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Blood Brotherhood
Old church meets new with a vengeance when a monk is brutally murdered at St. Botolph’s.
Murder wasn’t on the agenda for the symposium on the role of the Anglican Church today—until a brother is found dead in his cell. Suddenly the diverse guest list falls under suspicion. Could it be the bishop famous for his television appearances or his exotic counterpart from Africa; one of the three vicars who run the gamut from trendy to traditional; the nondenominational American with a passion for fundraising; or perhaps one of the two Norwegian lady divines? Or is it one of the brothers themselves, taking advantage of the camouflage provided by outside visitors? Surely the tensions between the cloistered clergy and their more worldly visitors can’t have led to such an unthinkable occurrence. But why is Father Anselm, the austere head of the Anglican Community, so reluctant to allow an investigation? Is he concerned simply about unfavourable publicity? Or is there a darker secret hidden behind the inscrutable walls of St. Botolph’s?
‘Robert Barnard . . . writes with irony and wit and considerable skill and grace’ St Louis Post-Dispatch
‘A first-rate suspense story . . . highly original and entertaining.’ Booklist
‘Robert Barnard is the most reliable and versatile practitioner of English mystery-comedy on the present scene. A virtuoso . . .’ New York Times Book Review
Murder wasn’t on the agenda for the symposium on the role of the Anglican Church today—until a brother is found dead in his cell. Suddenly the diverse guest list falls under suspicion. Could it be the bishop famous for his television appearances or his exotic counterpart from Africa; one of the three vicars who run the gamut from trendy to traditional; the nondenominational American with a passion for fundraising; or perhaps one of the two Norwegian lady divines? Or is it one of the brothers themselves, taking advantage of the camouflage provided by outside visitors? Surely the tensions between the cloistered clergy and their more worldly visitors can’t have led to such an unthinkable occurrence. But why is Father Anselm, the austere head of the Anglican Community, so reluctant to allow an investigation? Is he concerned simply about unfavourable publicity? Or is there a darker secret hidden behind the inscrutable walls of St. Botolph’s?
‘Robert Barnard . . . writes with irony and wit and considerable skill and grace’ St Louis Post-Dispatch
‘A first-rate suspense story . . . highly original and entertaining.’ Booklist
‘Robert Barnard is the most reliable and versatile practitioner of English mystery-comedy on the present scene. A virtuoso . . .’ New York Times Book Review
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Robert Barnard
202 books88 followersAka Bernard Bastable.
Robert Barnard (born 23 November 1936) was an English crime writer, critic and lecturer.
Born in Essex, Barnard was educated at the Royal Grammar School in Colchester and at Balliol College in Oxford. His first crime novel, A Little Local Murder, was published in 1976. The novel was written while he was a lecturer at University of Tromsø in Norway. He has gone on to write more than 40 other books and numerous short stories.
Barnard has said that his favourite crime writer is Agatha Christie. In 1980 he published a critique of her work titled A Talent to Deceive: An Appreciation of Agatha Christie.
Barnard was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2003 by the Crime Writers Association for a lifetime of achievement.
Under the pseudonym Bernard Bastable, Robert Barnard has published one standalone novel and three alternate history books starring Wolfgang Mozart as a detective, he having survived to old age.
Barnard lived with his wife Louise in Yorkshire.
Series:
* Perry Trethowan
* Charlie Peace
Robert Barnard (born 23 November 1936) was an English crime writer, critic and lecturer.
Born in Essex, Barnard was educated at the Royal Grammar School in Colchester and at Balliol College in Oxford. His first crime novel, A Little Local Murder, was published in 1976. The novel was written while he was a lecturer at University of Tromsø in Norway. He has gone on to write more than 40 other books and numerous short stories.
Barnard has said that his favourite crime writer is Agatha Christie. In 1980 he published a critique of her work titled A Talent to Deceive: An Appreciation of Agatha Christie.
Barnard was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2003 by the Crime Writers Association for a lifetime of achievement.
