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Graveyard Position

UK Publisher: Allison & Busby
US Publisher: Scribners

After a twenty-year absence, Merlyn Cantelo returns to Leeds to attend his late aunt Clarissa’s funeral. Far from being welcomed back into the fold of his large and quarrelsome family, who had believed him dead, he is viewed by many with suspicion and distrust. To some he is simply a wastrel, who disappeared for no reason and whose timely reappearance has thwarted their prospect of a tidy inheritance. However, all is more complex than it seems. The teenage Merlyn only fled his home at the vehement insistence of his sometimes clairvoyant aunt, who foresaw for him a life blighted by violence and death. Moreover, the root of this danger supposedly lies somewhere within the family… Returning from Europe an educated professional, Merlyn knows that if he is to discover whether his aunt’s fears were justified, he must come to terms with his tragic past – and delve into the murky history of the Cantelo family. As the tension mounts, this latest novel by an acclaimed master of the genre will keep you enthralled and mystified until all finally comes to light…

REVIEWS
“Fans of classic murder puzzles will be delighted by the careful hiding of clues in plain sight.  Few writers of contemporary mysteries can equal Barnard’s ability to meld a clever fair-play plot with satire.’  Publishers Weekly
The Graveyard Position has a plot unlike any other I’ve ever read and Barnard should get high marks for his creativity.” Deadly Pleasures
‘Tension, mystery, and dark family secrets…the latest novel by a master of psychological crime…a delight to read.’  Publishing News
‘An entertaining tale.’  South Wales Argus
The Graveyard Position is an entertaining piece of fiction, written with the author’s customary deftness and assurance…the chief pleasure to be derived from a Robert Barnard detective novel lies…in the author’s dry understatement and wit.’  The Times Literary Supplement

‘Barnard’s latest gripping crime caper delves into the recesses of family dysfunction.  Unafraid to explore the disturbing realities of betrayal and distrust, this is a wholly satisfying mystery with the traditional edge one would expect from a master of the genre.’  The Good Book Guide