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Charlie Peace #6
The Corpse At The Haworth Tandoori
Masterly mystery writer Robert Barnard transports us to the Yorkshire town of Haworth, once home to the literary Brontës, now a crowded tourist mecca, for The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori, which begins with the shocking discovery of a young man's strangled body in an Indian Tandoori restaurant parking lot. Who is the victim, and how did he come to meet this untimely fate? Detective Constable Charlie Peace and Detective Superintendent Mike Oddie's search for answers soon leads them to Ashworth, a nearby artists' colony, where young Irishman Declan O'Hearn had recently sought work as a handyman.
No ordinary place, Ashworth is something of a shrine to once-renowned painter Ranulph Byatt, an egotistic man who craves adulation from his inferiors and resists the judgment of his peers. To the surprise of all and the jealousy of some, Declan O'Hearn is one of the rare people Byatt welcomes into his studio and allows to watch him paint.
Charlie Peace, an experienced police officer and always a favorite among Barnard's readers, has rarely encountered such tense undercurrents as he finds at Ashworth, and he's perhaps never been among a group of people so ill-matched. They live in supposed community but lead uniquely warped lives. How does young Declan, inexperienced in the ways of the world, seeking his first great adventure, fit into this dangerous mix?
Charlie suspects Declan found more than adventure at Ashworth. Following in Declan's footsteps, he searches for the incredible story behind the body in the parking lot and the sad facts behind the destroyed hopes of a youthful wanderer.
With the kind of classic twist that only Barnard can provide, The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori evokes memories of such Barnard masterpieces as Death by Sheer Torture while claiming its own place in the Barnard body of work as a powerful, insightful, witty, and always superbly entertaining novel of suspense.
No ordinary place, Ashworth is something of a shrine to once-renowned painter Ranulph Byatt, an egotistic man who craves adulation from his inferiors and resists the judgment of his peers. To the surprise of all and the jealousy of some, Declan O'Hearn is one of the rare people Byatt welcomes into his studio and allows to watch him paint.
Charlie Peace, an experienced police officer and always a favorite among Barnard's readers, has rarely encountered such tense undercurrents as he finds at Ashworth, and he's perhaps never been among a group of people so ill-matched. They live in supposed community but lead uniquely warped lives. How does young Declan, inexperienced in the ways of the world, seeking his first great adventure, fit into this dangerous mix?
Charlie suspects Declan found more than adventure at Ashworth. Following in Declan's footsteps, he searches for the incredible story behind the body in the parking lot and the sad facts behind the destroyed hopes of a youthful wanderer.
With the kind of classic twist that only Barnard can provide, The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori evokes memories of such Barnard masterpieces as Death by Sheer Torture while claiming its own place in the Barnard body of work as a powerful, insightful, witty, and always superbly entertaining novel of suspense.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
19 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Robert Barnard
202 books89 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
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 29, 2013
Excellent mystery set in an area I know well, which always endears a book to me. I especially like that Charlie Peace being black wasn't mentioned even in narrative until well past the first chapter, because in books set in England that often isn't the case, and there wasn't anything objectionable in the way he's portrayed, which really pleased me. I need to read more books that feature characters of colour being treated like him, that is to say without racism or food-descriptions of their physical appearance! Are there any more British mystery writers that fulfil that criterion? Quite apart from that, the mystery was excellent, though it seemed to trail off just a little bit when it got to revealing the person who had actually physically committed the murder in question, but ... you'll get why, that was not the important part of the crime - for a change!
July 6, 2008
Barnard is an uneven author, some books being really quite good and others being, well, meh. He doesn't write anything that could be classified as a series; each of his books is quite diffrent from the others.
This one is a character study of evil with complicit hangers on, and one or two good characters who barely see the evil adn therefore escape it. This is a study of an artist who has, intermittently, very strong periods in his work, and what causes those periods to be so strong. A satisfying but disturbing book.
