fredag den 12. november 2010

Caroline Graham, A Place of Safety (1999)

This British cosy mystery is the sixth out of seven Inspector Barnaby novels.

In a quiet Midsumer village, Ann Lawrence, the former vicar´s wife, has an argument with one of the young delinquents her husband tries to rehabilitate. Carlotta falls or jumps into the river and disappears without a trace. Timid Ann is devastated, and when her spiteful gardener blackmails her, she sees no alternative to paying what he wants.

Typically for Midsomer, the plot does not end here. Someone kills the gardener, but for some reason the blackmail continues.

What else can I say? All the best cosy mystery features are there; the quirks, the oddballs, the grudges beneath the tranquil facade, the old vicarage and the new glass palace, but also a few endearing characters, and all more real than life itself.

I bought the book myself.
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9 kommentarer:

Maxine Clarke sagde ...

It sounds quite hilarious, from your account of it! I am pretty sure I did read some of these, years and years ago before anyone ever thought of a TV series, but I can't remember much about them.

Beth F sagde ...

I absolutely love the TV show and I've always meant to read the books. I really, really need to do so.

Unknown sagde ...

I have this one too. And I love it!
CD

Anonym sagde ...

Dorte - Oh, Caroline Graham is one of my favourite cosy authors! I really like Tom and Joyce Barnaby, and I enjoyed this story very much. Graham adds really interesting characters, as you say, and the plots tie together very neatly.

Elizabeth Spann Craig sagde ...

I love this book! Thanks for reminding me to reread it. I'm a big Graham fan. :)

Dorte H sagde ...

Maxine: it is a rather entertaining cosy, but I suppose one forgets most of those rather soon.

Beth: they are really nice cosies.

Clarissa: so did I. There was only one thing which annoyed me: I couldn´t remember the TV episode. That is hardly Caroline Graham´s fault, though.

Margot: when it comes to cosy characters, she is obviously one of my role models (meaning: obviously *I* admire her characters, not that it is obvious from my writing that she is my role model :D)

Elizabeth: I would think most cosy mystery writers love the Barnaby series.

Kelly sagde ...

Sounds like a typical cozy...which I always enjoy!

Joanne Ganley sagde ...

Ooh! I love the television series. They keep repeating it here, downunder, which I don't mind one iota. Very enjoyable. I haven't ready any of the books though. I might be inspired by this one as I'm always after a 'nice and cosy' for a change. Thanks for your review.

Dorte H sagde ...

Kelly: you could call Caroline Graham ´cosy classic´ :D

Joanne: my husband certainly feels he has seen them all, but for my daughters and me it is part of the Saturday ritual: candy + Midsumer Murder.