- The Killings at Badger's Drift
"The Killings at Badger's Drift" (
1988 ) is amystery novel by Englishwriter Caroline Graham , the first in herChief Inspector Barnaby series. In1997 , it was adapted as the pilot of "Midsomer Murders ", a popularITV television series based on Graham's books. The story has also been named as one ofThe Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time .Plot summary
In the tranquil
village of Badger's Drift, the elderly Miss Bellringer insists that her friend, Emily Simpson, did not die of aheart attack as her doctor claims, but was in fact murdered. Anautopsy soon proves her right, as a deadly mix ofred wine andhemlock is found in the dead woman's system. While the village descends into panic, the elusive murderer strikes again, claiming the life of sly Mrs. Rainbird, before callously leaving her bloodied corpse to be discovered by her son Dennis, a localundertaker .As Barnaby investigates, aided and abetted by his narrow-minded Sgt. Gavin Troy, he uncovers a sinister connection between an older crime and the current killings at Badger's Drift.
Plot of the television pilot
In the pilot episode of
Midsomer Murders , Miss Bellringer was not killed by a drug cocktail but by a scuffle. Also, when Mrs Rainbird is killed, Dennis is killed before her.Filming
The Killings at Badger's Drift was filmed from 9 September to 10 October 1996 in the following villages:
1. Amersham, Buckinghamshire
2. Bledlow, Buckinghamshire
3. Brighton, Sussex
4. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
5. Christmas Common, Oxfordshire
6. Lee, Buckinghamshire
7. Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire
8. New Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Reviews
"Graham makes the characters humanly believable in her witty and tragic novel, a real winner." -
Publishers Weekly
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