Death of a Perfect Mother

This book is full of objectionable and odious characters. And Barnard does an excellent job in his characterizations of the terrible Hodsden family. The victim (mother) of this family is so truly awful, and she rules over her family with an iron fist. The family lives cheaply and vulgarly, and none of them are accepted in their village. There's not much mystery here, but the reading is pure pleasure. We are forced to keep reading, and as we read we shudder and are grateful that maybe our lives aren't as tawdry as this. This is a wonderful "in your face" satire. Even the policeman in charge of the case is an unlikeable stuffed shirt. Barnard is a real master at characterization, and this book is just too much fun.

This novel was my first Robert Barnard mystery. And what a novel! The victim was nasty and the investigator was influenced by that. Excellent cat and mouse game between detective and suspects.