Blood Lines

Bill Slider #5

by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Detective Inspector Bill Slider is summoned to the BBC television studios where a celebrated music critic has apparently committed suicide before appearing on television, but Slider determines that the critic had been murdered. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Procedural, Fiction, British Literature, Suspense

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (aka Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennett)

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.

She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.

She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.

In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read any Inspector Bill Slider mysteries before but I think I may be hooked. Author Cynthia Harrod-Eagles creates an interesting and believable group of characters, placing them in a background that is nicely rich and real without being overwhelming. A simple mystery grows larger as the story progresses, moving toward a well-drawn conclusion when clues are followed, red herrings removed, and dead bodies suitably disposed of.

Blood Lines is a good old fashioned mystery set in the modern world of a British police force. Bad coffee feeds furious puns while the more seriously minded debate the importance of art and music to society and the relative truth of eye witness accounts, both with great aplomb.

Different points of view are convincingly rendered, from dogged detective to opera singer and more. Different relationships are explored with childhood and adult trauma feeding both kindness and murder. And different worlds clash in a well-crafted mystery that's by turns thoughtful, thought provoking, fascinating, and seriously fun.

Disclosure: An English friend correctly guessed I would enjoy this author.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A music critic is found dead with his throat cut. Slider’s problem is too many suspects. Just about everyone had a potential motive for wanting Roger Greatrex dead including his wife. As Slider digs deeper the case becomes more and more complex and moves closer to home as a witness identifies someone he would never have suspected.

I enjoyed reading this fast paced mystery which kept me on the edge of my seat especially when it came to the tense and dangerous conclusion. This is a well written and exciting crime novel and can be read as a standalone novel or as part of a series. What I particularly like about this series is the way the police characters get on with each other and aren’t constantly at each others’ throats.

If you like well written crime novels with plenty of humour, interesting plots and believable characters then you will enjoy the Bill Slider mysteries.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical for this series in being funny and sympathetic, but this time with a more straightforward than usual murder mystery. In spite of a few quietly inserted clues, I missed the identity of the murderer until the very end, just as I was supposed to. The main characters are very appealing, but this one ends on a cliffhanger, with one of those characters badly wounded. I didn't expect this kind of manipulation from Harrod-Eagles, and I hope it doesn't continue. At least I don't have to wait a year to find out what happened: this is the fifth of about twenty in the series.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thoroughly enjoying the Bill Slider series, enough to forgive the author for ending this one on a cliffhanger, a most unsatisfying denouement.

Harrod-Eagles' characters are always an interesting mix, characters the readers get to know very well. I find the pace to be satisfying, the murder(s) and subsequent investigations well-plotted.

[Catherine Woodman]

I like this series--it is reasonably well written and the lead character is flawed in alot of ways, but all of which make him more interesting (although in htis one his jealousy is not endearing, nor is it illuminating--he is too distracted by the case to really focus on what he needs to do vis-a-vis his relationship, and then the book ends rather abruptly, and he hasn't made any progress in that arena). The plot is a little bit contrived,a nd the psychology of the villain is not as well fleshed out as I would have liked, nor are the issues related to adoption. Overall it was good, a bit on the light side.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine mystery from Harrod-Eagles. I really like the way she plays out a plot--the suspect is so obvious even when you know he's not the bad guy.

This one had a twist that could have been hokey, but was perfectly consistent with the mores of the times. As the bodies started piling up, and grisly ones they were, the solution seemed clear, although very unlikely. Not so.

I still like these characters a lot and am glad that Slider is sorting out his marriage troubles. I like watching his mind work, joining strands that seem to have nothing in common.

The end, though, was a shock. I won't reveal, but I have to get the next one right away. Surely, it couldn't be!

[Jo Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I could read more of Cynthia Harrod Eagles. I like her style of writing (not too cutesy) and her keeping the level of violence to a minimum. In this story, Roger Greatrex, a particularly unlikeable person, gets his throat cut in a men's room. Tracking down possible suspects includes a lot of red herrings. I found the solution a bit of a deus ex machina with the discovery of a twin (though why did I guess this mid-way through the book?).

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Shirley Hartman-Rozee · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the first murder, this case was a puzzler. Slider kept working the clues and eventually figured out how an evil murderer could thoroughly deceive everyone. I liked nearly everything about the book—there were exceptionally hilarious passages that made me laugh out loud—except the last chapter. I was totally gobsmacked. Why end a book like that?




SPOILERS

It ended abruptly with no explanation; I couldn’t believe my eyes. I kept turning the pages hoping for an explanation (what happened to Slider? Did Atherton die? And did they catch the bad guy? And what about Mills? What were his feelings about a brother/twin he knew nothing about?) I was thoroughly disappointed with the ending. That’s why I gave it three stars, when I was going to rate it four.

