The Corpse at the Haworth Tandoori

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Masterly mystery writer Robert Barnard transports us to the Yorkshire town of Haworth, once home to the literary Brontës, now a crowded tourist mecca. The story begins with the shocking discovery of a young man's strangled body in an Indian Tandoori restaurant parking lot. Detective Constable Charlie Peace and Detective Superintendent Mike Oddie's search for answers leads them to Ashworth, a nearby artists' colony where young Irishman Declan O'Hearn sought work as a handyman. Ashworth is a shrine to once-renowned painter Ranulph Byatt, an egotistic man who craves adulation and resists peer judgment. To the surprise of many, Declan is one of the few welcomed into Byatt's studio. Charlie Peace, an experienced officer and favorite among readers, finds tense undercurrents at Ashworth, where residents lead uniquely warped lives under the guise of community. Young Declan, inexperienced and seeking adventure, becomes entangled in this dangerous mix. Charlie suspects Declan found more than adventure at Ashworth. Following his footsteps, he searches for the story behind the body and the tragic fate of a youthful wanderer. With classic twists, this novel evokes memories of Barnard's masterpieces while claiming its own place as a powerful, insightful, and entertaining suspense tale.