleigh is a rather reclusive, introverted personality. He is so troubled and jittery that he feels forced to ask a neighbour, Rex St. John, not to leave him alone with their guest speaker when he arrives. The day arrives, and Max Jennings proves to be a charming and helpful speaker. Interestingly, later on he shows himself to have been a bit of a smoothtalker, clearly not missing a trick, with this nicely judged report of the individuals in the group,
"There was a woman with red hair - I'm afraid I forget her name - who was in love with Hadleigh. And extremely unhappy about it. A ghastly little man called Clapton. Hopelessly ineffectual and, I suspect, completely untalented, with his poor squash of a wife. A sweet old chap so distrait it hardly seemed safe to let him loose without a keeper and a fearsome, barking-mad woman with legs like Nelson's column and a quite Lawrentian idolatry for what she kept calling "true English blood.""
Max Jennings gives his talk to the group, yet it is clear to everyone that the relationship between himself and Gerald Hadleigh is very tense. The scene is set for action.
What Gerald had feared, of course happens, and the two are left alone. What follows is a dark and horrific story, a murder with a baffling puzzle at its root. There are also hilarious descriptions of some of the characters - Rex St John for one - and three intriguing and very involved subplots focusing on minor members of the group. Both of these may well have you cheering from the sidelines, as in each case the bullies get their comeuppance. And there is another death.
The detectives in these seven novels are not the friendly duo the TV "Midsomer Murders" aficionados are used to, but embittered ruthless coppers, often at each other's throats.
Here is Barnaby's sergeant,
"Gavin was a walking mass of insecurities. He also had an overwhelming need to be admired, which, given the public's current perception of the Force, was in no danger at all of being satisfied."
The quotation shows the droll nature of Caroline Graham's writing, and also that the TV's gentle but slightly gormless and naive portrayal of Gavin Troy is a heavily sanitised version of the novel's self-centred, judgemental and brooding character.
"Barnaby had said that he felt sometimes his sergeant objected to murder not so much because it was an outrageous violation against a human soul but because it was chaotic. Troy had been both hurt and angry at their remark and the lack of moral sensiblity that it had implied. He had dwelt upon it at some length ... which made him angrier still, for introspection was not his forte and he avoided its dangers whenever possible."
In Barnaby's eyes,
"Troy suffered greatly from what Barnaby always thought of as the "treading-water syndrome". Panic at being out of one's depth. Fear that, if a case did not quickly yield up its secrets, it would remain forever impenetrable. Troy craved for something to hold onto, and quickly."
Since this novel marks both the midpoint and the high point of the series, the reader has become very interested in these two damaged personalities. Here, their differing reactions are nicely contrasted, when a suspect comments that they have never done a "proper day's work",
"Barnaby, though he had experienced in his long career tiredness so absolute that, waking or sleeping, he seemed to be trudging endlessly down a dark corridor of exhaustion in iron boots, rode this supercilious attack with ease. Troy took it personally, as he did everything, and reacted as if stung."
At another time, the volatile Troy,
"responded sharply as he always did to any adverse comment on his driving."
At almost every moment he seems to resent his boss,
"Not that the chief didn't have gut feelings but in his case, they were called perceptions and treated with cautious respect. When Troy had perceptions he was told he was being sloppyminded and to think things through."
And even when Gavin Troy does admire Barnaby, it is only because Barnaby has behaved peremptorily towards someone else, and Troy is feeling sour about the other person,
"his helpmate [Troy] smirked invisibly at the sweet neatness of this riposte. Arrogant fart-faced old biddy."
Barnaby, the older man, having seen more of life, has more true self-confidence,
"Barnaby was not afraid of emotion and would say, without hesitation, what was in his heart as well as what was in his mind if he thought the occasion warranted it. But, like all policemen, he tried not to get personally involved in an investigation, recognising the need for a clear and disinterested viewpoint."
He is also thoroughly committed to the job in hand,
"Thoughts about Jennings, always on a quiet, subterranean bubble, surfaced."
But Barnaby himself is not without prejudice, a certain type of inverted snobbery, quick to judge,
""Imagine living in that." Barnaby, looking back at the house, spoke with a certain scorn ... "Talk about medallion man write large." Not knowing what to say, for he had loved the house and everything in it, Troy shivered and kept silent."
