July 2021 Group Read (Spoiler Thread): The Killings at Badger's Drift, by Caroline Graham

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

spoiler thread for The Killings at Badger's Drift.

[Betsy]

Great book for a first first in a series. Proves there are some bizarre folk in these small towns.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Betsy wrote: "Great book for a first first in a series. Proves there are some bizarre folk in these small towns."

That's sort of par for the course in English-village type mysteries, though, isn't it. Behind the facade of respectability ...

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I finished this book a few days ago and while I have to say it was probably not my favorite village-based mystery, it wasn't too bad, especially for a series opener. It made for light reading which I need every so often, but I don't think I'l be rushing to read the other novels.

I prefer stories with teeth, actually. This one didn't have that.

[Betsy]

Sorry you weren't favorably impressed. It's one of my favorite series. It's just there are so many murders in the area. You have to wonder about the inhabitants.

[Suzy]

I finished this today! I enjoyed it, but wonder if I will read more in the series or just keep going with the tv series. Sounds like you would recommend going further, Betsy.

I liked the many quirky characters, some of whose quirkiness was quite exaggerated. You can really see how this (and perhaps other books in the series) set the tone for the tv show. There's always a village event (fete, wedding, flower show, etc.), all levels of society are involved (landed gentry down to farmers and shop owners), and all ages in an idyllic setting, too idyllic perhaps for murder! DS Troy is a bumbling idiot, wife Joyce is a terrible cook and daughter Cully is in the theater. (I thought it interesting that Cully is much more "alternative" than portrayed in the show.)

This seemed much darker and more bloody than the tv show. Wondering if that's true of the other books/shows. I will watch this episode tonight to see how it compares.

[Icewineanne]

Suzy wrote: "I finished this today! I enjoyed it, but wonder if I will read more in the series or just keep going with the tv series. Sounds like you would recommend going further, Betsy.

I liked the many quir..."

Looking forward to your comparison Suzy!

[Suzy]

I thought the tv show was really well-done and included most of the elements, some out of the order they were presented in the book. I remembered that the script was written by one of my favorite authors, Anthony Horowitz. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book of a series that became one of my favorite tv shows, although I'm wondering if the show will sustain the quality after the change of actors. I only have a few episodes to go before that happens.

Anne, do you recommend other books in the series? I listened to this one and see none of the other six have been recorded . . . unless you speak German. :)

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Betsy wrote: "Sorry you weren't favorably impressed. It's one of my favorite series. It's just there are so many murders in the area. You have to wonder about the inhabitants."

Actually, it's more a question of how my tastes have changed over the years. When this book was written, I was very likely still reading cozies/British police procedurals, but I've moved away from them over the last few years for the most part. But I do enjoy books where secrets come pouring out like dominoes falling once one is uncovered. The best venue for that: the English village mystery.

If you've read Mary Roberts Rinehart's novels, she does the same thing in her books for American readers. For example in her The Album, a murder leads to the exposure of all of the secrets of people living on a single street.