Bernard O'Keeffe

Bernard O'Keeffe read English at Oxford and worked in advertising before becoming a teacher. He taught for over thirty years, most recently at St Paul's School, London. He has reviewed fiction for the Literary Review and was en editor of The English Review, writing articles for A-Level students on subjects ranging from Roddy Doyle and Donna Tartt to Shakespeare and Jane Austen. He lives with his wife in south-west London.

 

 

 

When the body of Alex Ballantyne is found in Barnes Pond the police are baffled. Who could want to kill the newly retired teacher? Investigations bring them to St Jude’s, the prestigious private school where Ballantyne taught, and to the discovery that Ballantyne had been blackmailing several of his colleagues. Sex. Money. Drugs. It seems that Ballantyne knew all about his victims’ secrets, and they were prepared to pay to buy his silence. Is one of the St Jude’s staff the killer? And, if so, which one? DI Moriarty’s on the case and he’s soon discovering that nothing is quite as it seems.’

So runs the blurb of ‘Schooled in Murder’, a crime novel written by Ben Joseph, who is found dead in Barnes Pond the morning after giving a talk as part of the Barnes Book Festival.

DI Garibaldi and his team are shocked to discover that the writer has been killed in exactly the same place, and in exactly the same way, as the victim in ‘Schooled in Murder’.

When they look at the novel they see more connections with real life. Ben Joseph is the pseudonym of Liam Allerton who, like the victim in his novel, is a retired teacher. And he taught at St Mark’s, a school very similar to St Jude’s, the school in his novel.

But is that where the similarities end? How much of Allerton’s own life, and the lives of those he knew, had he put into his novel? And could the clue to the killer’s identity lie in its pages

Praise:

 

‘Bernard O’Keeffe’s series is as genteel as the suburb (SW13) in which it is set. Swearing, graphic sex and gore, are for once, off the menu. The gentle humour, oodles of clues and happyish ending create perfect comfort reading.’ - The Telegraph 

'It’s a job for DI Garibaldi, likeable country music-loving copper. A fine, twisting mystery, though the real pleasure lies in seeing Garibaldi dismantle the murderous self-interest of the London upper-middle classes.' - the Daily Mail on Sunday's Best New Fiction 

 

‘O’Keeffe has created a memorable character with a lengthy shelf-life ahead of him’ - Daily Mail, Classic Crime series

 

'Ingenious, entertaining, surprising - everything you want in a satisfying murder mystery' - Gyles Brandreth

'Gripping, heartening, a captivating read' John Carey, The Sunday Times.

'An ingenious page-turner' --John Harding, The Daily Mail

'If this is Detective Garibaldi's first appearance, we can only hope it is not his last....This book has all the tension, mystery and pace that is needed to keep readers' attention. It is very well written. I recommend it.'- Douglas Oslar NetGalley

'Fast paced investigation with an intricate plot, and a surprising denouement. Solid, escapist reading.'- Ruth Giles

'I really liked this book. The plot was good and kept moving at a decent pace, the characters were engaging and I enjoyed the ending. Five stars!'.- Natalie Teller

'There is no doubt that O'Keefe can tell a story. He writes well and includes enough domestic detail for the reader to be able to picture the ghastly suspects as they go about their days.'- Sarah Dawson NetGalley

'The story is a good one, the pacing is excellent and it kept me reading until the book was finished. I'd recommend this and the next installment is going to be even better.' - Ian Kennedy

'This is the first DI Girabaldi book in what I hope will be a series. I liked it a lot. When I read a book and I want to get back to it, rushing through my chores, it s, as far as I'm concerned, a good book. I did not see the end coming, and that I also enjoyed. A good start to a series that I definitely recommend.' --Hannalore Cheney