The action of the novel is very well balanced between the complexities of the main mystery, the histories of all the characters involved, the development and conclusions of the subplots and the psychological makeup and interactions between the police involved. There is even a new enthusiastic young copper, not yet experienced enough to suffer from the prevailing malaise and jaundiced attitudes,
"D. C. Willoughby, looking even more crackly crisp than he had yesterday. Even his smile was freshly ironed."
And another copper, the bane of Barnaby's existence, Inspector Meredith, whom he sees as,
"sharp-eyed, snake-hipped, snake-headed, with his painted-on black hair and golden origins. Listening, falsely respectful, offering ideas with mock tentativeness. Biding his time. Youth and high-riding ambition on his side."
Quite a lot of the police work takes place in the police station or an incident room. Again, this is a more realistic approach than is seen in the TV dramatisations, where the entire case seems to be solved by the daring duo, aided, all the while, by Barnaby's wife, who as mentioned before, not only often provides a clue which enables Barnaby, with a flash of inspiration, to solve the puzzle, but seems inevitably embroiled in every murder in the sleepy villages of Midsomer. Here the denouement is not in fact provided by Joyce, but by means of a long soliloquy by one of the characters.
For a final quotation which made me smile, here is one character's assessment of TV and radio in the UK. It's a typically witty and apt description. Laura considers daytime TV to be,
"depressingly seedy. She had no wish to join what she had always assumed was an audience composed of the elderly, house-bound mums or the long-term unemployed. She had switched the radio on and off a dozen times. Radio 3 played music that was either totally insipid or so rowdy it hurt her ears. Radio 4 offered rising young lunatics from Westminster swearing eternal fealty to the electorate with their hands on their wallets. When the unctuous pieties of "Thought For the Day" started she had almost thrown the transistor across the kitchen."
Altogether this is a solid and enjoyable mystery story, dating from a decade ago; the time just before mystery stories became more about the back story and explorations into psychology than about the mystery itself. The characters are entertaining and well drawn, and their histories and personal developments are detailed and engrossing. Yet they are not overdone at the expense of the plot. It is quite lengthy, coming just at the time when the fashion for longer mystery novels started. But this complex plot is devious enough to tempt any mystery addict. And of course, it is quintessentially English.
July 20, 2025
Lunchtime Listen April-May 2025
Well, this was just fantastic, a brilliant story (far more fleshed out than the tv episode) and brilliantly read by John Hopkins.
I do remember the tv episode, and as I say this had far more to it; more fantastic dialogue between Barnaby and Troy; far more witty one liners; far more in depth exploration of the characters; and just far more of everything !.
Whilst there are obvious differences between the book characters and the tv ones, I still see the relevant tv actors in the book characters as it was being read to me, and I think that brings it to life even more.
In this episode an author visiting a local book club appears to disappear after the man hosting the event is found brutally murdered. If he’s not guilty why has he “done a runner” and why was the murder so brutal, and finally why did the murderer steal a suitcase and empty a chest of drawers ?
All good questions which Barnaby and Troy attack with Gusto. Troy with his never ending appetite and Barnaby with his experience, insight and need to go on a diet !
A great book , I just wish there were more.
Well, this was just fantastic, a brilliant story (far more fleshed out than the tv episode) and brilliantly read by John Hopkins.
I do remember the tv episode, and as I say this had far more to it; more fantastic dialogue between Barnaby and Troy; far more witty one liners; far more in depth exploration of the characters; and just far more of everything !.
Whilst there are obvious differences between the book characters and the tv ones, I still see the relevant tv actors in the book characters as it was being read to me, and I think that brings it to life even more.
In this episode an author visiting a local book club appears to disappear after the man hosting the event is found brutally murdered. If he’s not guilty why has he “done a runner” and why was the murder so brutal, and finally why did the murderer steal a suitcase and empty a chest of drawers ?
All good questions which Barnaby and Troy attack with Gusto. Troy with his never ending appetite and Barnaby with his experience, insight and need to go on a diet !
