When the wife of an English parish priest loses her faith, the villagers cast a suspicious eye on her relationship with a refugee from war-torn Bosnia, who quickly turns up dead. 15,000 first printing.
Bad Samaritan
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Dispensing with his tendency to peddle clunky social commentary in the guise of broad farce, veteran Barnard (Death of an Old Goat) employs detectives Mike Oddie and Charlie Peace to deliver as fine and as nuanced a mystery as we are likely to see all year. It's not hard to understand why Rosemary Sheffield, a vicar's wife near Leeds, misplaces her faith: she has to contend with a pompous son, a congregation full of rabid gossips and a scheming lothario in charge of the church's records. So she takes a much-needed powder to a seaside resort and there befriends Stanko, a young Bosnian refugee working as a waiter. When he later shows up at the vicarage, she finds him a job making pizza in town, after which things quickly unravel when a member of the congregation is killed. Peace is the nominal star of this tale, but Rosemary and her husband's diverse flock bring it to life as Barnard puts them under a narrative microscope that would do nongenre writers of the caliber of Penelope Lively and Margaret Drabble proud. Peace needs both his humanity and his cunning to crack the case, which involves bad marriages, organized crime and the smuggling of Eastern Europeans into England. Barnard, seldom less than excellent, has rarely been this masterful.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
When British policemen Charlie Pearce and Mike Oddie investigate the unsurprising murder of the village parish Lothario, they question Rosemary Sheffield, the vicar's wife. Rosemary, who has recently "lost" her faith and been accused of immoral behavior with a Yugoslavian refugee, makes a perfect suspect. Another winning combination of plot, character, and wit from the author of A Hovering of Vultures (LJ 9/1/93).
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For those who like mystery and food for thought,
By
This review is from: The Bad Samaritan: A Novel of Suspense, Featuring Charlie Peace (Hardcover)
The main ingredients for a wonderful literary feast: Take one Rosemary Sheffield, a pastor's wife who has lost her faith, add one young man named Stanko who has fled Bosnia and what results is gossip, rumors of scandal and even a murder. All of this is liberally seasoned with wit, detail and irresistable dialogue. The psychological suspense will keep you guessing what will happen next and there is just enough complexity to maintain interest without slowing the pace. Very moving, very satisfying and highly recommended!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Wise Suspect Is On Guard,
By
This review is from: The Bad Samaritan (Crime, Penguin) (Mass Market Paperback)
When a member of the Church of England parish of St. Savior's is found murdered following a picnic, the crime investigation is undertaken by Detective Constable Charlie Peace and his boss Mike Oddie. Charlie is a likeable protagonist who prefers working alone. The dirty tricks and vicious maneuverings of the people of St. Savior's remind him of his own upbringing in a predominantly black parish in Brixton. Charlie plows ahead seeking answers to his questions as he interviews people repeatedly. When Charlie acts friendly, the wise suspect is on guard. Barnard's twenty-ninth novel has enough twists to keep it entertaining and the plot is very tight and believable.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Book!,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Bad Samaritan (Crime, Penguin) (Mass Market Paperback)
An engaging mystery of the British cozy variety, wherein a vicar's wife loses her faith and becomes the object of vicious parish political maneuvering that ends in homicide. I bought this book with the intention of reading it over the coming week. In reality, I stayed up reading it most of the night that I purchased it. Highly recommended!
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