A Ghost in the Machine

Village resident Dennis Brinkley, an enthusiastic collector of old war machines and torture weapons, suffers a gruesome death after being crushed by one of his own devices. Although his demise is initially regarded as an accident, his best friend Benny believes otherwise, and her suspicions are only confirmed by local psychic Ava Garrett, who tells her that she will ask Dennis to identify his killer at her next seance.

However, the elusive murderer silences her before the event can go ahead, leaving Chief Inspector Barnaby, accompanied by his Sergeant Gavin Troy, with two gruesome slayings and a complex mystery to unravel. Several of Dennis's friends and associates come under suspicion, and much of the book is devoted to detailing their tangled lives.

Publishers Weekly stated in its review of the novel: "With its focus on a dozen or so richly diverting characters, British author Graham's well-plotted ninth novel featuring Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby has more in common with Dickens than with Conan Doyle."[1]