A great book , I just wish there were more.
November 17, 2019
This is the fourth in the Chief Inspector Barnaby series. It is set in the village of Midsomer Worthy, where a local writing circle invite a guest speaker to visit. They decide to ask bestselling writer, Max Jennings, despite the obvious unwillingness of group secretary, Gerald Hadleigh. Gerald writes to invite Max Jennings, who accepts, to the obvious surprise of the group. However, then Gerald asks fellow member, Rex St John, not to leave him alone with Max Jennings under any circumstances. The next day, Gerald is found dead and Max Jennings has vanished…
I really enjoyed this mystery. I enjoyed the relationship between Barnaby and Troy and I thought the members of the writing group were really interesting. In particular, I liked Sue, the long-suffering wife of school teacher, Brian Clapper, and her friend, Amy, who lives with her penny-pinching, snobbish sister-in-law, Honoria.
Graham does an excellent job of setting the scene and unveiling the mystery. Her novels remind me of Jane Haddam and P.D. James. I do feel that, if you enjoy either of those authors, you will enjoy this series. I look forward to continuing the series, which is fast becoming one of my favourites.
I really enjoyed this mystery. I enjoyed the relationship between Barnaby and Troy and I thought the members of the writing group were really interesting. In particular, I liked Sue, the long-suffering wife of school teacher, Brian Clapper, and her friend, Amy, who lives with her penny-pinching, snobbish sister-in-law, Honoria.
Graham does an excellent job of setting the scene and unveiling the mystery. Her novels remind me of Jane Haddam and P.D. James. I do feel that, if you enjoy either of those authors, you will enjoy this series. I look forward to continuing the series, which is fast becoming one of my favourites.
January 28, 2019
Jāsaka šis gads grāmatu izvēlē sācies negaidīti labi, daudz sirdij tuvu grāmatu
Kaut kā C. Graham romāni līdz šim iepazīti tikai skatoties TV (Midsommeras slepkavības), tādēļ jāpagūst atgūt nokavētais. Izvēlējos šo darbu, jo slepkavība notiek neliela grāmatu kluba ( vai drīzāk jauno rakstnieku pulciņa) iekšienē. Nākamreiz sēžot savā GK neviļus būs jādomā - who' s next? Bet nu par romānu - interesants sižets un kolorīti personāži, nekādu asu pagriezienu, klavieru krūmos utt., bet tik un tā lasīju ar patiku. Mazie angļu ciematiņi ar cilvēkiem tvīdā un koptiem mauriņiem! Tomēr aiz skaistās fasādes slēpjas - slepkavas, krāpnieki, transvestīti un trakas vecmeitas. Iesaku visiem angļu detektīva cienītājiem!
Kaut kā C. Graham romāni līdz šim iepazīti tikai skatoties TV (Midsommeras slepkavības), tādēļ jāpagūst atgūt nokavētais. Izvēlējos šo darbu, jo slepkavība notiek neliela grāmatu kluba ( vai drīzāk jauno rakstnieku pulciņa) iekšienē. Nākamreiz sēžot savā GK neviļus būs jādomā - who' s next? Bet nu par romānu - interesants sižets un kolorīti personāži, nekādu asu pagriezienu, klavieru krūmos utt., bet tik un tā lasīju ar patiku. Mazie angļu ciematiņi ar cilvēkiem tvīdā un koptiem mauriņiem! Tomēr aiz skaistās fasādes slēpjas - slepkavas, krāpnieki, transvestīti un trakas vecmeitas. Iesaku visiem angļu detektīva cienītājiem!
February 28, 2017
Dobra, zabavna i zanimljiva gotovo kao i prva
October 9, 2024
solidna razbibriga.
September 13, 2016
Picked this one up because I trusted the publisher and the jacket, which was a very good move, since it turned out to be one of the most witty and enjoyable mysteries I have read in quite some time. Graham is as much a writer of humorous, socially observant novels as she is an engineer of mysteries. In "Written in Blood", the majority of the reading pleasure derives from her clever sentences, vivid observations, quirky humor, and rich characterizations. As a pure mystery, I found it a little lacking, but no matter, because it is such a fine book overall.
