Listen free for 30 days

  • The Killings at Badger’s Drift

  • Midsomer Murders Mystery, Book 1
  • By: Caroline Graham
  • Narrated by: John Hopkins
  • Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (353 ratings)

Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
The Killings at Badger’s Drift cover art

The Killings at Badger’s Drift

By: Caroline Graham
Narrated by: John Hopkins
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £27.99

Buy Now for £27.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Thursday Murder Club cover art
The Marlow Murder Club cover art
The Envy of the Stranger cover art
Death at the Auction cover art
Some Particular Evil cover art
Murder on Thames cover art
The Art of Lying cover art
The Cornish Wedding Murder cover art
Magpie Murders cover art
The Murders at Foxglove Close cover art
The Word Is Murder cover art
Grey Mask cover art
The Long Call cover art
Last Bus to Woodstock cover art
Murder Before Evensong cover art
Mydworth Mysteries 1-3 cover art

Summary

The Killings at Badger's Drift is the first spectacular instalment in the Midsomer Murders series and the story that inspired the ITV hit drama, now featuring an exclusive foreword by John Nettles, who played best-loved TV detective and star of Midsomer Murders, DCI Tom Barnaby.

The village of Badger's Drift is the essence of tranquillity. But when resident and well-loved spinster Miss Simpson takes a stroll in the nearby woods, she stumbles across something she was never meant to see, and there's only one way to keep her quiet.

Miss Simpson's death is not suspicious, say the villagers. But Miss Lucy Bellringer refuses to rest: her friend has been murdered. She is sure of it.

She calls on Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby to investigate, and it isn't long until the previously unseen seamy side of Badger's Drift is brought to light. But as old rivalries, past loves and new scandals surface, the next murder is not far away.

©1987 Caroline Graham (P)2022 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Simply the best detective writer since Agatha Christie." (The Sunday Times)

"A mystery of which Agatha Christie would have been proud.... A beautifully written crime novel." (The Times)

"Tension builds, bitchery flares, resentment seethes...lots of atmosphere, colourful characters and fair clues." (Mail on Sunday)

What listeners say about The Killings at Badger’s Drift

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    278
  • 4 Stars
    55
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    276
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    255
  • 4 Stars
    49
  • 3 Stars
    16
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic- 5 star

I have waited so long for this book to come available on audible, and it didn't disappoint. Loved every minute of it 😊

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great listen!

thoroughly enjoyed this audio edition. the narration was great. I'm really hoping all Caroline Graham book make it to audio. next one in series out soon! don't keep us waiting audible!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting

I thought I would listen to this having seen the TV programme. Much more complex and deeper characters - but not really gripping.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good

As I remember. Read this years ago and thought I would revisit since it was in the BOGOF sale and it was a mistake. Found it very ploddy, of its time and boring really. Should never go back to books I’ve read years ago as I always end up being disappointed.

Rose tinted glasses maybe as I do enjoy Midsommer Murders.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful writing, dreary delivery

I tried to slog my way through the first few chapters but the writing is so awful and the reading so mediocre (as well as being too slow), that I had to bail. Makes Agatha Christie's writing look good. And, although her characters are cut-outs. her language skills limited, and her plots formulaic, at least Christie weaves an intricate web that entices and snares!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Cosy Crime at its best.

Having never read anything written by Caroline Graham before but having watched lots of the televised series, I was pleasantly surprised to find this audible very enjoyable and easy to listen to. The Narrator was very good. I especially liked the descriptions of the location which conjured up a 'chocolate box' cottage surrounded by cottage gardens, reminiscent of Agatha Christie in many ways.Amidst the gruesome scenes of crime, there is mirth with Joyce Barnaby's cooking failures, and Tom Barnaby's frustration with Troy's shortcomings. A Murder Mystery to solve in the heart of Rural England!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Midsummer Murders - my favourite

I love Midsummer Murders and now I love the Audible books as well. Well written and well performed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So good I have listened twice

Much better than the TV show
so give it a go
great acting
good story
very laugh out loud at times

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely fabulous

Another well-written and narrated story. Characterisations beautifully depicted, rounded and interesting. Please make more….

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really good,different to TV.

This was so different to the TV version, glad I took the plunge and will definitely be buying the next.
Characters very different to that , more complex and somewhat more human "warts an all" .
The narrator was excellent.

Strangely I do not remember this story being televised.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Lynch
  • Lynch
  • 09-11-22

I wanted to love this series but I just don't

I wanted to love this series as I have so loved the TV series over the years. And the forward by John Nettles sets the books up to be loved. Unfortunately they are just not what I expected. I have listened to the first two books and I almost can't believe these were written by a woman. They come off as being written by a sex starved adolescent boy. Don't get me wrong, they are not overtly graphic but everyone is thinking about sex or people's body parts, couples have sex every night, wrong pairings between siblings and parent/child, and all of the murders are due to sex. It's just kind of disturbing. Also Barnaby and his partner are real cads. In the second book a senile old guy almost dies due to their incompetence and unwillingness to just be good human beings.

John Hopkins does a great job of narrating the books and I truly love his voice. I am sorry that I will not be able to go on with the series if only for that reason. If you liked Midsomer Murders I'd give this a pass. This may be the first time I have ever said this but the TV show is far superior to the books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Gillian
  • Gillian
  • 23-09-22

Ah, BLISS!

