Detective Inspector Bill Slider and Detective Sergeant Jim Atherton have two different views of their latest investigation in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles’ fourth Bill Slider mystery, Dead End. It’s another fascinating police procedural with characters who come to life on the page.
There’s a shooting at St. Augustine’s church, and Slider worries because he knows the violinist he loves, Joanna, is performing with the Royal London Philharmonic in that church. But, it’s the conductor who is dead, Sir Stefan Radek, a world-famous man, and, according to Joanna, a hateful man. But, Slider’s job is to look out for the victim, and find answers, even if people disliked him.
Sir Stefan was also a multimillionaire, and his daughter and son-in-law were quite wealthy. “Atherton thought it was a nice change to investigate amongst people whose houses didn’t smell of urine.” However, Slider looks at it differently. “I’ve found it depressing to see how badly all these people have behaved, people who ought to know better. Casual sin and casual lawbreaking – drugs, embezzlement, greed, adultery, murder – looting their way through life and dropping the litter behind them like tourists.”
As always, Harrod-Eagles surprises readers with the killer. It’s a logical conclusion, but, still unexpected. It’s that unexpectedness that draws me back to this series. There’s Slider’s unusual way of looking at people, victims and suspects. There’s an unusual humor in the books. The police have that black humor that’s common with people who see the worst of the world. But, they also exhibit an unusual breadth of knowledge involving music, paintings, poetry. And, Slider and Atherton both have a sadness to them, a feeling of loneliness that comes across on the page.
Harrod-Eagles’ Bill Slider mysteries are excellent mysteries. Yes, it’s fun to watch the mystery unravel and follow along with the police procedural. But, it’s the characters, Bill and Atherton and Joanna who have a wisdom and a knowledge that make them human, that bring the books to life.
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles’ website is www.cynthiaharrodeagles.com
Dead End by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Little Brown, 1994. 229p.
*****
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought a copy of the book.
I agree. I read these for the characters – Slider and Atherton and Joanna – as much as anything else.
I'm with Jeff on the Slider books. Waiting now to see if our library is going to pick up the latest or if I will have to buy it. At my age I hate to buy books I will not read more than once. This is a series I have kept up with for most of its life.
Lesa, so glad you are enjoying Bill Slider and all the other characters in these terrific books. I now have the newest from the library and it may be up next. I almost hate to read it as then I have to wait for the next book to come out.
I just want to say the end of the fifth book was a shocker. I'm happy to see things are working out in number 6. I won't be reviewing all of them here, but I'm so happy LJ sent me the latest to read and review. I may never have read these, and, if I didn't have tons of other books, I would probably just sail through this series. Jeff, and Diane, and Netteanne, you are all right about it. I love those three characters.