I guess the story falls into the category of a cozy. A group of eccentric, aspiring writers have a little club in their comfortable English town. A well-known author comes to address the group, something that throws things into a tizzy - and the next day, it is revealed that the shocking murder of one of their number was committed just after the meeting. Graham has a lot of fun, by the way, with her mocking descriptions of the dreadful novels the characters are working on. It is revealed, a little at a time of course, that there were unresolved tensions among some of the members of the group. There is Gerald, a proper, bland, retired civil servant with a past that turns out to be more than just a little murky. There is arrogant Brian, a schoolteacher, and his long-suffering, kind-hearted wife. Amy, a sweet widow, is at the mercy of her sister-in-law and housemate, the haughty, stingy Honoria, who clings to the remnants of an upper class heritage. And there is high-strung Laura, who is secretly carrying a torch for one of the other characters. It is in these characterizations and with much attendant wit, that Graham's work really shines.
Inspector Tom Barnaby, a fairly placid fellow who loves a good meal but struggles to keep his waistline in check, is in charge of the investigation, along with his assistant Troy, a regular bloke with all the attendant biases that implies. Barnaby is not the most fascinating of fictional detectives - he is a bit lacking in personality, and does not provide much in the way of wit, violence, or brilliant police work - but he is a shrewd judge of people, and that is of course what leads him in the direction of a solution to the investigation. He seems to be a representative of middle class normalcy.
The book covers a fair amount of ground, and the ending is suitably unexpected, with a couple of red herrings surfacing on the way there. There are dark stories emerging from buried pasts, homosexual prostitution, transvestism, men cheating on wives and lusting for girls far too young for them, troubled teenagers willing to engage in the sleaziest behaviors imaginable, long-standing relationships rife with abuse, eccentric loners, and at least two tipplers. Overall though, it is not a dank and dirty read, but a clever and charming one that succeeds on a number of levels.
I guess the story falls into the category of a cozy. A group of eccentric, aspiring writers have a little club in their comfortable English town. A well-known author comes to address the group, something that throws things into a tizzy - and the next day, it is revealed that the shocking murder of one of their number was committed just after the meeting. Graham has a lot of fun, by the way, with her mocking descriptions of the dreadful novels the characters are working on. It is revealed, a little at a time of course, that there were unresolved tensions among some of the members of the group. There is Gerald, a proper, bland, retired civil servant with a past that turns out to be more than just a little murky. There is arrogant Brian, a schoolteacher, and his long-suffering, kind-hearted wife. Amy, a sweet widow, is at the mercy of her sister-in-law and housemate, the haughty, stingy Honoria, who clings to the remnants of an upper class heritage. And there is high-strung Laura, who is secretly carrying a torch for one of the other characters. It is in these characterizations and with much attendant wit, that Graham's work really shines.
Inspector Tom Barnaby, a fairly placid fellow who loves a good meal but struggles to keep his waistline in check, is in charge of the investigation, along with his assistant Troy, a regular bloke with all the attendant biases that implies. Barnaby is not the most fascinating of fictional detectives - he is a bit lacking in personality, and does not provide much in the way of wit, violence, or brilliant police work - but he is a shrewd judge of people, and that is of course what leads him in the direction of a solution to the investigation. He seems to be a representative of middle class normalcy.
The book covers a fair amount of ground, and the ending is suitably unexpected, with a couple of red herrings surfacing on the way there. There are dark stories emerging from buried pasts, homosexual prostitution, transvestism, men cheating on wives and lusting for girls far too young for them, troubled teenagers willing to engage in the sleaziest behaviors imaginable, long-standing relationships rife with abuse, eccentric loners, and at least two tipplers. Overall though, it is not a dank and dirty read, but a clever and charming one that succeeds on a number of levels.
April 18, 2019
This is one I particularly remember from the tv series, so I can't say if the revelation of the murder would have surprised me; that's not really the point of these books though, the point is the writing and the feeling, which is really similar to the Golden Age mystery writers. Great stuff.
