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Chief Inspector Barnaby #7
A Ghost in the Machine: A Chief Inspector Barnaby Novel
When a bloody, pulverized body is found lying beneath the rustic timbers of an authentic torture device so vicious and complicated as to be blood-curdling, there's sufficient unrest in tiny Forbes Abbot to call in Chief Inspector Barnaby. Was Dennis Brinkley done in by crooked business partners, a teenage seductress, a couple of would-be publishers who've just inherited--and then lost--millions, or perhaps by tired, timid little Benny Fraye, who wouldn't hurt a fly--would she?Barnaby will soon find out just who set in motion the gruesome machine that crushed the unfortunate victim. Caroline Graham's delightful cozy village mysteries, which inspired the continuing Midsommer Murders series starring Inspector Barnaby on A&E Television, have long been fan-favorites; A Ghost in the Machine is sure to cement her reputation as one of the best crime writers in the mystery business today.
564 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Caroline Graham
34 books556 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
April 8, 2024
If you are an avid follower of the popular "Midsomer Murders" detective series on British television, then the novels may come as a bit of a surprise. In this seventh one in the series, A Ghost in the Machine, detective Tom Barnaby and his sidekick, sergeant Gavin Troy, are so sidelined in the story that they almost fall out of the novel altogether. It is very much a mainstream novel, geared to depiction of characters, and where the action and place seem inconsequential.
As such it is a reasonably engrossing read, although there are some heavy-handed attempts at humour at the beginning and end of the book, which do not quite succeed. Passing references to "Fabian Endgoose of the Worshipful Bowes-Lyon Society" may bring a smile to the face, but nothing more. However the major characters in this novel are varied individuals rather than stereotypes. They are well fleshed out, and the reader does become interested as to what they may do next.
The crime, a quirky almost surreal murder, takes place almost a third of the way through the book, and this is the first time we encounter Barnaby and Troy. Barnaby is physically quite different from his TV counterpart, played by John Nettles,
"He was a very large man. Not fat but bulky. Solid in his build and in the way he looked at you. Very straight and direct from beneath thick, heavy brows."
Troy is a "thin younger man [with a] weaselly profile and high-standing brush of stiff, red hair." One character senses "hidden laughter. Unkindness too."
These deeply unattractive, brittle, constantly swearing individuals are a far cry from the cosy genial characters of the TV series.
Troy, "had been much impressed by the way the chief had handled things. But it was not in his nature to be impressed without at the same time being resentful." Barnaby in turn accepts a compliment as his due, when in fact it was completely undeserved, resulting from a misunderstanding. Here are more revealing snippets,
"The chief was very sensitive about his weight. Burly, as a description, he liked. Well built, he could live with... But fat..."
"Injustice plodded up the drive with Sergeant Troy. Wrongful accusation and unfairness marched alongside. He found himself muttering, as he seemed to have been doing all his life, man and boy, why is it always me?"
Describing their human weaknesses is all very well. But the reader ends up feeling that if at some stage in their life they are involved in a crime, they sincerely hope that it will not be investigated by such self-absorbed and self-seeking representatives of the police force.
There is a gruesome death, involving a trebuchet, a chamber full of ancient war weapons and instruments of torture, a psychic con-artist and a delicious cameo piece about a deluded collector of memorabilia to do with the Queen mother, who believes she is somehow controlling the life force of Her Majesty.
As seems to be happening with most modern mystery series, this book is about three times as long as the earlier ones. It is difficult to say whether this is because of public taste, or whether the publishers are demanding longer novels, but this one is very much in that mould. The plot is not very complex. Although it has an exotic gloss, it does not provide much of a challenge to a determined puzzle-solver. If on the other hand you enjoy character-driven novels, and like to include a little spice such as a murder along the way, this might be right up your street.
As such it is a reasonably engrossing read, although there are some heavy-handed attempts at humour at the beginning and end of the book, which do not quite succeed. Passing references to "Fabian Endgoose of the Worshipful Bowes-Lyon Society" may bring a smile to the face, but nothing more. However the major characters in this novel are varied individuals rather than stereotypes. They are well fleshed out, and the reader does become interested as to what they may do next.
The crime, a quirky almost surreal murder, takes place almost a third of the way through the book, and this is the first time we encounter Barnaby and Troy. Barnaby is physically quite different from his TV counterpart, played by John Nettles,
"He was a very large man. Not fat but bulky. Solid in his build and in the way he looked at you. Very straight and direct from beneath thick, heavy brows."
Troy is a "thin younger man [with a] weaselly profile and high-standing brush of stiff, red hair." One character senses "hidden laughter. Unkindness too."
These deeply unattractive, brittle, constantly swearing individuals are a far cry from the cosy genial characters of the TV series.