This one is a character study of evil with complicit hangers on, and one or two good characters who barely see the evil adn therefore escape it. This is a study of an artist who has, intermittently, very strong periods in his work, and what causes those periods to be so strong. A satisfying but disturbing book.
February 10, 2010
My modest two star rating for this book is based upon the darkness of the story, not the quality of the mystery. It is my first Robert Barnard book and I liked his no-nonsense, black detective Charlie Peace, but the sadistic slant of the mystery was just not to my taste.
In the book's favor---the plot was well-constructed, the characters were of some interest, and I ultimately DID care "who dun it."
In the book's favor---the plot was well-constructed, the characters were of some interest, and I ultimately DID care "who dun it."
June 19, 2013
Robert Barnard has a way of honing in on the peculiarities in characters that make bizarre murders explainable. This story was dark and the murder horrific and while I could see how the book must and did end it was nonetheless disturbing.
October 25, 2013
Some interesting twists to this mystery, but I am not sure that I like the structure of the book. This novel is written in three parts, and the middle part occurs earlier in time than the first and third sections.
September 23, 2013
Charlie Peace is a great character & this is well written. The problem is such disturbing & psychotic characters that I'm sorry to have met.
June 22, 2016
Good enough, but not to reread. Gruesome. Charlie Peace. I'll keep reading the series and his other books.
February 9, 2018
it is an interesting book but i didn't really enjoy it
July 11, 2019
Ok quite interesting characters, although not very sympathetic. Outcome was a bit gory and seedy.
August 25, 2021
Yikes! Wonderful writing, complex mystery, love Charlie Peace as a competent detective who understands people’s psychology and motivation. Some deeply dark and disturbing undercurrents in this one though, definitely not a cozy mystery! Some interesting plot twists at the end trying to tie in justice as an early explanation for the murderer’s slide into the evil and unsettling pattern of violence. Too much sadomasochism for me and all too vividly portrayed by Barnard’s deft descriptions and rich character studies. This is one case where I wish the mystery novel wasn’t so well written, just makes it more difficult to put the graphic images from my mind. Have one more Barnard on my shelf. Really enjoyed the first of his books I discovered, the Chaste Apprentice. Didn’t make it past 50 pages in Corpse in a Gilded Cage because it was more social satire/send up than mystery. This one was immersive but I can’t say it was enjoyable given the proclivities that led to the murder, and there are so few like-able characters. I have read reviews that describe each of Barnard’s works as being rather standalone, without a recognizable pattern or style, aside from his Constable Charlie Peace. Going to give Barnard one more try and then may give up for awhile, it’s just too uneven a reading experience even when the mystery is well plotted and the writing is engaging. The characters can be tough to spend time with!
April 26, 2024
I was given this novel about 20 years ago by a friend due to the setting in Haworth the home of the Bronte's that I have visited twice and holds a very special place in my heart.
A murder mystery set amongst the picturesque Yorkshire moors and with the body discovered at an Indian restaurant carpark by the train station at Haworth.
I started reading this novel like 20 years ago but for some reason I didn't finish it seemed like I stopped about halfway through according to the bookmark in the novel.
I decided to pick it up agaiyamd read it all the way through this time and I quite enjoyed it.
Quite dark with some interesting very peculiar characters.
The setting in Haworth is a real bonus as I can picture the copper walking up the steep main street of Haworth and the quaint tea rooms and tourist shops and pub and parsonage.
I quite enjoyed it. A bit of an Agatha Christie feel to it.
A murder mystery set amongst the picturesque Yorkshire moors and with the body discovered at an Indian restaurant carpark by the train station at Haworth.
I started reading this novel like 20 years ago but for some reason I didn't finish it seemed like I stopped about halfway through according to the bookmark in the novel.
I decided to pick it up agaiyamd read it all the way through this time and I quite enjoyed it.
Quite dark with some interesting very peculiar characters.
The setting in Haworth is a real bonus as I can picture the copper walking up the steep main street of Haworth and the quaint tea rooms and tourist shops and pub and parsonage.
