Game Over

The eleventh in the Bill Slider series finds the Detective Inspector trying to arrange his marriage to his love, Joanna, before the impending birth in approximately seven weeks of their child. As he says: "I've been trying to get married . . . arranging a wedding between a policeman and a musician is like trying to push a balloon into a milk bottle." As the book opens Slider and crew are investigating the murder of Ed Stonax, former BBC correspondent who had left to become a civil servant a couple of years back, only to be forced to leave that position when he became embroiled in a sex scandal. Is it a random burglary gone wrong, or does it stem from something in his previous professions that had somehow led to his demise? At the same time, Slider is dealing with a communication he receives from a criminal in whose arrest he was a participant; the man, Trevor Bates, alias The Needle, had escaped during transfer to a different facility a month prior, and had not been seen or heard from since. Direct threats on his and Joanna's lives up the stakes, and indeed attempts are made on his life. Bates is variously described as a "wealthy businessman, property dealer, electronics expert, murderer . . . intellectual, cold-blooded, and pathologically vain." Quite a nemesis, and one that Slider is determined to re-capture, if only in self-preservation. Slider's colleague, Atherton, never lacking for female companionship, finds a fast-growing attraction to Stonax' daughter, a journalist now living in New York but who has come back to the UK after her father's death. Only this time it feels different for the serial-dater. Emily, the daughter, begs to be allowed to stay involved in the investigation, and her experience as a journalist becomes a definite asset. For his part, Slider "was happily spoken-for, but there was no harm in admiring the scenery, even if you were on a non-stopping train." But his love for Joanna is never in doubt, despite that momentary thought. The author's charming sense of humor is evident throughout, in spite of the sometimes grim nature of the plot. Another colleague is described as having a "face that lunched on a thousand chips." A superior has a habit of mixing his metaphors: "A leper doesn't change his spots, " "don't throw the winds to caution," and "still waters wait for no man." Ms. Harrod-Eagles is a wonderful storyteller as well as a gifted writer, two things not always, or even often, found together. The book is highly recommended.

It has been far too long since we've had a new Bill Slider mystery to savour. In this one we have Bill and Atherton on the trail of a particularly distasteful criminal who appears to have a vendetta against Bill. We also have Bill's Joanna pregnant with their child, and Joanna and Bill are trying to find a convenient time to get married before the baby is born. There are two main story lines in this book, and by the time the book is halfway done these two storylines come together, and the result is a consipriacy plot that takes Bill and his crew very high up the political food chain. This is a cracker of a book, and it made me remember how much I like Bill Slider. He is an ordinary man with ordinary life issues to deal with while he solves very unordinary crimes. The puzzle is complex and we have Ms. Harrod-Eagles wonderful wit that shines throughout the book. I highly recommend this series, but it is better to begin with the first book and then read in order, although this book is good enough to stand on its own.

I'll try not to be a spoiler here, but it might be tricky, so be forwarned. I have been waiting for almost four years for the next Bill Slider mystery and, while I won't say it was worth the wait (I HATE waiting!), I will say this book is so very satifying in that some loose ends are tidied up. Bill Slider, a London police Detective Inspector who's trying to balance finding time to marry his many-months' pregnant professional violinist lover, herself on a busy schedule, finding the murderer of a famous erstwhile BBC (the Beeb! love it) reporter, surviving the mangling of grammatical metaphors, etc., of his grieving yet still sharp and supportive, boss, and trying to supervise yet support his bagman/sergeant, a serial womanizer who needs more than his cats to welcome him home. Oh, and add to that mix, an extreme villain from a previous book who has come back with hate in his heart and death on his mind. Just the usual goings-on at the Shepards Bush police district. Ms. Harrod-Eagles writes a great police story, a facinating look, however fictitious, at the daily grind of a district police station, and, very interestingly, a bit of insight into the life of a professional classical music performer who is below the level of soloist, yet every bit involved in the making a living from playing beautiful music. Plus, Ms. Harrod-Eagles' characters start to grab one very early on. Please, buy this book, but also start from the beginning of her Bill Slider stories. It is well worth it to get the back titles to follow these really delightful people and stories. My only concern with this book is wondering why her previous publishers, TimeWarner, Scribner, etc., didn't grab it. It was left to a niche publisher, whose printing and editing styles vary somewhat from her earlier books, to grab it. However, this publisher does release in the US so there isn't a wait (did I mention I HATE WAITING?) or an expensive British pound purchase, for her American audience to be satisfied. This in no way diminishes her writing, character and plot portrayal, and her sympathies with her people and places always come through, as does her English grammar and lovely writing style. Now, as I understand it, there might be another Bill Slider mystery later this year. I really, really hope so. Please go back, read all of them from the beginning (as I just did), and enjoy some very nice people. (And some nasty ones, too.)

I have long been a fan of Bill Slider mysteries....Cynthia Harrod-Eagles books. Have read all of them and this was one more great read. His co-workers, Atherton et al, his new baby on the way, as well as one nemesis, The Needle, make this exciting and full of suspense as expected.

GAME OVER (Police Proc-DI Bill Slider-London-Cont) - VG Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - 11th in series Severn House, 2008, UK Hardcover - ISBN: 9780727866158 First Sentence: the habits learned in childhood tend to become ingrained, so that they operate on an involuntary level. DI Bill Slider has a lot on his hands. His and his lover, Joanna, are trying to get married before their baby is delivered but their works keeps getting in the way. A former BBC correspondent, who joined the Department of Trade and Industry from which he was dismissed in a sex scandal, is found dead in his home. Trevor Bates, whom Slider had previous arrested but is now free, is conducting an escalating campaign of threats against Slider. I am always delighted to see a new Bill Slider book come out. CH-E excels at characters and dialogue. There is a wonderful, diverse cast of characters from the dogged Slider, to the elegant Atherton, to their Det. Super. Porson who creates his own vocabulary "...wasn't exactly a parody of virtue." CH-E's sense of place and plotting are well done. The plot begins with a seemingly straightforward murder, becomes more complex as the story progresses and ties up all pieces at the end. The suspense grows with the story and there is a wonderfully touching ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and sincerely hope this isn't the last we see of Bill and the gang.