The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori

I found this book on my favorite remainder catalog and was the very first Robert Barnard I ever read. It was a wonderful introduction - witty and well-written with interesting characters and above all economically done. I have since become a true fan and my only complaint for years was that his books were hard to come by as they were not being reproduced in paperback editions - $23.00+ is a bit steep for a mystery. But if anyone comes close it is indeed Mr. Barnard.

In cottages around his main house a famous crusty artist, Ranulph Byatt, now in poor health, has attracted a colony of amateur acolytes who cream over him unapologetically. The painter's work is in decline until a young Irish lad, Declan, comes to work as the old man's helper. Suddenly with a new painting there is hope that the artist will have a creative burst of energy almost equal to his red and purple periods. His covey of admirers, "fawners and flatterers" are excited by this prospect. Robert Barnard only occasionally has series detectives; most of his best mysteries are standalones. In this book he recycles his Detective Superintendent Mike Oddie and Detective Constable Charlie Peace for this mystery that takes place in Bronte Country. Barnard is good at painting his setting, the interesting environment, the Britishness of the place, and he sketches his eccentric characters in broad brush strokes. As a storyteller he doesn't miss a beat, keeps the narrative on track, keeps his readers hypnotically absorbed. The denouement of the book confounds common sense and made this reader unable to suspend his disbelief. Also there were a few loose ends, missing persons, that were not cleared up at the end of the book. To me at the end the book's plot goes awry and astray, and common sense is jettisoned for the sake of a solution. Barnard can be forgiven for that because he's such a good narrator, and his characters are fun to be with--like stumbling into a party and being made to feel a welcome guest by a nest of oddballs. This is a complex book that almost crosses over from the mystery genre to mainstream literary territory. What Barnard has to say in his books about artists is revelatory and based upon a knowledge of various arts. In his "Death on the High C's" he displays more than a passing knowledge of opera. This book is well worth reading.

This was the first book by Robert Barnard I read. I absolutely could not put it down...my toddler will tell you. Barnard weaves a tale of depravity that is almost unbelievable and yet so compelling. It was creepy and engrossing; a frightening reminder of how close genius comes to madness. I rate this as the best of all the Barnards I've read, and this one led me to read many more.

Robert Barnard is certainly an author with dramatic flair. His novels are always a treat--even an adventure--to read, as this prolific writer seems to know no boundaries when it comes to exciting, readable prose! For example, "The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori" is a worthwhile excursion into Barnard territory. This time it's to Bronte country in Yorkshire (one of his favorites), more specifically to Haworth and its nearby community of Ashworth. A corpse is discovered in the boot of a car parked at the Haworth Tandoori restaurant. The body is clad only in underwear, there's no identification, and shows signs of grim mutilation. And it's in the jurisdiction of Detective Constable Charlie Peace and Detective Superintendent Mike Oddie, two policemen extraordinaire we've met in previous Barnard works. The duo finds the body eventually leads them to Ashworth, a collection of artists, wannabes, and hangers-on where a young Irishman Declan O'Hearn had come to seek employment and has now disappeared. The body is identified as his. Barnard is known for his stylish twists, his clever plot designs, certainly his way with words. His prose is generally salted with plenty of creative expressions and humor--in short, never a dull minute--yet at the same time, he is able to sustain a gripping suspense that makes it difficult to put the book down. Don't be surprised at the surprises, and Barnard knows how to deal them out and not put off the reader. He is a master at characterization and young Declan is well drawn, as, indeed, are his other characters. Peace and Oddie are able to unravel this puzzle, mainly with good police work and with some luck, too. Along the way, we meet members of the Ashworth community who are clearly not who--or what--they seem, and the revelations of this mystery unfold, logically, plausibly, and with much certainty. In police procedurals, perhaps there is nothing new under the sun, but in this one, Barnard takes his plot designs and strong characterization and presents a novel well-worth one's time. Barnard's a good writer and in the course of his some 30 novels gives us a smart taste of Yorkshire and the Bronte moors. "The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori" is a delectable buffet! ([email protected])

In the British town of Haworth lies Ashford Farm which has many cottages located on the property. The residents of the farm have little to do with the townsfolk and viceversa. The only commonly known fact about the farm community is that everyone seems to have a cult-like worship of the owner, renowned painter Ranulf Byatt, an egomaniac. A waiter going off shift from his job at the Haworth Tandoori finds a body in the back of his car. Officer Charlie Peace and his superior Detective Superintendent Mike Odie investigate and soon trace the corpse back to Declan O'Hearn, a former assistant to Ranulf. Through flashbacks, the audience learns about Declan's arrival at the farm and his growing dissatisfaction with the blind worship that elevated Ranulf to a God-like figure. As the investigators continue their digging, they find depravity that shocks even long time police officials like Mike and Charlie. The mantle place in Robert Barnard's home looks like a who's who of mystery awards. His latest work, THE CORPSE AT THE HAWORTH TANDOORI, substantiates that he deserves his Nero Wolf, Anthony, Agatha, and MacCavity awards. No one will guess the ending or the revelations that keep the audience constantly in shock wondering what will happen next. The superb plot is brilliantly executed, especially since he leaves everyone sans the police officers as prime suspects. The audience will reread this novel on numerous ocassions to savor the special Brnard touch.Harriet Klausner