Throwback Thursday: The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham

Author: Caroline Graham
First Published in 1987 by Century (imprint of Random House)

Badger's Drift is an ideal English village, complete with vicar, bumbling local doctor, and kindly spinster with a nice line in homemade cookies. But when the spinster dies suddenly, her best friend kicks up an unseemly fuss, loud enough to attract the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby. And when Barnaby and his eager-beaver deputy start poking around, they uncover a swamp of ugly scandals and long-suppressed resentments seething below the picture-postcard prettiness.

I have been a fan of Agatha Christie since I was in Junior High School.  I had heard that Caroline Graham's Inspector Barnaby books were very reminiscent of Ms. Christie's novels. So, when the first one became available in audio at my library, I snatched it up.  The critics are correct.

The Killings at Badger's Drift is a great mystery. The twist at the end really shocked me.  I never saw it coming!  Inspector Barnaby is a wonderful detective.  I love how he goes about solving a case and uncovering hidden secrets.  The addition of his wife and daughter into the story made him more real to me. I definitely will be picking up the next in the series.  Maybe after I read a few, I will try out the television series, Midsomer Murders.  Hopefully, they are as good as the books.