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The Killings at Badger’s Drift

Midsomer Murders Mystery, Book 1

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The Killings at Badger’s Drift

By: Caroline Graham
Narrated by: John Hopkins
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About this listen

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 Crime Fiction Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Crime Village Murder

Critic reviews

"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)
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Having never read anything written by Caroline Graham before but having watched lots of the televised series, I was pleasantly surprised to find this audible very enjoyable and easy to listen to. The Narrator was very good. I especially liked the descriptions of the location which conjured up a 'chocolate box' cottage surrounded by cottage gardens, reminiscent of Agatha Christie in many ways.Amidst the gruesome scenes of crime, there is mirth with Joyce Barnaby's cooking failures, and Tom Barnaby's frustration with Troy's shortcomings. A Murder Mystery to solve in the heart of Rural England!

Cosy Crime at its best.

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Guilty secret... I actually love the tv show Midsommer Murders... I happily moan for two hours on how Midsommer is the murder capital of the world and even the local newspaper doesn’t even report on the three brutal murders (plus the one attempt) that happens every weekend. So I was looking forward to listening to the very first book and wasn’t disappointed as it was actually a good entertaining story. I’m going to buy book 2 now... so hopefully that’ll be as entertaining and as well read as this one.

Better than the TV series

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What a joy to listen to a wonderful plot, read by a wonderful narrator. Can't wait to hear the next in this series. Thank you!

what an experience!

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Took me a while to get used to the characters as they are so different from the tv adaptation of the book.

Narration was very good

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Very enjoyable good narration and quite a twist in the story I look forward to the next story

Good

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