A Ghost in the Machine

Midsomer Murders, Book 7

By: Caroline Graham

Narrated by: John Hopkins

For all its old-fashioned charm, Forbes Abbot is far from the close-knit community that ex-Londoners Mallory and Kate Lawson expected. In this village, everyday squabbles can quickly turn to murder.

As the couple begins to settle into their new life away from the big city, it isn't long until they're thrown into the horror and mayhem of a true Midsomer Murders mystery.

Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby has encountered many intriguing cases in his years on the force, but soon he will discover that the incident of the ghost in the machine is the most challenging of them all.

©2004 Caroline Graham (P)2023 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'[A Ghost in the Machine] allows us to admire the novelist's wit and her ability to create exasperatingly real characters before getting down to the policing.' (Sunday Telegraph)

'A mystery of which Agatha Christie would have been proud.' (The Times)

'Tension builds, bitchery flares, resentment seethes...lots of atmosphere, colourful characters and fair clues.' (Mail on Sunday)

Not like the others

I loved the other ones but this was my least favorite. It really began to feel endless halfway through and Barnaby didn’t show up until I think 4 hours in? The author does have a wonderful way of getting inside each characters mind — but I found myself forcing myself to kept going rather than looking forward to it like I did with the other ones.

Perfect for Halloween, Lovers of Murder Mysteries & the Paranormal!

This was a more complex story than some of the others in the series. The many people in the tale are not all connected other than they either knew the murdered people or the murderer. But I cared about most of them and when it was over wished I could read more about them.
There’s a paranormal bit and a creepy twist at the end. A very satisfying mystery.

Where is Barnaby?

After seventeen chapters, or 9.5hrs of listening, Chief Inspector Barnaby finally appears and the story properly begins.

Frustratingly slow to get going

The actual murder mystery/ detective portion of the story almost becomes subsumed by all of the various side stories of the village characters. It takes too long to get going - major editing needed. Also, the ending takes a very odd paranormal twist. Surprising.

Well done as always

Even though Inspector Barnaby didn’t appear right away in the plot, it was an intricately woven, master fully written story with a very satisfying surprise ending.