Faithful Unto Death by Caroline Graham

Alan and Simone Hollingsworth are new to town. He works long hours in the city while she is left to fill her time. However, it seems like Alan may be raather possessive as he tends to call her often to see where she is in the day. One day, her neighbor stops by but Simone isn't home. And that is the start of a myster. Where did Simone go? And why are others in the neighborhood disappearing as well? Like the rather ugly girl from next door, Brenda. 

Troy moves further away from his television portrayal. He is so rude to the local cop, Parrot, that they miss valuable information.

All sorts of sordid secrets will be revealed before the end of this story. It's not quite as bad as the previous story but still quite a lot going on in a little village. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out  in 1996

Chief Inspector Barnaby #5

Follows Written in Blood

Followed by A Place of Safety

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Written In Blood by Caroline Graham

The Midsomer Worthy Writers’ Circle club has invited a prominent writer to visit them. And, of all the shocks, he actually shows up. One member is not excited to see him. He actually request of another member that the two not be left alone. When they are, the member ends up dead. 

Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy are in Midsomer Worthy to try and solve the murder though the investigation will uncover any number of the secrets the villagers would prefer to have hidden.

Three stars

This book came out  in 1994

Chief Inspector Barnaby #4

Follows Death of a Hollow Man

Followed by Faithful Unto Death

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Death In Disguise by Caroline Graham

Barnaby and Troy are faced with an interesting case, the murder of a local cult leader. The group has taken over a local manor house and keep themselves to themselves which sets off some of the locals. It's also interesting that there are some outsiders in the manor the night he dies, including the father of one of their members. He's been searching for his daughter, she's about to turn 21 and come into a half a million pounds. 

As is often the case with Graham's book, there is a LOT of character development. We get to know almost all of the characters before the murder actually takes place. I enjoy that quite a bit, even if I didn't enjoy all of the characters themselves.

Three and a half stars

Chief Inspector Barnaby #3

This book came out in 1992

Follows Death of a Hollow Man

Followed by Written in Blood

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

Death of a Hollow Man by Caroline Graham with John Hopkins (Narrator)

Death comes to Chief Inspector Barnaby's own backyard when a very public murder occurs on the stage of the  Causton Amateur Dramatic Society's version of Amadeus. In this case, Barnaby knows the players. His wife is part of the company and he has spent time with all of the actors when he's helped out painting scenery. 

I love books that have strong character development and this one sure does. The murder doesn't even happen until well into the book and isn't the person that you might normally expect.

Four stars

Chief Inspector Barnaby #2

This book came out 

Follows Killings at Badger's Drift

Followed by Death in Disguise

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own

The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham with John Hopkins (narrator)

Chief Inspector Barnaby is called in when a woman in her eighties believes that her lifelong friend has been murdered. The local coroner believes she died of natural circumstances but her friend doesn't believe it for a moment. When Barnaby goes to look, he finds some clues that concern him as well. This one request draws both the Chief Inspector and his sargeant, Troy, into village life which is richer and much more disturbing that people might otherwise assume. 

I love the television series and am impressed with how well they stuck to the general story of the book but being able to adapt it for another medium, one that ended up being much longer than the original eight books. 

Four stars

This book came out November 5, 1987

Chief Inspector Barnaby #1

Followed by Death of a Hollow Man

Audiobook of mine in Audible

Opinions are my own