Under the pseudonym Bernard Bastable, Robert Barnard has published one standalone novel and three alternate history books starring Wolfgang Mozart as a detective, he having survived to old age.
Barnard lived with his wife Louise in Yorkshire.
Series:
* Perry Trethowan
* Charlie Peace
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 29, 2014
Until yesterday, I thought that the quote that best describes the essence of the United States of America belongs to President Calvin Coolidge: "The business of the American people is business". Well, today I have found an even more brilliant quote in Robert Barnard's "Blood Brotherhood". Mr. Barnard has the following zinger: in America "religion is business [because] business is religion". The writing is uniformly excellent, while the mystery component of the novel, except for the ending, is not that stellar.
Let's be clear, the novel is not about America; it is a very British mystery, whose plot takes place in Yorkshire, in mid-to-late 1970s. Various religious figures, including bishops, plain vicars, and two clergywomen from Norway, descend on a monks' community of St. Botolph's to participate in a symposium focused on the social role of church in modern world. The proceedings are interrupted by brutal murder of one of the monks. The police begin their investigation and some of the participants search for answers on their own.
The book might have just been a standard, unremarkable mystery if not for Mr. Barnard's vitriolic satire aimed at hypocrisy of some members of the clergy. And if not for many absolutely hilarious sentences. I have to quote some more brilliancies: "[...] the horror piling on horror, as in a Eurovision Song Contest". Or: "For although the Norwegian delegation were both female, one member was undoubtedly more female than the other". I am absolutely in love with Mr. Barnard's writing.
The novel has many weaknesses; for instance, the Chief Inspector Plunkett's incident and the night adventures of the Bishop of Mitabezi, while very funny (and, in the latter case, quite politically incorrect, from the current perspective), are not in the least plausible. Yet, I find the ending unexpected and deliciously naughty, and the novel has provided me with three hours of sophisticated entertainment. Mr. Barnard's next book is on my nightstand.
Three and a half stars.
Let's be clear, the novel is not about America; it is a very British mystery, whose plot takes place in Yorkshire, in mid-to-late 1970s. Various religious figures, including bishops, plain vicars, and two clergywomen from Norway, descend on a monks' community of St. Botolph's to participate in a symposium focused on the social role of church in modern world. The proceedings are interrupted by brutal murder of one of the monks. The police begin their investigation and some of the participants search for answers on their own.
The book might have just been a standard, unremarkable mystery if not for Mr. Barnard's vitriolic satire aimed at hypocrisy of some members of the clergy. And if not for many absolutely hilarious sentences. I have to quote some more brilliancies: "[...] the horror piling on horror, as in a Eurovision Song Contest". Or: "For although the Norwegian delegation were both female, one member was undoubtedly more female than the other". I am absolutely in love with Mr. Barnard's writing.
The novel has many weaknesses; for instance, the Chief Inspector Plunkett's incident and the night adventures of the Bishop of Mitabezi, while very funny (and, in the latter case, quite politically incorrect, from the current perspective), are not in the least plausible. Yet, I find the ending unexpected and deliciously naughty, and the novel has provided me with three hours of sophisticated entertainment. Mr. Barnard's next book is on my nightstand.
Three and a half stars.
September 13, 2018
I just could not get past the weird racism and the homophobia to enjoy the rather good plotting of this one.
January 11, 2025
Kind of strange. Dated - I wouldnt recommend though I like the writer’s arch British tone.
December 27, 2013
A nice quick little read that is light, yet full of fun satire and social analysis. Characterization that is right on, and brave issues for something published in 1977. Anyone ever involved in a church community will see someone they know. Also a very clever plot that I found rather different. Did not see the end coming.
March 25, 2013
Sexist, racist, and homophobic. What a nasty little book.
November 20, 2023
Summary: Monk (not the TV detective, a regular monk) gets butchered in an isolated monastery while a theological conference is going on. Artificial evocation of a 'closed community'. The solution to the entry/exit problem is laughably simple. The people populating this book - other than the author's mouthpiece, a straight white cis middle-aged middle-class British dude - are all vicious, nasty, and stereotypical.