What I think I admire most is that Graham's characters are presented warts and all, and they're pretty warty in some cases (I'm looking at you, Troy) but wouldn't we all be, if some omniscient narrator was putting our private thoughts down on paper. But where you're supposed to like them, you do still like them. Troy is a horrid man in a LOT of ways, you feel that you dislike him - but you don't really. It isn't Graham's intent that you should. In amongst the dross there are hints of gold.
That's really good writing.
What I think I admire most is that Graham's characters are presented warts and all, and they're pretty warty in some cases (I'm looking at you, Troy) but wouldn't we all be, if some omniscient narrator was putting our private thoughts down on paper. But where you're supposed to like them, you do still like them. Troy is a horrid man in a LOT of ways, you feel that you dislike him - but you don't really. It isn't Graham's intent that you should. In amongst the dross there are hints of gold.
That's really good writing.
May 9, 2015
Krimić koji se iznenađujuće malo bavi počinjenim zločinom , a većinom psihološkom analizom likova te opisima njihovih života. Prilično iznenađujući kraj .
August 18, 2019
Just absolutely love this author's razor sharp observations. She's the best!
April 23, 2025
I remembered the TV adaptation of this well including 'whodunnit' but that didn't spoil my enjoyment. Neither did the differences between the TV personas and the characters as written: Troy, for example, is not a lovable puppy who is shy and inept around women and a terrible driver. Instead, he's married with a young child but rather a letch, trying his luck with various women and also very conceited about his advanced driving skills, plus he smokes. He's not that likeable whereas Troy on TV is one of my favourite side kicks in the John Nettles era, the other being Sergeant Jones. Barnaby is also a bit more hard nosed in this, though a much better cook than Joyce (which I don't recall on the TV) and a gardener. One other thing that was surprising was that daughter Cully was already married and touring Europe in an acting company with her husband, whereas she featured in a lot of the stories and had at least one boyfriend before she was married on the TV version.
Each of the suspects is well developed and the setting of a writers' group is interesting. Altogether I would rate this at 4 stars and have decided to keep it, which doesn't happen often these days.
Each of the suspects is well developed and the setting of a writers' group is interesting. Altogether I would rate this at 4 stars and have decided to keep it, which doesn't happen often these days.
August 6, 2015
Ovo je pravi engleski krimić kojeg se ne bi postidjela ni kraljica krimića Agatha Christie, iako Barnaby karakterom nije toliko osebujan kao Poirot, već je više nalik gospođici Marple - pristupačan i jednostavan, oštrog uma i visoke inteligencije, smiren i cijenjen u društvu.
Otkrivanje detalja o ubojstvu Geralda Hadleigha i životima onih koji su ga poznavali držat će vam pažnju od prve do zadnje stranice, a povremeni duhoviti dijalozi i sarkastične primjedbe narednika Troya tu su da u pravom trenutku malo razbiju napetost trenutne situacije.
Uživala sam čitajući ovu knjigu, a jedina stvar koja bi me s vremena na vrijeme malo zasmetala je pomalo čudnovat prijevod na određenim mjestima, gdje mi se čini da su određeni tipično britanski izrazi i fraze prevedeni doslovno, čime se izgubilo njihovo stvarno značenje i zbog čega se taj dio teksta nekako ne uklapa u ostatak. Ono što mi je, pak, zbilja 'upalo u oči' je dio dijaloga između Barnabya i Troya, u kojem jedan od njih dvojice spomene mačku po imenu Tibbles, koju je prevoditelj označio fusnotom navodeći da se radi o mački iz knjiga o Harryu Potteru, što je potpuno netočno. Svatko tko je čitao Harrya zna da mačke tog imena nema niti u jednoj od knjiga, tim više što je ova knjiga napisana 1994., a prva knjiga o Harryu izašla je tek 1997. (Usput, provjerila sam Tibblesa - radi se o mački koja je bila nečiji kućni ljubimac, i za koju se navodno smatra da je pojela zadnji primjerak novozelandske vrste ptice carić, čime je ta vrsta ptice izumrla. Informacija koja se dobije jednostavnim guglanjem.)
