Faithful Unto Death : A Chief Inspector Barnaby Novel

Rating:
Summary: complex and twisty mystery
Review: Although I found the Inspector and Sargeant Troy somewhat one dimensional (the Sargeants' thoughts being almost an unwelcome intrusion), the mystery surrounding the bell-ringers disappearance and the intricacies of its' resolution more than compensated for their lack of amiability. Whereas quite a few village mysteries wind up with barely plausible plots, Faithful Unto Death has as many fascinating twists and turns as an English country road.

Rating:
Summary: Misleading teaser
Review: As a real bell ringer and big fan of Dorothy Sayers I was attracted to this book from the lead in of writeup. Unfortunately all I found were distasteful characters and VERY innaccurate descriptions of bell ringing - which ended up having little relationship to the plot. The story bored me, and Sgt Troy is just disgusting. The lack of a satisfactory conclusion was sort of the last straw. I will not try any more Graham mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: A Most Wonderful Depiction!
Review: Caroline Graham is often referred to as a modern-day Agatha Christie. Certainly her characters, humour and carefully crafted mystery story lines are reminiscent of the great Christie. But her books are also quite different. We don't see the detail in Christie's books that we see in Graham's. This particular book is funny and complex. It is also one of the best descriptions of a psycopathic personality that I have ever read. And it's done with so much class! Barnaby seems to have finally met his match with this villain, and you will have to read it to find out how.

Rating:
Summary: A Most Wonderful Depiction!
Review: Caroline Graham is often referred to as a modern-day Agatha Christie. Certainly her characters, humour and carefully crafted mystery story lines are reminiscent of the great Christie. But her books are also quite different. We don't see the detail in Christie's books that we see in Graham's. This particular book is funny and complex. It is also one of the best descriptions of a psycopathic personality that I have ever read. And it's done with so much class! Barnaby seems to have finally met his match with this villain, and you will have to read it to find out how.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and surprising-a modern day mystery.
Review: Caroline Graham's England consists of close-packed villages surrounded by miles and miles of nothing worth seeing, of hard-working city businessmen and urban coppers looking down their slim trim noses at country people and their insular ways, of village bobbies who know the villagers and the cycles of the seasons but naught about investigative work, and of quaint self-assured English eccentrics and villagers whose lives rarely extend beyond the boundary line. I don't know if they exist in Cool Britannica today, but in Graham's world, their constricted lives, hidden passions and occasionally murderous impulses make fascinating reading.

Rating:
Summary: Incisive portrait of English life wrapped around mystery
Review: Caroline Graham's England consists of close-packed villages surrounded by miles and miles of nothing worth seeing, of hard-working city businessmen and urban coppers looking down their slim trim noses at country people and their insular ways, of village bobbies who know the villagers and the cycles of the seasons but naught about investigative work, and of quaint self-assured English eccentrics and villagers whose lives rarely extend beyond the boundary line. I don't know if they exist in Cool Britannica today, but in Graham's world, their constricted lives, hidden passions and occasionally murderous impulses make fascinating reading.

Rating:
Summary: It's a doozy, not a cozy
Review: Despite the cover artwork (inspired no doubt by the success of the Rosamunde Pilcher Bookshelf series) this is an excellent mystery on many levels--but cozy this little village kidnapping?suicide?murder most foul? is not. First, Caroline Graham is an intelligent and graceful writer (P.D. James readers take note). Second, she's plotted an unexpected, but not unfair solution (no deux ex machina, thank you). And third, she's made the off-duty Inspector Barnaby an ambitious and imaginative cook (though it must have been the fault of spell check--where are copy editors when you need them--that he tossed "garlicky croissants," not croutons, in a salad) as well as an intuitive detective who somehow is able to overlook his aide's rampantly lascivious and asocial nature. Fourth, it's perceptive and funny. Even the minor characters, who could so easily be stereotypical stick figures, are sharply individuated, from the village bobby to the aged coquette. Thanks, Amazon for flagging this one as of interest. "Faithful Unto Death" was so satisfying in every way that I plan to reread instead of donating to the library.

Rating:
Summary: Misleading teaser
Review: I have read and enjoyed all Caroline Graham novels. She specializes in cosy english villages with cold blooded murderers. "Faithful until Death" is another fine example. The characters are very well written and I felt I was there in Fawcett Green. Ms Graham kept me guessing until the end as to who the murder was which is why I enjoyed the novel. I recommend curling up in front of a blazing open fire with a warm drink and a Caroline Graham novel as the perfect way to relax.

Rating:
Summary: A good read for a winters day
Review: I have read and enjoyed all Caroline Graham novels. She specializes in cosy english villages with cold blooded murderers. "Faithful until Death" is another fine example. The characters are very well written and I felt I was there in Fawcett Green. Ms Graham kept me guessing until the end as to who the murder was which is why I enjoyed the novel. I recommend curling up in front of a blazing open fire with a warm drink and a Caroline Graham novel as the perfect way to relax.

Rating:
Summary: A bit of a disappointment
Review: I was intrigued at first by this mystery, but found the solution -- or lack of one -- unsatisfying. I have read most of the other Barnaby and Troy mysteries, and am finding the character of Troy to be increasingly distasteful. Graham may think his mysogyny and homophobia is amusing in a cantankerous way, but it borders on the offensive. I'm not a member of the P.C. police, nor do I have an automatic disdain for tasteless humor, but I find nothing redeeming or entertaining about Troy.