Troy, "had been much impressed by the way the chief had handled things. But it was not in his nature to be impressed without at the same time being resentful." Barnaby in turn accepts a compliment as his due, when in fact it was completely undeserved, resulting from a misunderstanding. Here are more revealing snippets,
"The chief was very sensitive about his weight. Burly, as a description, he liked. Well built, he could live with... But fat..."
"Injustice plodded up the drive with Sergeant Troy. Wrongful accusation and unfairness marched alongside. He found himself muttering, as he seemed to have been doing all his life, man and boy, why is it always me?"
Describing their human weaknesses is all very well. But the reader ends up feeling that if at some stage in their life they are involved in a crime, they sincerely hope that it will not be investigated by such self-absorbed and self-seeking representatives of the police force.
There is a gruesome death, involving a trebuchet, a chamber full of ancient war weapons and instruments of torture, a psychic con-artist and a delicious cameo piece about a deluded collector of memorabilia to do with the Queen mother, who believes she is somehow controlling the life force of Her Majesty.
As seems to be happening with most modern mystery series, this book is about three times as long as the earlier ones. It is difficult to say whether this is because of public taste, or whether the publishers are demanding longer novels, but this one is very much in that mould. The plot is not very complex. Although it has an exotic gloss, it does not provide much of a challenge to a determined puzzle-solver. If on the other hand you enjoy character-driven novels, and like to include a little spice such as a murder along the way, this might be right up your street.
September 21, 2009
Really don't know why I bothered finishing this book. It suffered badly from lack of editing attention Over 200 pages of book went by 'establishing' characters without a whiff of murder. This is completely unacceptable for anyone with the possible exception of Elizabeth George, who is a far better writer. Another 100 or so pages before Barnaby even starts his investigation. This novel was too long, and too slow, and most of the characters were boring and hard to distinguish one from another.
November 25, 2020
While mysteries must of necessity be all about plot, there are a few writers who manage characterizations as well. Caroline Graham is one of them. If one were to complain, it is that her characters are for the most part not ordinary citizens and in many cases quirky, even several degrees off center. And those aren't the ones most of us will suspect of being the perpetrator. In this installment there are both regular folk and the several degrees off center.
One fellow - who, by the way, is one of the regular folk - became very interested in medieval weapons in his youth. In his mid-adulthood, he recognized that he could have some of them built in full size. He acquired an abandoned school building which had the requisite space, had it renovated to accommodate an apartment, and proceeded to have his machines built. One of them was the machine in the title. The "ghost" of the title is a little less obvious, but let me also share that there is a woman who professes to be a medium and is the feature at The Church of the Near at Hand.
Chief Inspector Barnaby is a crusty no nonsense policeman. To be honest, I don't know how he puts up the Sergeant Troy. They have worked together for a number of years. It is nothing short of amazing that Troy seems to have so little aptitude for the work. The interplay between the two provides some comic relief for the reader.
One fellow - who, by the way, is one of the regular folk - became very interested in medieval weapons in his youth. In his mid-adulthood, he recognized that he could have some of them built in full size. He acquired an abandoned school building which had the requisite space, had it renovated to accommodate an apartment, and proceeded to have his machines built. One of them was the machine in the title. The "ghost" of the title is a little less obvious, but let me also share that there is a woman who professes to be a medium and is the feature at The Church of the Near at Hand.
Chief Inspector Barnaby is a crusty no nonsense policeman. To be honest, I don't know how he puts up the Sergeant Troy. They have worked together for a number of years. It is nothing short of amazing that Troy seems to have so little aptitude for the work. The interplay between the two provides some comic relief for the reader.
"How about if he was in disguise?" asked Sergeant Troy.I think this is my favorite of the series and am so sorry it is the last. It is a bit longer than any of the previous ones. I was anxious to read the end, to see how it all worked out -as usual, there was so much I failed to factor in. This morning, I was sorry I didn't have it still to turn to, to be able to spend a bit more time with Tom Barnaby and Gavin Troy. I'm tempted to make an exception and give it 5-stars, but I'll restrain myself and see it twinkling toward the top of my 4-star group.
"How about you giving up Agatha Christie for Lent?" said the DCI.
October 28, 2018
This is a much longer book than most of the DI Barnaby/Sgt. Troy series and certainly different from the ones that preceded it. The main protagonists and the murder(s) do not appear until half-way through the book....the first half is dedicated to the inhabitants of the village where the crime eventually happens. And what a crime it is. You have to admit that being crushed by the cannon ball of a medieval weapon is not something the police encounter very often, if ever. The clues are scarce, almost non-existent, and the team has its work cut out for them.
This is not my favorite in this continuing series as it is rather far-fetched and too much time is dedicated to the development of the characters, many of whom are incidental to the plot. I round my rating up to 3.5
This is not my favorite in this continuing series as it is rather far-fetched and too much time is dedicated to the development of the characters, many of whom are incidental to the plot. I round my rating up to 3.5
November 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book very much – and far more than I expected to. I grew tired of the Midsomer Murders TV series a long time ago, but this is actually very different in tone and character from what the series became. The book is a very good novel of character with crime as its plot driver.
