Blood Sinister (A Bill Slider Mystery) [Paperback]

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2000 | Series: A Bill Slider Mystery

Journalist Phoebe Cutler had a name for championing the underdog and for attacking the police. Now she's dead and Slider must demonstrate the law's impartiality and find her killer. But Cutler had enemies and more than one secret; and someone definitely doesn't want Slider to find the answer.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This remarkable British police procedural series continues as Detective Inspector Bill Slider investigates the murder of a female journalist famous for criticizing the police. Apparently the woman uncovered one secret too many. Good work from a well-practiced hand.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* It's hard to know which Harrod-Eagles does best: crafting compelling stories or developing fascinating characters. Her latest Bill Slider mystery wins in both categories. The intrepid, unflappable Slider, along with his motley and always amusing cop-shop crew, must discover who raped and murdered notorious journalist Phoebe Agnew. From her outspoken opposition to abortion to her hippie lifestyle and series of vicious political exposes, Phoebe had always courted controversy. But could she have stirred up enough hatred to provoke murder? Or is her killer the most obvious suspect, politician Josh Prentiss, whose fingerprints were found at the scene and who is reputed to be Phoebe's lover? The plot becomes a gripping guessing game as new clues and suspects pop up on nearly every page. With the support of the metaphor-murdering Detective Superintendent Fred Porson and his colleagues, quip-quick Jim Atherton and smart, sassy Norma Swilley, Slider looks past the obvious clues and finds a vicious killer. Five stars and two thumbs up for another superb procedural from Harrod-Eagles, whose Slider series belongs right up there with the work of John Harvey and Ian Rankin. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks (December 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0751529079
• ISBN-13: 978-0751529074
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,628,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 8th in the Bill Slider Series -- Maybe Best Yet!, December 29, 2001

By 

Gerald M. Bull "Jerry Bull" (Fairview, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Sinister (Inspector Bill Slider Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I'm so glad I stumbled across Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, a prolific British writer I'm guessing not well known here in the colonies, despite her portfolio of some 30+ books counting both these mysteries and over two dozen historical romances. I've only tried Bill Slider so far, but he's a wonderfully low-profile hero in the style of Dick Francis' leading men: guys you either want to be like (men) or want to be with (women). That our author can get that feeling so consistently over eight stories is impressive, despite plots that are entertaining and often complex enough to bewilder til right near the end.

The series is best read in order, because part of the fun is following Bill's personal life as his somewhat flawed marriage is tested (uncharacteristically for our straight arrow) by a lovely violinist that turns his head. His unattached "playboy" sidekick Atherton has much the same "trouble" and the interplay between these two men makes interesting counterpoint to the thorough police work otherwise on display. Indeed, we have come to know and like many of the precinct's supporting players beside our leading men.

I'm guessing Harrod-Eagles has either real life experience in an orchestra or a close friend in one, because her description of the lives and times of the players, and the politics and "affairs" in the symphony, are right on. (If that's "just" the result of research, I'm astounded!) Maybe best of all, some personal dilemmas for Joanna (our musician) add some real kick to the story, right up to a cliff-hanger ending that can only be resolved in the next book -- hopefully being penned as we speak!

So "Blood" seems to have it all: a mystery and plot that leads us here and there right to the end; compelling developments between Bill and Joanna that make us worry; and story that entertains on almost every page. Sounds like 5-stars to me!!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blood Sinister, October 24, 2001

By 

Karen Bader "It's a Mystery" (Modesto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Sinister (Inspector Bill Slider Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Cynthia Harold Eagles has written another excellent Bill Slider mystery. Detective Inspector Slider must investigate the death of left-wing journalist, Phoebe Agnew, who wasn't exactly a favorite of the police department after one of her stories helped to free an obviously guilty killer on a matter of failed police proceedure. With his side-kick Atherton heading toward some kind of a breakdown, Slider must untangle a web of lies and betrales that lead toward powerful members in Government. On a personal level Slider must also deal with his emotions as his divorce comes final and also with a new twist in his relationship with musician girlfriend, Joanna.

The plotting of this book was excellent and each time I thought I had the mystery figured out, another twist occurred. I look forward to the next one.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...Editors need to become better acquainted with Slider, October 20, 2001

By 

CJ Aviator "CJ" (Hudson, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood Sinister (Inspector Bill Slider Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Blood Sinister should have been a feature for this month. Harrod-Eagles provides another chapter in her top-notch series with Slider, Atherton, and Joanna, characters you will care about - rare in the mystery genre. Strongly suggest readers start with the first Bill Slider book to get the most out of this very satisfying series.