Midsomer Murders
Reviewed by: Cecilia Jansink
In my opinion, one of the best non-scary crime shows to grace our TV screens would have to be without a doubt, Midsomer Murders.
From picturesque villages to a range of diverse and delightful guest characters and of course the ever unflappable DCI Barnaby and co, it’s the kind of show you can settle down with a nice cuppa and be whisked away by the mystery without having to worry too much that said cuppa will decorate your lounge room ceiling.
DCI Barnaby breathed his first breath way back in 1987 when Caroline Graham ‘s first intriguing novel in the
series ( and also the name of the pilot episode), “The Killings at Badgers Drift”, hit bookshelves. Here was yet another English old school detective who could have easily fallen by the wayside among all the colourful and at times, quite odd secondaries, but there is just something about Barnaby that allows him to rise to the front without being obvious about it. John Nettles also brought this Barnaby-esque quality to the small screen to with his portrayal of Midsomers finest.
Midsomer gives us a closer look into the home life of our hero than is often seen on crime shows. There’s his sometimes flighty and culinarily-challenged wife, Joyce, who flits from one hobby or cause to the next, and often, in the process, stumbles on another bit of mayhem for good old Tom to solve. Daughter Cully and her journey to find her niche shows us a softer side behind the man. And of course, my favourite of all, the Sargent’s road-accident-waiting-to-happen Cully (Gavin Troy) who is in some ways the son Tom never had.
It’s not often that you can fall in love with two versions of the same character but both the book and TV versions pack a punch of their own, each recognizable but with traits that make them unique. Although the TV characters have been altered from Graham’s original creations, this seems to make them all the more real.
So whichever way you like your crime, be it in print or on the small screen, Midsomer is a good way to go. Just be thankful you don’t live in their world – could be harmful to your health.
The Chief Inspector Barnaby Novels By Caroline Graham are:
- The Killings at Badger’s Drift (1987)
- Death of a Hollow Man (1989)
- Death in Disguise (1992)
- Written in Blood (1994)
- Faithful Unto Death (1996)
- A Place of Safety (1999)
- Ghost in the Machine (2004)
In my experience, the best stockist for these books is Borders.
For more info on the TV adaption check out http://www.midsomermurders.org/
Leave a Reply