A Ghost In the Machine is 550 pages long and I have to say that the first third of the book was good but a bit of a plod sometimes. Caroline Graham paints intricate portraits of her characters and their lives and we spend a long time getting to know them while not much actually happens, but she does it very well and I did get quite involved in them. The plot really begins to develop with a death after almost 200 pages, and by that time I was pretty well hooked. The story is well told and pretty plausible, with the characters' behaviour very believable, which is by no means always the case in such books. By half way I was immersed and gripped and I enjoyed the second half very much indeed – especially the lack of a ridiculous Cornered Killer Climax, but a plausible, sensible denouement which was no less gripping.
Graham writes very well. She has a fine understanding of her characters and their motivations and there is genuine psychological insight here. She paints some scathing portraits but others with genuine compassion and depictions of goodness, all of which I found very realistic. The prose is a pleasure to read, with plenty of pithy phrases like the man welcoming people to a spiritualist evening: "He bared his teeth in a fearsome grimace of synthetic friendliness." Or setting the scene and character neatly with "Choosing her moment carefully, after Alan Titchmarsh but before the snooker…" It's excellent stuff. (Oh, and you might be surprised by the real Sergeant Troy who, far from the lovable character of the TV series, is a lecherous, ignorant bigot - excellently portrayed.)
So, somewhat to my surprise, I can recommend this warmly as a very good, involving novel of character as well as being a gripping crime mystery.
A Ghost In the Machine is 550 pages long and I have to say that the first third of the book was good but a bit of a plod sometimes. Caroline Graham paints intricate portraits of her characters and their lives and we spend a long time getting to know them while not much actually happens, but she does it very well and I did get quite involved in them. The plot really begins to develop with a death after almost 200 pages, and by that time I was pretty well hooked. The story is well told and pretty plausible, with the characters' behaviour very believable, which is by no means always the case in such books. By half way I was immersed and gripped and I enjoyed the second half very much indeed – especially the lack of a ridiculous Cornered Killer Climax, but a plausible, sensible denouement which was no less gripping.
Graham writes very well. She has a fine understanding of her characters and their motivations and there is genuine psychological insight here. She paints some scathing portraits but others with genuine compassion and depictions of goodness, all of which I found very realistic. The prose is a pleasure to read, with plenty of pithy phrases like the man welcoming people to a spiritualist evening: "He bared his teeth in a fearsome grimace of synthetic friendliness." Or setting the scene and character neatly with "Choosing her moment carefully, after Alan Titchmarsh but before the snooker…" It's excellent stuff. (Oh, and you might be surprised by the real Sergeant Troy who, far from the lovable character of the TV series, is a lecherous, ignorant bigot - excellently portrayed.)
So, somewhat to my surprise, I can recommend this warmly as a very good, involving novel of character as well as being a gripping crime mystery.
July 13, 2019
Absolutely brilliant. A wonderful study of human nature
September 8, 2019
I'd go 1.5 on ths one--some parts were okay--but it certainly was not good enough to warrant a 2. Inspector Barnaby doesn't appear until just about page 150--almost halfway through the book--and that long tiresome lead-in features several quite unpleaseant characters, including one girl, Polly, who ought to have been the murder victim. Dreadful. This is the last of the Barnaby novels--just as well, as Graham was clearly tired of her character. I haven't read #s 5 or 6 yet (had to read this one because it was due back at the library before I could get the earlier ones), and I am a good bit less eager to do so now, having read this.
November 17, 2020
This is the last in the Chief Inspector Barnaby series. Sadly, there are only seven books in a series which I am saddened that I have now finished.
Although this was not my favourite, it is a good addition to the series. Mallory and Kate Lawson are Londoners who are delighted to inherit a house from Mallory's beloved aunt Carey. Mallory is a teacher who made the decision to work in an inner city school and came to regret it. Indeed, there are a lot of regrets in this novel. Their odious daughter, Polly, regrets the fact she is in debt to the alarmingly named, 'Billy Slaughter.' Andrew Latham, partner at Brinkly and Latham, with Dennis Brinkley, the financial consultant - and family friend of the Lawson's - regrets marrying wife Gilda, for money. Judith Parnell regrets her jealousy of husband Ashley, who is suffering from an unknown illness.
Into this cast of characters comes murder to unearth the secrets and lies of those in the village. There are strange hobbies, spiritualism and all manner of hidden emotions lurking in the English countryside. Not quite enough of Barnaby and Troy for my liking, but I am glad that I have read all of the books now.
Although this was not my favourite, it is a good addition to the series. Mallory and Kate Lawson are Londoners who are delighted to inherit a house from Mallory's beloved aunt Carey. Mallory is a teacher who made the decision to work in an inner city school and came to regret it. Indeed, there are a lot of regrets in this novel. Their odious daughter, Polly, regrets the fact she is in debt to the alarmingly named, 'Billy Slaughter.' Andrew Latham, partner at Brinkly and Latham, with Dennis Brinkley, the financial consultant - and family friend of the Lawson's - regrets marrying wife Gilda, for money. Judith Parnell regrets her jealousy of husband Ashley, who is suffering from an unknown illness.