In fact, this one is so short of any surprises that it appears RB wrote this nasty little book just to vent his spleen on Norwegians, rape survivors, the clergy, LGBTQ people....pretty much anyone is fair game for a dose of humiliation. Of course, posterity has had the last laugh: despite being an ingenuous plotter (though not in this book), Robert Barnard's work is almost forgotten today - no TV series, no reprints, not even a resurgence amongst the niche admirers of the 'closed community murder' genre. This book suggest that RB went through life full of smug self-satisfaction, thinking everyone other than himself was not "quayte naice". His audience seems to have been happy returning that compliment.
In fact, this one is so short of any surprises that it appears RB wrote this nasty little book just to vent his spleen on Norwegians, rape survivors, the clergy, LGBTQ people....pretty much anyone is fair game for a dose of humiliation. Of course, posterity has had the last laugh: despite being an ingenuous plotter (though not in this book), Robert Barnard's work is almost forgotten today - no TV series, no reprints, not even a resurgence amongst the niche admirers of the 'closed community murder' genre. This book suggest that RB went through life full of smug self-satisfaction, thinking everyone other than himself was not "quayte naice". His audience seems to have been happy returning that compliment.
March 28, 2020
Interesting that so many readers have been put off by the blatant racism and homophobia, when those attitudes are expressed by the most unlikable characters in the book. It seemed to me that Barnard was, as usual, poking fun at such people, not endorsing their opinions, at a time when society in general was resistant to the changes that were coming. I had no idea that the Anglican Church had monks (although thanks to Call the Midwife, I knew that they had nuns). Apparently there is a contingent within the church that really wants to be Catholic, but only in their own way. The group gathered at St. Botoph's for a seminar includes two Norwegian women who stir things up a bit, several ministers including one American, and a couple of Bishops, one from Africa. They don't mix with the brothers, so when the assistant to Father Anselm is murdered, fingers are being pointed at them. Not my favorite of Barnard's mysteries.
May 26, 2021
A book that has aged well but it's obvious that Robert Barnard just having a dig at religion in Britain in the late 1970s. A seminar is held at St Bobolph in Yorkshire for various members of the clergy and many different religion's including two females from Scandinavia. When Brother Dominic (aka Denis Crowther) is murdered the clergy has to deal with the real world. Chief Inspector Plunkett is brought in to investigate but is soon replaced with someone exceptable. As good as Barnard is as a writer this, although readable, doesn't really get out of first gear even when a solution is given nothing seems to change.
October 14, 2014
"The personality of the dead person was usually much more interesting than the personality of the murderer."
Straight up whodunnit inside an English Catholic monastery. Shows its role in society as a alternative for men who though somewhat scary aren't mean enough to want to imprison. Kinky and funny enough to keep the pages flying.
February 3, 2011
Robert Barnard's clever observations, witty writing and skillful plotting are entertaining, despite some stereotyped characters, in this murder mystery set at a symposium "on the role of the church today" with English and Norwegian clergy doing some distressingly amoral, unclergylike things.
February 22, 2009
If you're looking for an old-fashioned mystery - typical of the cozy genre - read this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 18, 2009
Interesting setting and odd twists
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October 21, 2012Racist & homophobic. I realize it was published in 1983, but still.
May 30, 2012
Quick read, well written....interesting setting, characters. Read during trip to Italy. (Not a Perry Trethowan).
March 10, 2014
unsatisfing who dun it. First third of book totally extraneous to plot. like filler to make it novel length.
May 30, 2015
Barnard is one of my favorites. However, although his usual excellent character development and writing skills are apparent the ending is rather feeble and ill conceived. Thus,3 stars.
July 12, 2015
Definitely the weakest Barnard I've read so far--glad I didn't start with this one!
June 26, 2013
Slow going, and not much dramatic tension, but ok.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews