From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
*
Starting/joining in with buddy reads
By Judy · 1334 posts · 372 views
By Judy · 1334 posts · 372 views
last updated 1 hour, 8 min ago
*
White Nights by Ann Cleeves (Shetland #2) (August/Sept 25)
By Susan · 29 posts · 12 views
By Susan · 29 posts · 12 views
last updated Sep 04, 2025 12:17PM
showing 3 of 3 topics
view all »
Other topics mentioning this book

By Judy · 873 posts · 160 views
last updated Jan 08, 2023 08:15PM
What Members Thought

.5 stars. A new development is planned for a piece of land where bombs destroyed four houses in WWII. On the first morning, the construction workers find a skeleton buried in the cellar of one and Inspector Sloan and Constable Sloan must try to identify a body buried 25 years ago. I love Sloan's humour and the pace of these mysteries.
...more

Published in 1970, this is the fourth in the Inspector Sloan series, which I am enjoying immensely. Dr William Latimer is a young doctor, who has just taken over a practice from Dr Henry Tarde, who recently died. Opposite the doctor's practice is a bomb site, which is about to be redeveloped and, during the building work a skeleton is found - that of a woman who was pregnant.
Inspector Sloan is again, unwillingly, given Detective Constable Crosby to assist him, as he delves into the past to try ...more
Inspector Sloan is again, unwillingly, given Detective Constable Crosby to assist him, as he delves into the past to try ...more

Another very enjoyable outing with Inspector Sloan and Sgt Crosby. This time it’s a very cold case - a WWII bomb site has been sitting empty for 25 years, but work on redevelopment is finally beginning- until the workers uncover the bones of a dead woman. But how old are the remains? The pathologist discovers the woman was pregnant, and a bullet is lodged against the spine, so it’s murder, not a victim of the bombing.
This was a very interesting case, following Sloan, who would’ve been a schoolbo ...more
This was a very interesting case, following Sloan, who would’ve been a schoolbo ...more

Enjoyable mystery. After the bombing in 1942 - everyone remembers what day of the week that bombing was - a body was interred. But she wasn't from the bombing. She was from after the bombing. But the bombing was 25 years ago.
Inspector Sloan doesn't really see much reason to hurry on it ... until a doctor gets slugged on the head and another body is thrown onto the vacant lot. And, wait a minute, did the doctor commit suicide after all? This begins to put a rush on resolving the case, bef0re any ...more
Inspector Sloan doesn't really see much reason to hurry on it ... until a doctor gets slugged on the head and another body is thrown onto the vacant lot. And, wait a minute, did the doctor commit suicide after all? This begins to put a rush on resolving the case, bef0re any ...more

A long derelict World War II bomb site is about to be re-developed in Berebury. The workmen digging foundations uncover a skeleton which necessitates the involvement of Inspector Sloan and DC Crosby. It may or may not be a victim of the bombing but when the post mortem uncovers a bullet they realise they have a murder case on their hands.
At first it seems that their best efforts are not going to be rewarded with any degree of success but then the local doctor is attacked returning from a night c ...more
At first it seems that their best efforts are not going to be rewarded with any degree of success but then the local doctor is attacked returning from a night c ...more

Feb 12, 2008
Nancy Oakes
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-fiction-uk,
crime-fiction
In this, the 4th installment in Aird's series featuring CD Sloan, the main character is summoned to the scene of an archaeological dig that is taking place prior to the development of new construction. It seems that a body has been found, and the local doctor decides that it's not the remains of a Saxon (as hoped for by the archaeologists) but rather a young woman dead 30 years or so. The developers are hoping they can get back to their project, but it is not to be -- the autopsy on the body sho
...more

I have been reading the Inspector Sloan books by Catherine Aird. I cannot say I dislike them. However, there are certain portions in all of these books that seem superfluous. At times, characters talk on and on about things that have nothing to do with anything. I guess, there was a word limit that Aird had to reach in order for the book to be publishable. This is more apparent in 'A Late Phoenix' than the previous books. The plot began promisingly. I love books dealing with cold cases. However,
...more

3.5 stars. A skeleton is found on a development site that was bombed 30 years earlier during the war. Initially presumed to have been buried in the rubble during the explosion, it soon becomes clear that this was a hidden murder, and that someone in the present very much wants to keep this hidden, even if another murder is required.
Detective Inspector Sloan and Detective Constable Crosby are once again paired to tackle this distant crime, and again their very different personalities work togethe ...more
Detective Inspector Sloan and Detective Constable Crosby are once again paired to tackle this distant crime, and again their very different personalities work togethe ...more

An entertaining journey in the investigation by Inspector Sloan and his Detective Constable Crosby, of a skeleton found on a bomb site, having been made during the bombing of WW11. The skeleton turns out to be that of a young woman, carrying a baby in it's early stages. On close inspection, a bullet is found lodged in the spine of the woman, so proving she was murdered, and not a casualty of the bombing. As this is set in the 1970's, it is what we call a cold case now. We are told quite a lot of
...more


Oct 06, 2012
Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery


Mar 09, 2013
Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery



Dec 08, 2022
Lekeshua
marked it as to-read

Jun 27, 2025
Sue Gray
is currently reading it