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Average Customer Rating:

A novel about British country style life

Customer Rating:

This is an Inspector Barnaby's novel. Barnaby himself does not appear almost till the middle of it though. And the murder itself does not happend till the page 150. I found the first introductory part "before the murder" a little too long and murder investigation too short to make this book a really good detective novel. And it is too naive to become a good social piece of literature. Although Caroline Graham evidently has talent for discription, especially for discription of people and places. All characters in this story are vivid and alive. And it was interesting from the point of view of learning about British country style life. The scenes discribing people in the village gardenin, shopping, going about their businesses or just relaxing in their back yards are the most attractive. But there are no unexpected twists, no really astonishing conclusion, no brilliant investigation. The murder story is rather predictable. There is only one really bad guy and he eventually became a murderer. Fans of "Midsummer Murders" TV series will probably find this book interesting and amusing.

Village murder with a kick

Customer Rating:

I'm a big fan of both Caroline Graham's Inspector Barnaby mysteries, and the TV series that spun off--although the books and the show could not be more different. A Ghost in the Machine, the seventh (and last, to date) of the Barnaby novels, is the book that's most unlike the on-screen version, and my favorite. After Carey Lawson dies and leaves a large sum of money to her nephew Mallory and his family, everything starts to change for the Lawsons; their arrival in the village sets off a chain of events that results in the death of their neighbor and financial advisor, Dennis Brinkley. Dennis' timid friend Benny tries to convince the Causton CID that the death was a murder, but there's no proof...until a medium of questionable talents and equally questionable morals gets involved. Barnaby and Troy don't put in an appearance until halfway through the story and solve the crime relatively quickly, but the murders are a small part of the bigger picture (which includes embezzlement, fraud, more murders, and child abuse). Graham's dry sense of humor and clear-eyed descriptions of English village life have never been better, but what sets A Ghost in the Machine apart is the complexity of the characters, and the creepy ending.

well developed characters, but a bit ponderous	Customer Rating:
I enjoy the tv program spun off of Ms. Grahams novels, so thought I'd read a few of her books. This is the first of two I recently purchased and I think my title expresses best what I thought of it.

Long and Boring	Customer Rating:
This book just dragged! I love Midsomer Murders and I thought this would be closely related, but the author just meandered through out, never pushing forward the plot - what there was of the plot. The ending was ridiculous and tacked on - I cant believe I finsihed reading 500 pages for such a disappoinment!

A Good Read

Customer Rating:

Caroline Graham's novels are always character-driven and more in the vein of suspense than the mysteries they purport to be. Her latest, "A Ghost in the Machine," is typical of the fare and a good read. I've always liked the cozy, though Graham has updated the genre to conform to more modern times and made it a bit more gritty than some of her predecessors. As in the past, she has lain her story in a small English village flush with diverse and eccentric people. A stressed out teacher inherits the property of his beloved aunt. This offers the opportunity to escape the city and follow his wife's long-cherished dream of becoming a publisher of literary novels. Their spoiled-rotten daughter remains in London to become involve in a matter which will later impact on them and their plans. Their financial consultant, who seems to be well-liked by everyone in the village, has the odd habit of collecting ancient war machines. He is the first murder victim, though at first his death seems to be accidental. Other notable characters include Brinkley's friend, the former companion/housekeeper of the aunt; an assortment of odd neighbors, spiritualists and pathetic children. It is sometime in this novel before the pragmatic Chief Inspector Barnaby and the all too human Sergeant Troy make their first appearance and even longer before they agree a murder has been committed. After that, the action picks up. Some have compared Graham to Dickens because of her reliance on characters to carry her plots. I would not go so far as that since her style is as eccentric as some of her characters. Still, that is part of her charm. The reader (this reader, at least) is willing to forgive her variance from accepted style because it is just so entertaining.