Poor Barnaby. It's close to Christmas, and he's saddled with a baby-faced superintendent, filled with enthusiasm, who wants to concentrate on teamwork, team-building exercises, and the filling out of forms. And where should the team-building workshops take place but at the local Army Centre, which is the site for murder and all sorts of mayhem.
The Centre is run by Colonel Parkes, who, despite being a good man himself, has a womanizing loser, Jamie, for a son. Everyone loathes him, and this includes his own grandmother, whose daughter died giving birth to him.
The list goes on. There's Penny Galsworthy, whose daughter killed herself after Jamie got her pregnant, and Penny's husband Tim. Penny stalks Jamie constantly. And George Barkham, who was supposed to be made a partner at the center until Jamie returned home from France and took the job from him.
One night the Parkes' yard is bombed; after that, two deaths occur. Barnaby discovers a crime ring and must ferret out motives and whodunit.
Very good story, complete with Christmas carols as Barnaby drags around, throwing out forms and trying to be polite to the superintendent, even after Jones tells the inspector that Barnaby considers all the team-building activities "rubbish." Recommended.
The Centre is run by Colonel Parkes, who, despite being a good man himself, has a womanizing loser, Jamie, for a son. Everyone loathes him, and this includes his own grandmother, whose daughter died giving birth to him.
The list goes on. There's Penny Galsworthy, whose daughter killed herself after Jamie got her pregnant, and Penny's husband Tim. Penny stalks Jamie constantly. And George Barkham, who was supposed to be made a partner at the center until Jamie returned home from France and took the job from him.
One night the Parkes' yard is bombed; after that, two deaths occur. Barnaby discovers a crime ring and must ferret out motives and whodunit.
Very good story, complete with Christmas carols as Barnaby drags around, throwing out forms and trying to be polite to the superintendent, even after Jones tells the inspector that Barnaby considers all the team-building activities "rubbish." Recommended.