The Graveyard Position: A Novel of Suspense [Hardcover]

After more than two decades abroad, Merlyn Docherty has returned to the bosom of his family, the Cantelos, to attend the funeral of his beloved Aunt Clarissa. However, the Cantelos are less than thrilled to see Merlyn. Some of them are even accusing him of being an impostor who wants to get his hands on Clarissa's estate. Merlyn soon suspects that the Cantelo family is hiding something from him, and he intends to find out what it is--unless, of course, someone kills him first.

Robert Barnard's "The Graveyard Position" is a talky and occasionally amusing psychological mystery about a dysfunctional and mean-spirited family. Grandfather Cantelo, the patriarch, was a vicious and self-centered man who brought up his large brood to compete with one another. As a result, the Cantelo family is comprised of bitter and suspicious misfits rather than loving and cooperative relatives. When Merlyn gets to know the Cantelos, he finds them to be a repellant bunch. However, he needs to stick around long enough to prove that he is indeed Merlyn and to claim his rightful inheritance.

Most of this book consists of long-winded conversations between Merlyn and his family, the police, and people who knew the Cantelos over the years. In addition, Merlyn reminisces about his troubled childhood, and he does his own research into the Cantelo family history. Ultimately, he unearths an explosive secret that his family has been taking great pains to hide for many years. All of this adds up to an intermittently engrossing, but rather tame, novel, in which the author tries to be funny and serious at the same time. Barnard's story does provide valuable insight into the stresses that can tear families apart, and there are some genuinely funny moments here and there. However, the "The Graveyard Position" lacks the suspense and the satirical bite that has made Barnard so effective in the past.

I have read only a few of Barnard's mysteries and hadnt made

up my mind about him. "Graveyard Position" cinched it for me.

Merlyn Cantelo inherits his late aunt Clarissa,s money and

home. Clarissa was a clairvoyant and just happened to be

most likely the sanest member of the totally dysfunctional

Cantelo Family. Clarisse sent Merlyn away years ago as she

feared for his safety and now hearing of her death he returns

for her funeral and finds he still has to fear for his safety-

from his own family. I don't like many present day mysteries

having mainly preferred late 1800's and early 1900's mysteries-

best ever written but I am glad I decided to read this book.

Now I will have to go out and bring myself up on other

Barnard mysteries.

When his beloved Aunt Clarissa dies, Merlyn Cantelo returns home after decades abroad to claim his inheritance. He's welcomed by his dysfunctional extended family with suspicion and acrimony, which is par for the course, really, for this family: historically the Cantelos have only united in purpose when that purpose was a malevolent one. Merlyn sets to digging up old scandals and consequently makes himself a target, which is something his prescient Aunt had in fact long worried about, the reason for his being sent abroad in the first place. The Graveyard Position is an odd little book with a number of problems. The conversations are implausible, and assumptions are jumped to without good reason--even if they do prove to be true. The degree to which the police get involved in Merlyn's predicament--even before a crime is committed--is surprising. A manuscript is discovered that could shed light on much of the Cantelo family's history, but that thread peters out after a while. What's so odd about the book, though, is its general tone. Although published just a handful of years ago, it reads like something from Agatha Christie's era. Only a few modern references suggest that it wasn't. Readable enough, but the more you think about it the more small problems you're likely to spot.

-- Debra Hamel