Caroline Graham (b. 1931) is perhaps the only classic of the English detective story of modern times, almost unknown to Russian readers. Meanwhile, it is she who is called in England the direct literary heir of Agatha Christie, and it is based on her novels that one of the most popular detective television series in the UK and in Russia, “Midsomer Murders” (“Purely English Murders”), which has not left television screens for twenty seasons, is filmed. The writer’s work was awarded the prestigious literary award “Macavity Award”, and the book “Murders at Badgers Drift” was included in the list of “The 100 Best Detective Novels of All Time.” “Written in Blood” is a new novel in the series of detective stories about Inspector Barnaby. Several residents of the village of Midsomer-Worthy dream of literary fame. For some, this is the key to freedom from family troubles. Others do not know how else to manage their leisure time and wealth of knowledge. Someone dreams of perpetuating the history of a noble family. There is also someone who fancies himself a playwright, capable of constructing a play from the squabbles of difficult teenagers. It’s a pity that famous authors are in no hurry to welcome the writers’ circle. And here's luck: a successful novelist suddenly responded to the invitation. But who would have thought that a meeting with him would turn into a real tragedy... Was the aspiring author really killed by a venerable colleague? And if not, why did he disappear to God knows where soon after the literary party? Chief Inspector Barnaby will have to figure this out, of course, not without the help of Sergeant Troy, already familiar to readers.