Into this cast of characters comes murder to unearth the secrets and lies of those in the village. There are strange hobbies, spiritualism and all manner of hidden emotions lurking in the English countryside. Not quite enough of Barnaby and Troy for my liking, but I am glad that I have read all of the books now.
July 21, 2017
Caroline Graham is a master of character development and plot. It seemed especially so in this book, her last of this series. The first 160 of the 470 pages of the ebook I read were devoted to setting the scene and developing the characters, which I enjoyed. After the death/murder occurred, it was a good many more pages before Inspector Barnaby appeared on the scene. The story line included a variety of topics, one of which I don't enjoy: the paranormal. Near the end Barnaby is anticipating retirement, which is a suitable ending to this series. Little did he know how BBC would extend his working years! This particular book does not seem to have been made into a TV movie, as was the case with the previous one, "A Place Of Safety". I am sorry to have come to the end of this series. Unlike BBC, Graham decided that 7 books were enough about Barnaby.
May 10, 2018
This mystery, the last and the longest (and the best, I think) of Caroline Graham's delightful Inspector Barnaby series, was a reread for me. I first read this at least 12 years ago, so of course I remembered almost nothing about the story except that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The author's satirical edge and her outstanding character portrayals are what make this book, and the series as a whole, so much fun. It's rather like reading early Robert Barnard. The characters range from very likable to downright unlikable, but even the most unlikable are fun to read about. I loved the epilogue, in which we find out what happens in the lives of the various characters after the case is solved.
At the end of the book, Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is planning to retire, but little did he know that his career would be extended for years in the excellent "Midsomer Murders" TV series!
The author's satirical edge and her outstanding character portrayals are what make this book, and the series as a whole, so much fun. It's rather like reading early Robert Barnard. The characters range from very likable to downright unlikable, but even the most unlikable are fun to read about. I loved the epilogue, in which we find out what happens in the lives of the various characters after the case is solved.
At the end of the book, Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is planning to retire, but little did he know that his career would be extended for years in the excellent "Midsomer Murders" TV series!
June 4, 2020
The last in the Inspector Barnaby series, and I'm sorry she didn't write more--the characters of Barnaby and his sergeant, Gavin Troy, are by now well honed, and their interactions are amusing and enjoyable. Here again, it takes quite a while before the murder actually occurs and Barnaby appears, but the backstories of the characters are well-written and interesting, and ultimately their relevance to the (fairly intricate) plot becomes clear. Probably not the best book for someone who likes a more action-based mystery, however....
Shelved as 'not-finishing'
December 9, 2019I read all the earlier ones of these -- the first few eagerly, and then as they went on with more and more discomfort. Graham has some things she seems to always return to that I do not really enjoy, and in this book I finally was able to pinpoint them; her characters seem to fall into two groups, the Nice People and then Everyone Else. Nice People (of whom there are very very few) mean well and care deeply but are fairly incompetent and naive, they are always being taken advantage of and never understand that the people around them are actually awful -- or if they do think someone is awful, it is for the wrong reasons. Then the rest of the world, the majority of her characters, are out for themselves and their own ambitions -- they might justify it by saying they're doing it to help someone they love, or that it's all right because everyone does it, or that they deserve XYZ because of something else in their lives, but regardless, they are going to do what they want to do to achieve their goals and they don't really think about other people or care about them as people, per se.
I see how this works very well in plotting this sort of mystery, because everyone has their own goals and they can all be working against one another, and it's difficult to know who might have done the crimes because one can see good reasons for any given person to have done various things. But it is so unpleasant to read all the selfishness, and so difficult when nobody likes or cares about anyone else but is always judging them or trying to figure out how to use them. It is a way of seeing the world, surely, but not the only possible one. And it is not the only thing I do not enjoy about the book -- I am also not crazy with Graham's repeated 'spoiled daughters don't love their parents, they just take advantage of them' trope -- but it is more than enough to put me off of these for good.
So -- I read the first 1/3 of this, and then I read the last 1/5 of it, and I think that is enough. I will not go back to it, or any of the Graham novels, I do not want to marinate in that worldview. [Dec 2019]
I see how this works very well in plotting this sort of mystery, because everyone has their own goals and they can all be working against one another, and it's difficult to know who might have done the crimes because one can see good reasons for any given person to have done various things. But it is so unpleasant to read all the selfishness, and so difficult when nobody likes or cares about anyone else but is always judging them or trying to figure out how to use them. It is a way of seeing the world, surely, but not the only possible one. And it is not the only thing I do not enjoy about the book -- I am also not crazy with Graham's repeated 'spoiled daughters don't love their parents, they just take advantage of them' trope -- but it is more than enough to put me off of these for good.
