Blood Lines: An Inspector Bill Slider Mystery

In this Inspector Bill Slider mystery, Slider faces a diffucult case in that it takes him into Joanna's world once again. A prominent music critic is murdered just before going on TV. Later, other opera singers a attacked and killed. A witness identifies one of Slider's team as the murderer. Slider tries to prove that someone else did. The twist in the story comes late in the game, but it is rewarding. Slider's sidekick, Atherton, is hurt at the end. Is that all for Atherton? I hope not. An excellent addition to an excellent series.

This is a wonderful addition to the Bill Slider/Atherton series. There are enough plot twists in it to keep anyone interested, and Ms. Harrod-Eagles' wit shines throughout the entire book. In this installment a gruesome murder of a music critic occurs in a television station bathroom, and Slider is on the trail of what turns out to be a religious zealot. Even though I had figured out the murderer about 1/2 way through, it did not take away from the story. There were still wonderful characters to meet and a spine-tingling ending to get to. This series is my current favourite and I can't wait to get to the next one.

Blood all over the bog!Opinionated, egotistical music critic Roger Greatrex is found with his throat cut in a restroom at the BBC television studios minutes before he's due to appear on a music discussion panel show. Panelists and production people alike are comfortable with the notion that the poor chap committed suicide. Detective Inspector Bill Slider, however, begins to doubt the suicide theory when he notices signs that the body has been tampered with. Trouble is, if the man was murdered just about everyone connected with the show had motive and opportunity, and few have alibis.The author, obviously enjoying every twist in the tale, takes Slider, his crew - along with the reader - up and down the garden path, through the hoops and over the jumps before she allows us to solve the mystery.Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. What a joy of a writer we have here! She writes a clear good-humored prose with a lively wit and presents us with principal characters, Slider and his love Joanna, and Atherton his sergeant, who share our own foibles and frustrations, aspirations and disappointments.All five of the Bill Slider mysteries are beautifully plotted and the author always plays fair with her readers. She also understands the value of the narrative hook. DEATH TO GO, for example, opens with a character discovering a severed finger in his take-out fish and chips.The outrageous puns that Harrod- Eagles sneaks into her stories are real bonuses for this reader. In BLOOD LINES, Joanna refers to Verdi's Requiem as 'The O.K. Chorale'. A mischievous writer, this one. Just take a look at her picture on the dust jacket of one of her books.Mysteries aside, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is an award-winning historical novelist with more than 45 books to her credit.Whatever the genre, this fan suggests you get your hands on a bunch of our author's first editions. You'll not only have rewarding reading but you might also just turn a tidy profit down the line.