Čudnovati prijevod na stranu, volite li krimiće, ova knjiga (i čitav ovaj seijal, kad smo već kod toga) je nezaobilazno štivo. Volite li intrigantne priče o naizgled sasvim običnim ljudima, otkrivanje brižno skrivanih tajni i veza između naizgled nepovezanih događaja, ovo je također knjiga za vas. Pročitajte, nećete požaliti.
Duža recenzija je na FB stranici.
Otkrivanje detalja o ubojstvu Geralda Hadleigha i životima onih koji su ga poznavali držat će vam pažnju od prve do zadnje stranice, a povremeni duhoviti dijalozi i sarkastične primjedbe narednika Troya tu su da u pravom trenutku malo razbiju napetost trenutne situacije.
Uživala sam čitajući ovu knjigu, a jedina stvar koja bi me s vremena na vrijeme malo zasmetala je pomalo čudnovat prijevod na određenim mjestima, gdje mi se čini da su određeni tipično britanski izrazi i fraze prevedeni doslovno, čime se izgubilo njihovo stvarno značenje i zbog čega se taj dio teksta nekako ne uklapa u ostatak. Ono što mi je, pak, zbilja 'upalo u oči' je dio dijaloga između Barnabya i Troya, u kojem jedan od njih dvojice spomene mačku po imenu Tibbles, koju je prevoditelj označio fusnotom navodeći da se radi o mački iz knjiga o Harryu Potteru, što je potpuno netočno. Svatko tko je čitao Harrya zna da mačke tog imena nema niti u jednoj od knjiga, tim više što je ova knjiga napisana 1994., a prva knjiga o Harryu izašla je tek 1997. (Usput, provjerila sam Tibblesa - radi se o mački koja je bila nečiji kućni ljubimac, i za koju se navodno smatra da je pojela zadnji primjerak novozelandske vrste ptice carić, čime je ta vrsta ptice izumrla. Informacija koja se dobije jednostavnim guglanjem.)
Čudnovati prijevod na stranu, volite li krimiće, ova knjiga (i čitav ovaj seijal, kad smo već kod toga) je nezaobilazno štivo. Volite li intrigantne priče o naizgled sasvim običnim ljudima, otkrivanje brižno skrivanih tajni i veza između naizgled nepovezanih događaja, ovo je također knjiga za vas. Pročitajte, nećete požaliti.
Duža recenzija je na FB stranici.
February 15, 2019
I have been a fan of the show Midsomer Murders for years, and loved the episode from this book especially since it invokes writers and that’s my wheelhouse. Anyway, this was my first Inspector Barnaby mystery, and though the characters were somewhat different than the show, I still found it an enjoyable read. I especially loved getting some closure on a few characters who didn’t quite get that in the episode. Fun times! I may try and read another!
September 7, 2019
The third Caroline Graham I have read and I feel it was a bit of a let down. The plot and writing was up to her usual standard (that is to say - first rate.) But unlike in her other books, I found the characters in this story to be lacking in the colourful quality her characters usually possess and for this reason the details and backstories of their lives did not make for interesting or worthwhile reading.
March 14, 2018
WRITTEN IN BLOOD: Inspector Barnaby #4 by Caroline Graham.
The Inspector Barnaby series is written against a very detailed backdrop of British village life.
The locations, the plots, the characters are British to the extreme, and are reminiscent of a ‘golden age’ of mystery by writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.
This title (like its predecessors) is a mystery; a police procedural; a portrayal of British village life in all of its minutia. It contains very quirky characters; horror; high (often comedic) drama; beautiful locations, architecture and gardens. Throw in a bit (a lot) of jealousy, adultery, petty squabbles and intense snobbery and one is in for a very satisfying read.
The first few Midsomer Murders tv programs are based on this series and the central characters. I think DCI Tom Barnaby and especially Gavin Troy are a bit more likable in the tv productions.
But whatever your preference, both the books and the tv series are very likable and well-done.
When the Midsomer Worthy Writer’s Circle invites a rather famous writer to its monthly meeting - chaos, high drama and death result.
The detailed characters in this title were especially good. And several unsuspected secrets are revealed.
A wonderful read. ****
The Inspector Barnaby series is written against a very detailed backdrop of British village life.
The locations, the plots, the characters are British to the extreme, and are reminiscent of a ‘golden age’ of mystery by writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.
