Death Watch

considering some of the truly awful mysteries i have suffered at least partially through, i cannot understand why harrod-eagles' series isn't better known and why it goes out of print with such blinding speed.this entry in the series is as impressively well written as any reader could wish--the plot is first rate; the writing is wonderful (and i love the puns--only people who can't make puns sneer at them); the dialogue is natural; the characters are individual and interesting; the relationships, situations and motives are realistic; there's humor.as with many series, watching the growth of the main characters is part of the pleasure, so, while this installment can be read by itself, its even better if you have read the previous books. harrod-eagles is also the author of another good series, an historical that follows one fictional family throught english history from the 15th century into othe 20th (and probably into this one soon). aside from the level of excellence in the writing, it would be hard to identiry the writer of each as the same woman. harrod-eagles has the same sort of facility as the professional singers who can do grand opera one night and creditable jazz the next.if you like your mysteries tricky, entertaining and perceptive, this book, and the rest of the series, is for you.

It's been awhile since I read "Orchestrated Death" the first book in Ms. Harrod-Eagles Bill Slider series, but I decided to get back in the series. This is the second book in the series, and it's a good one. If you're a fan of English cozies, then give this series a try. Bill Slider is a real doll and his adventures in the fight against crime are good. I really enjoy Ms. Harrod-Eagles writing, and I'm starting to really like her characters - Bill and his sidekick Ahterton (Mr. Perfect). Dixon is wonderful too.

Bill Slider, the London Police Inspector from Shepherd's Bush is back - called to a investigate the death of a man found burned in a fire at a motel. One thing I'll say for Harrod-Eagles is she doesn't muck around before introducing the crimes in her novels and I do like that. The crime is done and you get the rest of the book to sift through the past with the detective.The body might or might not have been suicide and Slider's superiors with the Police are pressuring him to call it suicide - thus saving valuable budget dollars. Slider isn't so keen to do that - there are too many anomalies in the case. The body proves to be that of a known lothario, Richard (Dick) Neal and as usual there are suspects aplenty to be interviewed and eliminated. However a stranger and more sinister pattern starts to show up - what is happening to the members of the Red Watch which manned Shaftesbury Street Fire Station in the 1970's?Meanwhile Slider's marriage is coming apart and his affair with Joanna is deepening. This part I find hard to understand - Joanna's patience with him - Slider's vacillations. It doesn't convince me really. In fact I find Slider's personal life a bit of a jarring distraction to the main story.I do like the way the story unfolds and things that are significant are often revealed early on but are only glaringly obvious in the last few pages. I do think Harrod-Eagles can write a great mystery. This is the second book in the Bill Slider mystery series, by the way - the first is Orchestrated Death.

This was a good book that made it hard to put down.