So -- I read the first 1/3 of this, and then I read the last 1/5 of it, and I think that is enough. I will not go back to it, or any of the Graham novels, I do not want to marinate in that worldview. [Dec 2019]
November 14, 2015
An enjoyable read, but parts read a little like a less-gruesome Minette Walters with sections that just psycho-analyzed the characters to death (sometimes quite literally). Barnaby is a good main character, and the ending came as a surprise.
December 27, 2020
Have returned to re-review this weird epic...'cos it IS long.
Based on its intriguing title, (despite other authors having used it many times over it seems) I expected the themes of mysterious machines spiritually invaded or similar. What I did not expect was a series of lengthy (albeit entertaining) character studies developing their own almost stand alone narratives with minimal mutual connection and taking up easily three-quarters of the book overall.
It's as if Graham had these leftover studies on file, and gathered them together to complete a final obligation Midsommer Murder book for the publisher.
Chief Inspector Barnaby and Sgt Troy are merely bit players and incidental to a plot that needed the police to be involved at some point but are wasted in this. Dragged in to serve as bit-players is surely a come down from the previous sur-title roles that featured them elsewhere.
I cannot deny Graham's detailed and nuanced character writing is a fine demonstration of how to portray personalities through their interior monologues, their view of life and so reveal them by showing not just telling. As a result the selfish and vain come across as almost reasonable at first when one hears their own self-talk directly. A few beats afterwards, one can then step back and appreciate how variously, middling or truly awful any of these people are.
The 'Afterwards' chapter I fear really goes off the rails. In some misguided attempt to tidy the loose ends it all feels like a collection of finales, none of which the editors could help the writer to focus upon. And then...the final scenes of little Helen's reveal which literally spins off into some ethereal land entirely. I was left with a definite "Whaa...????" feeling at this last page. MOST unsatisfactorily head shaking.
Not the best way to end a book series but as a peculiar ancestor of the TV series, well, it's there.
Based on its intriguing title, (despite other authors having used it many times over it seems) I expected the themes of mysterious machines spiritually invaded or similar. What I did not expect was a series of lengthy (albeit entertaining) character studies developing their own almost stand alone narratives with minimal mutual connection and taking up easily three-quarters of the book overall.
It's as if Graham had these leftover studies on file, and gathered them together to complete a final obligation Midsommer Murder book for the publisher.
Chief Inspector Barnaby and Sgt Troy are merely bit players and incidental to a plot that needed the police to be involved at some point but are wasted in this. Dragged in to serve as bit-players is surely a come down from the previous sur-title roles that featured them elsewhere.
I cannot deny Graham's detailed and nuanced character writing is a fine demonstration of how to portray personalities through their interior monologues, their view of life and so reveal them by showing not just telling. As a result the selfish and vain come across as almost reasonable at first when one hears their own self-talk directly. A few beats afterwards, one can then step back and appreciate how variously, middling or truly awful any of these people are.
The 'Afterwards' chapter I fear really goes off the rails. In some misguided attempt to tidy the loose ends it all feels like a collection of finales, none of which the editors could help the writer to focus upon. And then...the final scenes of little Helen's reveal which literally spins off into some ethereal land entirely. I was left with a definite "Whaa...????" feeling at this last page. MOST unsatisfactorily head shaking.
Not the best way to end a book series but as a peculiar ancestor of the TV series, well, it's there.
November 16, 2019
A Ghost in the Machine is the seventh and final Inspector Barnaby novel. The series would not have suffered if this had not been published.
The Barnaby novels are much more stories about characters in Midsomer than they are mysteries. But a Ghost in the Machine is barely a mystery. You are more than 200 pages in to the 545 total before DCI Barnaby and DS Troy make an appearance. And you are 300 pages in to the book before they are investigating a murder.
In the meantime you have tales of a series of people in Forbes Abbot, most of whom are not that interesting, nor are their stories engaging.
The murders themselves hold promise, but Graham does not make the most of them.
Rather she continues to focus on the not interesting village characters.
The book ends with a 45 page Afterwards meant to bring the stories of the main characters to a close (not including Barnaby, whose pending retirement is mentioned late in the book.) The Afterwards actually holds promise but then the final dozen pages change the meaning of much of the book, actually in great conflict of what is blatantly stated earlier in the book.
The series can at times being maddeningly uneven but this was just a waste.
The Barnaby novels are much more stories about characters in Midsomer than they are mysteries. But a Ghost in the Machine is barely a mystery. You are more than 200 pages in to the 545 total before DCI Barnaby and DS Troy make an appearance. And you are 300 pages in to the book before they are investigating a murder.
In the meantime you have tales of a series of people in Forbes Abbot, most of whom are not that interesting, nor are their stories engaging.
The murders themselves hold promise, but Graham does not make the most of them.