This title (like its predecessors) is a mystery; a police procedural; a portrayal of British village life in all of its minutia. It contains very quirky characters; horror; high (often comedic) drama; beautiful locations, architecture and gardens. Throw in a bit (a lot) of jealousy, adultery, petty squabbles and intense snobbery and one is in for a very satisfying read.
The first few Midsomer Murders tv programs are based on this series and the central characters. I think DCI Tom Barnaby and especially Gavin Troy are a bit more likable in the tv productions.
But whatever your preference, both the books and the tv series are very likable and well-done.
When the Midsomer Worthy Writer’s Circle invites a rather famous writer to its monthly meeting - chaos, high drama and death result.
The detailed characters in this title were especially good. And several unsuspected secrets are revealed.
A wonderful read. ****
November 23, 2014
Having recently finished the entire series of Midsomer Murders I was very interested in reading one of the novels by Caroline Graham. After reading the first chapter I did wonder which came first - the TV series or the books. This particular book was very much like the episode we watched. There were some obvious differences which wouldn't have been pertinent to the plot on TV. I did find myself picturing the tv characters as I read through this book but it didn't take anything away from it. I also found that I much preferred the actors for Troy and Barnaby over the ruder versions in the book. Barnaby was portrayed as someone who had very little patience very unlike his television version. I'll have to hunt down more novels in this series.
August 10, 2021
Let's see. A 15 year old school girl has (unprotected) sex with her 40 something teacher for a "practical joke" and she lets her brother film it, shows it to her classmates & then posts stills from the video up on the village noticeboard for everyone to see. A 15 YEAR OLD!! Does the teacher get arrested? No. He just moves in with his mother. I don't know how this was written by a woman, has she never met another woman or girl before? On the other hand, if definitely wasn't written by a man, because her knowledge of "slippery" male genitals was bizarre. The injury he did to himself putting his pants on just didn't make even an milligram of sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
Caroline Graham really gave me that ''agatha-christie-feel'' specially beacuse I used to read Christie during holidays back on those elementary school summer days. "Written in blood" has interesting plot twist, but I struggled in first 50 pages, and then...boom, I catched all of those weird characters and their secrets in village where everybody knows everything about others...OR do they..?? <3
February 13, 2021
wow this book was graphic. and the descriptions of domestic situations are so acute.
July 20, 2023
Audible version: This one was my favorite so far. The mystery kept you guessing the whole time and the characters were fun and believable. I laughed throughout this one too. I wish I could remember some funny parts, but I can’t. I don’t know if I’ll listen again as the ending was a surprise to me and now knowing it, it may not be so much fun. I love Barnaby.
October 17, 2015
Wow. This is the second time I've read this book, and this time I remembered the part about the kitten. ;-) I loved this book. I stayed up all night to finish it, and it was worth it. Graham does an amazing job with character development. This time, she was writing about a writer's group, and though I would have loved to hear more, she did a fabulous job (and I found it quite encouraging, as I have now accomplished 7 straight days of writing after nearly 2 months of no writing.) What I also love is that Graham has a dry sense of humor, often subtle (and often not). But my favorite thing is her ability to show kindness. Wow. Just wow.
January 22, 2019
Remembered the episode. But still had fun reading. (season 1 episode 2)
Descriptions of Causton, countryside, characters' lives and so many details so vividly written, make you feel like you are watching it play out right in front of you.
Series crew did excellent and commendable job at staying true to original Graham's words while turning them into live action.
No wonder, it is to this day one of the most beloved and praised series of all the time.
Warning to those who were fans of midsummer murders series before picking up books: Troy is better in television series.
Descriptions of Causton, countryside, characters' lives and so many details so vividly written, make you feel like you are watching it play out right in front of you.
Series crew did excellent and commendable job at staying true to original Graham's words while turning them into live action.
No wonder, it is to this day one of the most beloved and praised series of all the time.
Warning to those who were fans of midsummer murders series before picking up books: Troy is better in television series.