I quite enjoyed it. A bit of an Agatha Christie feel to it.
Read
October 9, 2022My first reading experience of this author was a straightforward and enjoyable mystery.
The next two of his mysteries I read were more realistic, with murderers motivated by the basest emotions and desires that man ever exhibits. Good puzzle, revealed skillfully, but a bit too rough--I read more for escape than realism as this one. The saving element in this mystery is a character who has the pluck to get out of a situation where he might be maneuvered into behavior that violates his personal integrity. The protagonist/detective is upright and admirable: the mystery itself wallows in realistic but totally unpleasant depths of muck hidden beneath ironic pretension and snobbery.
The next two of his mysteries I read were more realistic, with murderers motivated by the basest emotions and desires that man ever exhibits. Good puzzle, revealed skillfully, but a bit too rough--I read more for escape than realism as this one. The saving element in this mystery is a character who has the pluck to get out of a situation where he might be maneuvered into behavior that violates his personal integrity. The protagonist/detective is upright and admirable: the mystery itself wallows in realistic but totally unpleasant depths of muck hidden beneath ironic pretension and snobbery.
June 5, 2020
When the title corpse is discovered, the first thing the police do is try to identify the young man. This leads them to a small artistic enclave, headed by Ranulph Byatt, where it appears that the deceased worked as a handyman. Then the reader is treated to Declan's story, from when he first arrived. Fascinating story, with some very surprising twists and turns. Recommended.
July 20, 2019
This was a dandy. The more I read of Robert Barnard, the more I am convinced we shall not see his like again. Here he has set his story in the very heart of BritLit, Bronteland at its most thatched, and spun an appalling tale of placid, respectable madness.
Five enthusiastic stars.
Five enthusiastic stars.
February 11, 2018
The end was really chilling for me.
November 16, 2025
Average murder mystery; for Brontë fans, the early part is an interesting ground-level tour of Haworth and surrounds.
March 26, 2016
BOTTOM-LINE:
Excellent mystery but a few threads left hanging
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A young man goes to work for an artist in an artist commune, helping the aging artist by mixing the paints and holding the palette, as well as general valet duties. The painter begins a new painting and it is better than anything he has done in a long time, but with his resurgence in art comes a growth in a sense of foreboding around the relationship with the young man. Numerous references are made to the fact that there are unspecified things that the man just wouldn't do. As the painting nears completion, the young man senses a change coming. A nude body of a young man is found in the trunk of a car parked behind a restaurant (hence the name of the book), and the police begin to investigate the boy's identity.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The book is really well-written, and it is done out of linear time. The book opens with the police finding the body, and then just as they trace the young man to the artist's commune, the story switches back in time to several months before when the young man first arrived at the commune. Then it follows the young man through his arrival at the commune, his integration into the community, and his relationship with the artist, right up until the impending change. Then it switches back to the police who finish off the investigation. A major twist at the end was easily seen beforehand, but it was still a twist within a twist.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The second part of the twist opened up a lot of doors but the police never go through any of them unfortunately. The twist opens up a lot of avenues related to the psychology around the death of a child, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a friend, etc. As well, there is the end of one part of the story, a key ingredient, which is never touched upon at all. I found a lot of loose threads that could have been really interesting; instead, the book is wrapped up quickly, almost like the author was afraid to go near the deeper issues.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
Excellent mystery but a few threads left hanging
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
A young man goes to work for an artist in an artist commune, helping the aging artist by mixing the paints and holding the palette, as well as general valet duties. The painter begins a new painting and it is better than anything he has done in a long time, but with his resurgence in art comes a growth in a sense of foreboding around the relationship with the young man. Numerous references are made to the fact that there are unspecified things that the man just wouldn't do. As the painting nears completion, the young man senses a change coming. A nude body of a young man is found in the trunk of a car parked behind a restaurant (hence the name of the book), and the police begin to investigate the boy's identity.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