The TV show of Midsomer Murders (at my house we just call it “Barnaby”) is one of our favorites ever. We started watching it quite a few years ago because we kept going through detective series so quickly and missing them when we were done, so I set out to find the program with the most episodes. At the time, Midsomer was 6 or 7 seasons and that looked like a LOT. We decided to watch them slowly, to stretch it out. And they kept making them. And we never finally caught up — almost. I’m still a few episodes behind in the Neil Dudgeon era, and he doesn’t make me as feel as happy and comfy as John Nettles always did, and I couldn’t stand the whole baby thing, but I’m comfortable enough with him, And we’re still watching.

But I was SO surprised when I came across Badger’s Drift as an audiobook! Of course, I knew they began as books, and I’d even looked them up and found that at least the first few were the same plots — one book, one tv episode — but it hadn’t occurred to me to get them as books. However, when I started reading this very first one, I was hooked right away. The books are so different from the shows, full of so much more detail, and you get to be inside Barnaby’s mind, Troy’s mind— *he* is a very different character and much more interesting, I think. TV Troy is adorable and we love him, but book Troy seems much more realistic, somehow, and a good contrast to offset his boss’s solid, thoughtful essential *goodness*.

I won’t say anymore — and anyway, I’m only partway through — I just had to give it a great review because I’m elated to’ve found them. They’ve only recorded three so far, I think, and hopefully my library will get them eventually, so I won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for the series, but I did find them during the summer-end sale, and bought the three I could get in English, and I’ve been going back and forth between reading the print one from the library, and listening to the Audible one. I’m in easy-chair-fluffy-blanket-hot-tea ecstasy. :) 🚪🛋📖☕️👓🪟 It’s going to be a happy beginning to this autumn. 😊🎧 📚👏🏽

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Ms. Patty
  • Ms. Patty
  • 13-11-22

Maybe I’m too critical

I know the books came before the TV series, but I wish they could do a ‘do over’ regarding Barnaby and Troy’s dispositions. They are entirely too grumpy, even rude. I prefer the TV characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Audible Customer
  • Audible Customer
  • 19-11-22

Sooo Good !!

I have watched this series on BBC 3 times now. My favorite show and hope to travel across the pond again just to take the tour where the filming took place. I purchased the books to get more insight into the characters and to see how close they tried to follow the author's writing. Understanding that TV must really just hit the highlights in the hour they have. I'm now on book 3 and have been so happy to see the book is followed enough to recognize, and the brilliance of the producer! If you truly are a fan of this series you will feel like it's Christmas morning - what a gift and the narrator is amazing!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Wild Wise Woman
  • Wild Wise Woman
  • 25-09-22

I used not to be a fan

This was offered as a Daily Deal, I think, and as I love the genre, I bit. I was hesitant, because I had watched the first season of the tremendously popular TV program, and found it predictable and dull. I am so happy I took a chance on the book! The writing is dazzling, the characters rich and full, the stories, erudite and engaging. Will continue to listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Gr
  • Gr
  • 24-09-22

Good police procedural

A good solid crime story and murder mystery. A lot of interesting characters and an entertaining story. I liked Chief Inspector Barnaby. Wish I could find more of these audiobooks at the library. John Hopkins was the narrator he did a good job, but I did find it a bit hard to follow in the audiobook format.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for John
  • John
  • 20-01-23

For Once, the TV Series Doesn’t Get in the Way

You’ll find the best review in the first cut of this recording: John Nettles’ comparison of the TV series he starred in with the books upon which that series was based. He’s right: Sergeant Troy is less likeable in print but far more interesting. The plot, so pared down for TV, is exponentially more complex and satisfying. The book, as they say, is better than the movie.

But Nettles misses one central aspect of the book that the TV series replicated faithfully: somehow, the screen writers conveyed much of the cadence of Caroline Graham’s superbly crafted prose. At this, my first encounter with it, her tone struck me as remarkably familiar.

Of course, though Nettles invites you to imagine your own versions of Barnaby, Troy, Joyce, and Cully, I defy you to do it. No, the onscreen portrayals stay with you throughout. Which is fine. Especially as I suspect John Hopkins of attempting, successfully, I think, to recreate John Nettles’ delivery.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Dylan
  • Dylan
  • 09-12-22

This is where it all started …

Many many years ago I remember watching the 1st episode of Midsomer Murders which was The Killings at Badgers Drift.
I loved the intro by John Nettles as I think we always take it for granted that tv/movie versions of the books remain faithful.
I feel that the books are both different and the same as what we see on TV and for good measure too. If I was listening to a carbon copy of what I saw on TV in 90 mins I would have felt cheated.
I love that John Hopkins is the narrator. I loved him in Midsomer as Dan Scott and always felt his stint on the show was cut much too short. So it’s like having a little bit of TV in the audiobook.
Overall I will listen to this again and will complete the audiobooks as they come out.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Stephanie
  • Stephanie
  • 11-11-22

Even More Than I Expected

I have to admit I came to this book through the television series and did not think it would be possible to exceed the satisfaction I had with that presentation. Delighted to say it was a total new experience with subtle shades of familiarity. Will now be devouring these books the way I did the TV presentation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Person of interests
  • Person of interests
  • 28-09-22

he sounds like Barnaby

John Hopkins did a great job as narrator. He actually mimicks John Nettles perfectly. story was good but that was expected.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

adbl_uk_web_target_buy_box_sale_test