Robert Barnard is one of my favorite British mystery writers. Barnard has the ability to step back, take a satirical look at human nature, and wrap his insights around an exciting and absorbing murder mystery storyline. Death By Sheer Torture is one of the Detective Perry Trethowan series and is funny as well as intelligently written. In this novel the reader follows Detective Trethowan and his madcap and lunatic relatives as they attempt to solve the bizarre murder of Trethowan's father in the ancestral home. Witty dialogue and delightful characters make this book the perfect escape. Great fun. I'd rate this book 5 stars.