The Killings at Badger’s Drift

Midsomer Murders Mystery, Book 1

De: Caroline Graham

Narrado por: John Hopkins

The Killings at Badger's Drift is the first spectacular instalment in the Midsomer Murders series and the story that inspired the ITV hit drama, now featuring an exclusive foreword by John Nettles, who played best-loved TV detective and star of Midsomer Murders, DCI Tom Barnaby.

The village of Badger's Drift is the essence of tranquillity. But when resident and well-loved spinster Miss Simpson takes a stroll in the nearby woods, she stumbles across something she was never meant to see, and there's only one way to keep her quiet.

Miss Simpson's death is not suspicious, say the villagers. But Miss Lucy Bellringer refuses to rest: her friend has been murdered. She is sure of it.

She calls on Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby to investigate, and it isn't long until the previously unseen seamy side of Badger's Drift is brought to light. But as old rivalries, past loves and new scandals surface, the next murder is not far away.

©1987 Caroline Graham (P)2022 Bolinda Publishing

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Simply the best detective writer since Agatha Christie." (The Sunday Times)

"A mystery of which Agatha Christie would have been proud.... A beautifully written crime novel." (The Times)

"Tension builds, bitchery flares, resentment seethes...lots of atmosphere, colourful characters and fair clues." (Mail on Sunday)

Ah, BLISS!

The TV show of Midsomer Murders (at my house we just call it “Barnaby”) is one of our favorites ever. We started watching it quite a few years ago because we kept going through detective series so quickly and missing them when we were done, so I set out to find the program with the most episodes. At the time, Midsomer was 6 or 7 seasons and that looked like a LOT. We decided to watch them slowly, to stretch it out. And they kept making them. And we never finally caught up — almost. I’m still a few episodes behind in the Neil Dudgeon era, and he doesn’t make me as feel as happy and comfy as John Nettles always did, and I couldn’t stand the whole baby thing, but I’m comfortable enough with him, And we’re still watching.

But I was SO surprised when I came across Badger’s Drift as an audiobook! Of course, I knew they began as books, and I’d even looked them up and found that at least the first few were the same plots — one book, one tv episode — but it hadn’t occurred to me to get them as books. However, when I started reading this very first one, I was hooked right away. The books are so different from the shows, full of so much more detail, and you get to be inside Barnaby’s mind, Troy’s mind— *he* is a very different character and much more interesting, I think. TV Troy is adorable and we love him, but book Troy seems much more realistic, somehow, and a good contrast to offset his boss’s solid, thoughtful essential *goodness*.

I won’t say anymore — and anyway, I’m only partway through — I just had to give it a great review because I’m elated to’ve found them. They’ve only recorded three so far, I think, and hopefully my library will get them eventually, so I won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for the series, but I did find them during the summer-end sale, and bought the three I could get in English, and I’ve been going back and forth between reading the print one from the library, and listening to the Audible one. I’m in easy-chair-fluffy-blanket-hot-tea ecstasy. :) 🚪🛋📖☕️👓🪟 It’s going to be a happy beginning to this autumn. 😊🎧 📚👏🏽

This is where it all started …

Many many years ago I remember watching the 1st episode of Midsomer Murders which was The Killings at Badgers Drift.
I loved the intro by John Nettles as I think we always take it for granted that tv/movie versions of the books remain faithful.
I feel that the books are both different and the same as what we see on TV and for good measure too. If I was listening to a carbon copy of what I saw on TV in 90 mins I would have felt cheated.
I love that John Hopkins is the narrator. I loved him in Midsomer as Dan Scott and always felt his stint on the show was cut much too short. So it’s like having a little bit of TV in the audiobook.
Overall I will listen to this again and will complete the audiobooks as they come out.

Excellent and Compelling

As a big fan of the smash hit television series “Midsomer Murders”, I was compelled to buy this new audiobook, the first episode in Caroline Graham’s series of the adventures with Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby. John Nettles, star of the television series, has written a very insightful introduction to the book which instantly made me want to listen to the author’s original words. All the characters are given fuller back stories and fleshed out in way a television program, with its action packed quick pacing, can never completely convey. It was an absolute delight to listen to the wicked humor and wit of the author, combined with an excellent narration by John Hopkins. It was truly delightful!!

The book is always better than the show!

I am a big fan of the show Midsomer Murders. I’m only now getting around to listening to the books. The story twists and turns in completely unpredictable directions. Ten out of ten would recommend!

Excellent mystery

A strong recommend from me. Twists and turns and keeps you thinking without convoluted plot points or contrivance. I have to agree with what John Nettles says in the forward, that if you love the show, the book is just that much more fun.