The book is really well-written, and it is done out of linear time. The book opens with the police finding the body, and then just as they trace the young man to the artist's commune, the story switches back in time to several months before when the young man first arrived at the commune. Then it follows the young man through his arrival at the commune, his integration into the community, and his relationship with the artist, right up until the impending change. Then it switches back to the police who finish off the investigation. A major twist at the end was easily seen beforehand, but it was still a twist within a twist.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The second part of the twist opened up a lot of doors but the police never go through any of them unfortunately. The twist opens up a lot of avenues related to the psychology around the death of a child, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a friend, etc. As well, there is the end of one part of the story, a key ingredient, which is never touched upon at all. I found a lot of loose threads that could have been really interesting; instead, the book is wrapped up quickly, almost like the author was afraid to go near the deeper issues.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
March 12, 2025
I've been getting these from the public library as they become available, so I've been reading the Charlie Peace books in random order and I really liked this one. The story begins with Charlie investigating the murder of a young man found in the boot of a car in a car park. It then shifts to that young man's story about how he came to be in the area and his connection to the group of people surrounding the famous artist he goes to work for. Declan is an appealing character and he fits in well with the household of Ranulph Byatt, an old man failing physically but still obsessed with his art and with maintaining control over everyone around him. The actual resolution of the crime is surprising and quite dark, and there are some threads left hanging, which might not be for everyone. Seems realistic to me; in life we don't always wrap things up neatly.
3/25: Declan's story is a sad one, especially knowing how it will end. There is a whole cast of cult-like folk who worship the famous artist and protect him from suspicion. Just as good on a second reading, especially because I have been reading the Charlie Peace books in order.
3/25: Declan's story is a sad one, especially knowing how it will end. There is a whole cast of cult-like folk who worship the famous artist and protect him from suspicion. Just as good on a second reading, especially because I have been reading the Charlie Peace books in order.
September 9, 2009
This is the second of Barnard's Charlie Peace novels that I've read. It turns out that the area Peace's police precinct covers includes Haworth, the site of the Brontes' home. When a body is found stuffed into the boot of a tandoori waiter's broken-down car, Peace begins an investigation that will force him to meet some really nasty characters. A surprise twist near the end and very good characterization are some of the best features of the book. Recommended.
November 15, 2013
As a mystery it's not bad but not exactly interesting either. It reminded me of Agatha Christie novels with regards to style. It's kind of more modern - the author mentions phones and computers, but apart from that one can easily forget that it's not decades old. The case is not a particularly thrilling one, the plot twists are very few, but there is still that something that keeps you reading it till the end.
August 21, 2010
Decent mystery with graphic denouement, only hinted at in the run-up. Didn't phase me. It's pretty creative, but I'm pretty sure the whole premise is unoriginal. Can't think of where it's from..
Barnard has written dozens of these little numbers. Quick and dirty. No revelations. A little fun.
Recommended for a quick mystery.
Barnard has written dozens of these little numbers. Quick and dirty. No revelations. A little fun.
Recommended for a quick mystery.
September 17, 2011
An easy read, the book gives enough detail about the area to make one want to go explore. Once the story gets to the small enclave of Ashworth, the suspects are limited. While the murder is dark and horrific, the writing moves quickly and is almost "light" as the inspector interviews the suspects and moves on the clues given.
May 20, 2014
This is the first of the Charley Peace mysteries I've read. I thought the plot was terrific! It started with the discovery of the body and then went to the exposition of the back story. The leading characters were very well drawn. I enjoyed it thoroughly!
August 6, 2007
very easy fast read. Good murder mystery
November 25, 2012
Not impressed. Characters were unrealistic. There was a surprising twist, though unrealistic.
March 14, 2015
Haven't read one by Robt. Barnard in quite a while. Liked this a lot.
August 11, 2015
I don't believe this, not even for a minute. Apparently, even after all this time, I'm still an optimist about human beings. You'd think I'd learn.
October 6, 2016
A disappointingly small amount of Indian food, but a lovely mystery nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews