Buryin’ Barry Mysteries Books In Order

Publication Order of Buryin' Barry Mysteries Books

How would you act and react if your parent egged you on to quit a profession wherein your safety and well-being are not only guaranteed but whereby you are mandated to ensure the safety and welfare of others? Worse still, what if the career switch, albeit lucrative, is a risky venture and you might die during the course of the new profession, something which was not even in the idiomatic script? Such is the watershed moment in the five-pronged Buryin’ Barry Mysteries.

Barry Clayton is the featured protagonist in the Buryin’ Barry Mysteries. For starters, the said title of the series, Buryin’ (or Burying) Barry, denotes the pet name given to Barry Clayton by his schoolmate thanks to the renowned local funeral parlor run by his family, which was still offering funeral services in their neighborhood. This series, which revisits the dark underbelly of operating funeral homes, is authored by American man of letters Mark de Castrique. Incidentally, the author’s real-life workplace inspired this series and specializing in the mystery niche; de Castrique transitioned from a hospital to, just like in the fictitious story, working in a funeral parlor, wherein his father served as its funeral director.

Protagonist Barry Clayton, who is in his thirties, has different occupations, sometimes simultaneously, at various times in the Buryin’ Barry Mysteries. First and foremost, he has had a stint as a police officer in the Charlotte Police Department. Secondly, his father prompts him to quit the police force, after which he becomes a mortician in their family-owned funeral parlor; located in Gainesboro upon North Carolina, the parlor is called Clayton & Clayton. Even then this is an occupation which brings about distress and occupation hazards in its train. Career blues aside, he is a part-time sheriff and, moreover, a detective by virtue of sleuthing the various gory incidents in the mountainous community.

There are about nine editions of the first book in the Buryn’ Barry Mysteries. Nevertheless, the first of those editions was initially published in 2003, titled Dangerous Undertaking, and the series of books is shelved under the suspense, mystery, contemporary fiction, and thriller genres.

The critical moments in the various whodunit novels contained therein range from an embittered and murderous bereaved relative soon after taking over the funeral parlor from his father, an unanticipated remains of a second occupier while relocating a grave, the theft of the corpse of a war veteran in the Clayton & Clayton premises and subsequent attack on Barry Clayton, a whimsical and distraught bereaved spouse who has shot a friendly sheriff, to a high-profile murdering during Halloween celebrations.

The first book in the series, Dangerous Undertaking, ushers in protagonist Barry Clayton into his newest occupation after quitting the Charlotte Police Department. This comes hard in the heels of being summoned by his father who has since been diagnosed with the Alzheimer’s disease; this disease which is associated with dementia, has a great effect on one’s brain. And thus unable to continue providing hands-on internment and suchlike funeral services, his father passes the funeral directorship role over to Barry Clayton. Accordingly, Barry Clayton relocates from corporate Charlotte city to Gainesboro upon North Carolina. Gainesboro is a small community nestled in the serene environment of the Appalachian Mountains, in the eastern region of North America. All in all, Barry Clayton is not enthusiastic about working in his new workplace.

Soon after the career change, Barry Clayton is caught up in a gory incident during the funeral service of an aged woman. While conducting the internment, Dallas Willard, a relative of the deceased comes into the event and shoots dead his kith on a whim. Barry Clayton is not spared too. Willard, who is the grandson of the deceased, tells Barry to inform the killer’s grandmother that the slain family members attempted to possess the land and that he loves her, before shooting the undertaker at his shoulder.

The street-smart and independent-minded Barry teams up with Tommy Lee Wadkins, who is the regional sheriff, and both start searching for Willard. Unfortunately, they get Wallard’s corpse, a pointer that there is another killer on the prowl. By and by, real estate cartels come in the scene. The somber series is fused with gallows humor in author de Castrique’s signature; he has clinched several awards.

Buryin’ Barry Mysteries Awards and Accolades
Notable publications have given author Mark de Castrique’s literary works starred reviews. For instance, in October 2010, Library Journal gave his 2010 book titled Fatal Undertaking, the fifth book in the Buryin’ Barry Mysteries, a starred review.

The novelist has clinched various awards for his pursuits. The awards are Clio, Telly, and Emmy, which were proffered to him film production and broadcasting ventures.

Best Buryin’ Barry Mysteries
The first three books in the Buryin’ Barry Mysteries are the best. The following is a discussion of the second and third books; the first book, Dangerous Undertaking, has already been explained. The second one is called Grave Undertaking, published in May 2004. Predominantly, this book revolves around Barry Clayton’s task of moving graves wherein he chances upon a grave with two occupiers; the second and unanticipated occupier has a picture of Barry’s girlfriend stashed in his wallet, making the case personal. The third book is called Foolish Undertaking; it features Barry Clayton in a dilemma following the theft of a war veteran’s corpse wherein he has also been hit; he and a friendly sheriff only have a cryptic message from the deceased and they hope to open a can of worms.

Other Book Series You May Like
The following related book series were also popular with the readers who liked the Buryin’ Barry Mysteries. The first one is entitled Madeline Maclin series and is penned by Jane Tesh; this features a North Carolina-based divorcee, former belle, and striving private eye. The second is Martha’s Vineyard Mystery and is authored by Philip R. Craig; this series features Jefferson Jackson, a former Boston law enforcer who is in his thirties. The third is the Posadas County Mystery and is penned by Steven F. Havill; this series, a police procedural, features a deputy sheriff called Estella Reyes-Guzman in the fictitious Posadas County of New Mexico.