[Nadine-Sue Sargent · Rating 4 out of 5]

They've actually been around a while but it was the first time I'd seen them. It took a while for me to get into this one and I'm not sure if it was me or the book. It is a slow burn with a lot of dialogue between characters. It kinda felt like The Bill which was funny a little later on in the story when Slider makes a joke about Sun Hill so I'm wondering if the author was somewhat inspired by the TV show.

The story does pick up nearer the end and ends quite abruptly but they get their guy and that's that. I'm intrigued on where things go next so will pick up more in the series. They're not along the same vein as other thrillers I read and seen a lot 'safer' so if you don't like gruesome and want a more cosy, police series then this might work for you

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 5 in the Bill Slider series set in England.
Another murder in his district of a controversial critic with many people with a motive to kill her.
In his usual thorough way Detective Inspector Slider interviews witnesses and possible suspects. The dead man lead a life style that capitalized on his fame and preyed on young women even though he was married.
One witness places one of Slider’s friends at the scene, more details emerge. Is his past performance and friendship enough to keep him out of jail?
The clues lead Detective Inspector to closing the case, with his own life threatened in an unexpected way.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow to get started and to catch my interest. The last quarter of the book is what makes it worthwhile. Would give 3.5 stars if permitted.

Bill Slider is called to investigate the death of a famous music critic & opera expert (Roger Greatrex) who was found dead in a bathroom in the BBC television studios prior to his appearance on a discussion show. The panelists included one of his biggest rivals, Sandal Palliser. Various people there had motives for murdering Greatrex, no one had a good alibi and there were also many people from the audience in the building.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Bill Slider is a sympathetic character, and Atherton is magnificent. The Shepherd's Bush nick is heaven. And the punning is irresistible. The mysteries are well-plotted, but the best part is the progression in the lives of the main characters. No, wait, the best part is the cleverness of Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' style. But the punning! Read these. I'm only a little way into the series, but I accidentally read one of the most recent. I had to go back and do it right.
Highly recommended.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I just finished reading Killing Time, this book fit well into the Slider chronology. I had a feeling all the way through that I’d read it but there was no indication in my Goodreads that I had. Anyway, I worked out whodunnit way ahead of Slider but that never really interferes with my enjoyment of these books. I hope the author keeps publishing books with Slider as the hero. I enjoy her sense of humour and her writing style and easily slide into the plot line.

[Pgchuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up.

I enjoyed the first half of this more than the second. The solution seemed obvious to me from a relatively early point and then the plot meandered its way to it, slightly repetitiously. The final scene was entirely unnecessary, as by that point Slider had quite enough evidence to share with his team and arrive with proper back up. Also, I don't like cliff-hanger endings.

[CCCubbon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one ofthe better books in the series. The Slider character alternates between being a decent bloke to one I dislike for the way he treats his wife and children, his weakness and self absorption causing them much unhappiness.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is well written,pleasant enough,well plotted,and the characters are appealing;however,there´s a certain spark missing which would make it a great series.
An extra star for the good points.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoying the series it was easy to guess the twist on this one and where it was going but still good and would recommend

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but I guessed the plot twist which disappointed me a bit. I have to read the next one because I am dying to know what happens next

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the wordplay in these stories. I like to imagine British police are truly this amusing. That said, there is less wordplay and more police work in this story than in previous ones. It's well done, making me suspect one person after another. And well, the end....arg! The end. I really like this series, even when it makes me wince and worry.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. I especially enjoy the musical references as I am an amateur musician like the author. While the main character pursues the case on his own more then is realistic, and least his character has developed as the series has progressed. Unfortunately, this book has a rather abrupt ending.

[Bjipson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty quick read -- Britlit detective story. Gotta love 'em. What more can I say? I did, in fact, figure this one out before the author presented it fully, which is not my usual condition...
Entertaining ~

[DolphinBlue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done

As usual, witty, well-written, intriguing all the way through. I'm reading in order and this fifth installment was on par with the first four. Love the put-ons, humour, and entanglements of the personal storylines.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like British mysteries this is a good series. Well written and with wit. I got hooked and kept reading others in the series.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be reading more of these Bill Slider mysteries

[Margareth8537 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Slider continues to struggle to solve crime and his personal situation

[Tom]

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[Jamie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those series compulsion things. This was fine in terms of the mystery crime aspect. The uncomfortable divorce proceedings diminish the story.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Plenty of well developed characters. The solution to the mystery becomes obvious well before the end, but the story still pulls you along.

[Pam Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number five in the Bill Slider British police procedural series, again this is a great series for fans of the genre.