Rather she continues to focus on the not interesting village characters.
The book ends with a 45 page Afterwards meant to bring the stories of the main characters to a close (not including Barnaby, whose pending retirement is mentioned late in the book.) The Afterwards actually holds promise but then the final dozen pages change the meaning of much of the book, actually in great conflict of what is blatantly stated earlier in the book.
The series can at times being maddeningly uneven but this was just a waste.
November 18, 2013
Frustratingly opaque at the beginning, this book was one that picked up speed about two-thirds of the way through. An unusual mystery (for me, at least) in that the reader actually spends some time getting to know the eventual victim, and liking him. Usually, the dead person is a creep, or at least it's understandable why he's dead. This time the victim doesn't die till nearly halfway through and the person most likely--the one I would have LIKED to have committed the murder, so she could be jailed--is the least likely to have been able to do it, as it turns out. The murder itself is reminiscent of early Barnard, the character with the collection of torture devices is the victim in his books; here it's the creator of the museum of war machines who is in for it.
The depth of psychological portraits reminded me a bit of Ruth Rendell. Unlike Rendell, however, there were enough decent, upstanding individuals amid the dregs to make me want to find out what happened. And the end, the youngest member of the cast turns out to be quite a corker. I may be adding Graham to my "List" of authors. Interesting characters.
The depth of psychological portraits reminded me a bit of Ruth Rendell. Unlike Rendell, however, there were enough decent, upstanding individuals amid the dregs to make me want to find out what happened. And the end, the youngest member of the cast turns out to be quite a corker. I may be adding Graham to my "List" of authors. Interesting characters.
June 13, 2016
A Ghost in the Machine
I’m done with this series. I really can’t stand the 300 pages of backstory, followed by 100 pages of mystery solving, followed by another 100 pages of wrapping up the back story. I really don’t care who slept with who or who cheated who out of thousands of pounds; I just want to read about Inspector Barnaby solving a murder. I’m not sure how you can call a series The Inspector Barnaby Series and then only have him present for 1/5th of the book. I also found that like the previous book I read in this series, it had some major editing issues. There were whole paragraphs of what looked like a bunch of random words strung together. Did nobody bother to even look at the manuscript before sending it to print?
I’m done with this series. I really can’t stand the 300 pages of backstory, followed by 100 pages of mystery solving, followed by another 100 pages of wrapping up the back story. I really don’t care who slept with who or who cheated who out of thousands of pounds; I just want to read about Inspector Barnaby solving a murder. I’m not sure how you can call a series The Inspector Barnaby Series and then only have him present for 1/5th of the book. I also found that like the previous book I read in this series, it had some major editing issues. There were whole paragraphs of what looked like a bunch of random words strung together. Did nobody bother to even look at the manuscript before sending it to print?
April 25, 2018
I’m sorry to see this series end. I enjoy how the author takes time to set the story up and builds up the characters. I almost stopped reading a couple times due to my great distaste of Polly. There are some lovable, quirky characters along with the nasties. There’s humor, irony, sweetness, and quirkiness. I also appreciated how everything was tied up in the end.
April 26, 2020
The murder investigation started 65% into the story - I read it on a kindle reader so I was able to check
May 23, 2024
As a fan of the Midsomer Mysteries television series (once I discovered it streaming on Prime), I was curious about the source material, the novels by Caroline Graham. I searched my local library shelves for novels which didn’t correspond to an episode I’d viewed previously. I found one in A Ghost in the Machine. It not only fit my niche in terms of historical interest (a victim who collected ancient implements of war and is, as it were, hoist by his own petard), personal interest (one member of the cast is an aspiring novelist and another is an editor aspiring to be a publisher), and enigmatic interest (the murder mystery is convoluted and challenging).
What annoyed me about the book was that, like Agatha Christie to whom Graham is compared on the back cover blurb, it didn’t seem like the reader was provided with a sufficient evidentiary trail to foreshadow the eventual revelation. Oh, I was able to discern the culprit from very early on, but there was a complication that I not only didn’t perceive as properly presented but which seemed to point in much the opposite direction.
In short, my initial impression of Graham’s novels was that we need to resurrect the late Truman Capote’s character (Lionel Twain) from Murder By Death to avenge the slight to the readers much as that character took it as his calling to punish the characters from classic mysteries (in both novel and film) to chastise the authors. Don’t get me wrong, I devoured the pages rabidly. Please understand that I was fascinated by this mystery and kept wanting to get to the final revelation.
However, I don’t particularly like stories where evil is unrequited. In one case, a deliberate “red herring” seems rewarded for perfidy after a short-term bump in the road. Another character, a cruel, manipulative spouse experiences a form of poetic justice, but not until it is too late to do the victim of their abuse and their subsequent potential victims any good. In another case, crime seems well-rewarded (unless one reads between the lines and extrapolates the probable result hinted in the “Afterwards.” In yet another case, a character who has been misunderstood and mistreated seems stuck in a recurring cycle where said character is a victim of society’s assumptions.