June 19, 2017
I'm a fan of the "Midsomer Murders" TV series so when I happened upon a book at a sale I bought it. The episode based on this book was very faithful to the plot, which is good, but probably made the book a little less enjoyable, because it's a memorable plot (also good) and I remembered almost from the start "whodunnit" and why. That said, the book is a bit darker and more snarky that the show, and was definitely a clever and enjoyable procedural.
August 11, 2017
I enojyed this crime story quite a bit. It's got that typical feel of english crime stories like Agatha Christies's and of british crime dramas which I absolutely love. The story was interesting enough though not quite unexpected adn for me, it lacked that wow factor but a good crime story nontheless.
February 23, 2019
Full of scoundrels and long-suffering family members. Everyone pretty much gets his or her due.
January 23, 2024
Ketvirtoji serijos knyga kol kas patiko labiausiai. Išsami, bet ne pernelyg lėta, įdomios gretutinės istorijos ir dar vienas pasipūtėlis gavo ko nusipelnęs.
April 29, 2024
#4 in Graham's "Midsomer Murder" series, the main character, Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, continues to grow, but what set this novel apart is that most of the other characters had some real depth to them as well.
The Midsomer Worthy Writers Club is surprised when famous author Max Jennings actually agrees to come to their meeting. The day after the meeting, the club secretary and host, Gerald Hadleigh is found dead. Why did his letter of offer sound as if he was telling Max not to come? Who is it who had been peeping through Gerald's windows in previous weeks? Do all of the club members have reason to act?
The book kept me guessing to the end, had a wide range of worth sub-plots, and as mentioned above, Graham managed to craft characters that I actually cared about (some you'll grow to like, others to loathe!).
I'm finding all of the novels in this series a fair bit seedier than I expected, but nevertheless, enjoyable reads!
The Midsomer Worthy Writers Club is surprised when famous author Max Jennings actually agrees to come to their meeting. The day after the meeting, the club secretary and host, Gerald Hadleigh is found dead. Why did his letter of offer sound as if he was telling Max not to come? Who is it who had been peeping through Gerald's windows in previous weeks? Do all of the club members have reason to act?
The book kept me guessing to the end, had a wide range of worth sub-plots, and as mentioned above, Graham managed to craft characters that I actually cared about (some you'll grow to like, others to loathe!).
I'm finding all of the novels in this series a fair bit seedier than I expected, but nevertheless, enjoyable reads!
June 19, 2025
Graham writes beautifully, but (in a theme for this series) this book is not fun to read. Maybe it's my American missishness, but I did not expect to find myself reading an acutely mortifying statutory rape scene in which we're led to dislike the rapist slightly less than the bizarrely vicious and predatory teen girl (his student).
Because this book is about a club of writers, Graham uses what (and how well) they write as a shorthand of sorts for their personalities. This can be quite funny. And it does have two not-terrible people in it, both abused and unhappy women-- one writes and illustrates beautiful children's books about a dragon, and the other writes racy women's fiction-- so that was something of a relief in the cesspool. The victim also might not be a bad guy, but with his A Little Life backstory and the brutal observations about his poor writing ability, it was hard to get too fond of him. The ending also requires major twists, which are paced in such a way that Graham has increased both the tension and our credulity, but they are in fact completely crazy. Giving a plot summary to somebody in a sentence would make this book (and probably you) sound nuts.
Because this book is about a club of writers, Graham uses what (and how well) they write as a shorthand of sorts for their personalities. This can be quite funny. And it does have two not-terrible people in it, both abused and unhappy women-- one writes and illustrates beautiful children's books about a dragon, and the other writes racy women's fiction-- so that was something of a relief in the cesspool. The victim also might not be a bad guy, but with his A Little Life backstory and the brutal observations about his poor writing ability, it was hard to get too fond of him. The ending also requires major twists, which are paced in such a way that Graham has increased both the tension and our credulity, but they are in fact completely crazy. Giving a plot summary to somebody in a sentence would make this book (and probably you) sound nuts.
June 4, 2024
Too many murders, too much mayhem and too much mean spiritedness. I tried hard to like this, but no.
August 22, 2025
I’ll probably keep reading them as the library has them. But not my favourites- at least this one mirrored the Christie structure less. Also somehow quite mean-spirited
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