So, I’m glad I read A Ghost in the Machine. I will probably read another and will certainly continue to follow the protagonist (who doesn’t appear in this novel until almost 150 pages in) on the television series. Yet, I find myself strangely ambivalent about this particular novel. Even with a lengthy “Afterwards” section, Graham doesn’t tie up the loose ends in a satisfactory manner for me. On the other hand, that misunderstood character would be worthy of a novel series of their own.
What annoyed me about the book was that, like Agatha Christie to whom Graham is compared on the back cover blurb, it didn’t seem like the reader was provided with a sufficient evidentiary trail to foreshadow the eventual revelation. Oh, I was able to discern the culprit from very early on, but there was a complication that I not only didn’t perceive as properly presented but which seemed to point in much the opposite direction.
In short, my initial impression of Graham’s novels was that we need to resurrect the late Truman Capote’s character (Lionel Twain) from Murder By Death to avenge the slight to the readers much as that character took it as his calling to punish the characters from classic mysteries (in both novel and film) to chastise the authors. Don’t get me wrong, I devoured the pages rabidly. Please understand that I was fascinated by this mystery and kept wanting to get to the final revelation.
However, I don’t particularly like stories where evil is unrequited. In one case, a deliberate “red herring” seems rewarded for perfidy after a short-term bump in the road. Another character, a cruel, manipulative spouse experiences a form of poetic justice, but not until it is too late to do the victim of their abuse and their subsequent potential victims any good. In another case, crime seems well-rewarded (unless one reads between the lines and extrapolates the probable result hinted in the “Afterwards.” In yet another case, a character who has been misunderstood and mistreated seems stuck in a recurring cycle where said character is a victim of society’s assumptions.
So, I’m glad I read A Ghost in the Machine. I will probably read another and will certainly continue to follow the protagonist (who doesn’t appear in this novel until almost 150 pages in) on the television series. Yet, I find myself strangely ambivalent about this particular novel. Even with a lengthy “Afterwards” section, Graham doesn’t tie up the loose ends in a satisfactory manner for me. On the other hand, that misunderstood character would be worthy of a novel series of their own.
April 17, 2023
This was really very good. Have enjoyed this t.v. series since the beginning--Badger's Drift--and just had to read one of the early books. I do remember this episode but the detail in her book makes Graham stand out in the 'cosy' crime mysteries genre. I mean, Badger's Drift was a murder filled opener, set in a tiny village where ducks own the pond on the green and the pub is always welcoming to locals and visitors alike. Who knew such mayhem lies underneath all the regular ordinary lives?! A Ghost in the Machine set in nearby Forbes Abbot is multi layered, and, oh, so very good. The main characters, and there's a handful, are sketched in at the start, all the reasons for what happens about page 177 are put forth, the scene is set, the peaceful July village homes and gardens are drowsy in the summer sun, all is bliss, except, of course, for all those pesky underlying problems each of the characters in question has: Mallory and Kate, their uppity daughter Polly; Dennis, Benny; Ashley and Judith; Roy, Doris and Karen; Andrew and his obese wife; Ava, who is a medium, with a twist. Graham connects them all to Dennis and his historical killing machines, ghosts and more. It is up to Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and his second, Sargeant Troy to nab the killer of a hideous crime.
The cover blurbs are short and snappy and I love this one the best: 'Waspishly funny tale of murder...solved by the appealing Chief Inspector Barnaby.' Telegraph.
The cover blurbs are short and snappy and I love this one the best: 'Waspishly funny tale of murder...solved by the appealing Chief Inspector Barnaby.' Telegraph.
March 21, 2019
Увлекательное и местами, как ни странно, утешительное чтение.
June 18, 2017
A good mystery that takes us nearly to Barnaby's retirement (which explains why there aren't more of these books, I guess).
Dennis likes old war stories and their battle machines (as in medieval). Ava thinks she's an actress/psychic who's about to be discovered and lives in her own delusions of grandeur. In that she's not unlike Polly (Mallory and Kate's daughter) who thinks she's the next brilliant thing. Then there're the people who just want someone to care about them or to care for - Roy, Doris, Ben.
Lots and lots of subplots, on occasion, I forgot what the original crime was. No, I didn't figure out who did it until the last minute, well, in one of the murders. And I really wondered what was wrong with Karen.
A little bit of cozy, a little bit of supernatural, a good bit of just human nature. Not a bad story.
Dennis likes old war stories and their battle machines (as in medieval). Ava thinks she's an actress/psychic who's about to be discovered and lives in her own delusions of grandeur. In that she's not unlike Polly (Mallory and Kate's daughter) who thinks she's the next brilliant thing. Then there're the people who just want someone to care about them or to care for - Roy, Doris, Ben.
Lots and lots of subplots, on occasion, I forgot what the original crime was. No, I didn't figure out who did it until the last minute, well, in one of the murders. And I really wondered what was wrong with Karen.
A little bit of cozy, a little bit of supernatural, a good bit of just human nature. Not a bad story.
August 13, 2018
This is the last in the Chief Inspector Barnaby Mystery books, which the TV show Midsomer Murders is based on. It was a really good mystery with many threads and stories that needed to be connected together. You have Mallory and Kate with their horrid daughter Polly, Bennie, the faithful companion and then the neighbors, the psychic connection, the accounting firm, and of course Barnaby, Troy and Cully. There is a great deal going on here to keep the reader guessing. A much more in-depth story line than usually appears on the shows. I am a big fan of the TV show, but I will say that I liked this book, in particular, in the series more. There is more examination of the character’s inner lives and motivations which drive their actions. Themes of greed, honesty, and family are all well represented. Great final book in the series.
March 12, 2022
So sad this is the last in the series!
I’ve now read all seven of the Inspector Barnaby books and wish there were more. I’ve found them psychologically compelling, with a range of often not very pleasant characters intimately drawn with intricacy and an incisive wit. For me the books are far more entertaining and stimulating than the TV versions and their offspring. As John Nettles mentions in his foreword, the written murders are character-led rather than focussed on me and and method. I was a bit disappointed that Barnaby doesn’t appear in this last novel until over half-way through, but this was compensated for by the way the strings were gathered in the final pages - tied but still tantalising.
I’ve now read all seven of the Inspector Barnaby books and wish there were more. I’ve found them psychologically compelling, with a range of often not very pleasant characters intimately drawn with intricacy and an incisive wit. For me the books are far more entertaining and stimulating than the TV versions and their offspring. As John Nettles mentions in his foreword, the written murders are character-led rather than focussed on me and and method. I was a bit disappointed that Barnaby doesn’t appear in this last novel until over half-way through, but this was compensated for by the way the strings were gathered in the final pages - tied but still tantalising.
April 4, 2022
Oh, I loved this one and am really sorry that there aren't any more in this series. I have no idea why they refer to her books as "cozies" because I think they are much more complex that the old Agatha Christie books where the people are cardboard. I also loved the fact that the tension kept building and there was a lot of backstory. Just different from the usual kind of mystery novel. I love how her usual characters have evolved over the series too--warts and all.
Don't understand why people are complaining about this one being too long or too slow . . . there was a lot to establish ahead of time and I loved that not everything was completely resolved: just like real life.
You're either going to love this ending or hate it. I loved it!
Don't understand why people are complaining about this one being too long or too slow . . . there was a lot to establish ahead of time and I loved that not everything was completely resolved: just like real life.
You're either going to love this ending or hate it. I loved it!
July 22, 2011
I suspect the failure to love this book is entirely mine. The author does a lovely job developing her characters and making us care about the characters, but I just wanted someone to die so I could get to the damn mystery! See my problem? I didn't want to like Dennis. I didn't want to know Dennis before he became a corpse. I am beginning to suspect this is typical of British mysteries. Is it because Americans are in such a hurry that we want to get to the mystery, get it solved and get the hell out of town, whereas the Brits wander about and get to know the neighbors? Like I said, the failure to enjoy the book was entirely mine obviously. :-)
November 25, 2018
Okay. I have a confession to make. I don't do this often, but in this case - I just couldn't deal with it anymore. I made it a bit past the halfway point in this book. The murder doesn't even occur until around page 175 and honestly, I couldn't have cared less who killed him or why. All the characters came across as shallow and boring and God, I just wanted to get out of there as soon as I could. I'd hoped after the murder things would pick up, but no ... it prattled on. I wasn't in the least bit curious about any of it. The cover blurb likens the author to Agatha Christie. Seriously? No. Maybe her other books are better, but this hasn't made me want to find out that either.
September 12, 2021
I have so enjoyed reading the Inspector Barnaby novels and feel slightly bereft to have come to the end of the series! That said, this was not my favourite of the collection probably because, for my taste, there simply wasn’t enough Barnaby and Troy. Their role for much of the book is quite peripheral which is disappointing for the reader who knows this is the last opportunity they have to spend time with them. I also thought that the book ended on a slightly odd note - in keeping with some of the themes throughout, true, but it jarred slightly with me. Nonetheless, I’ve enjoyed all the Barnaby novels and look forward to revisiting the whole sequence in the not too distant future.
June 24, 2023
The most interesting, so far
This is the third book in this series that I've read. I've not read them in order, more’s the pity, but this one has been the best, so far. The murder mystery was well written, characters well drawn (perhaps only one, Polly, a bit unbelievable after the reveal.) I will read more of her books.
This is the third book in this series that I've read. I've not read them in order, more’s the pity, but this one has been the best, so far. The murder mystery was well written, characters well drawn (perhaps only one, Polly, a bit unbelievable after the reveal.) I will read more of her books.
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