Preview Body Line
When someone kills Dr. David Rogers with a single shot to the back of the head in his posh London home, Det. Insp. Bill Slider and his team investigate in Harrod-Eagles's solid 13th Bill Slider mystery (after 2010's Fell Purpose). The divorced, womanizing doctor, whose promising career was derailed by a scandal some 10 years earlier, left few clues to his employment and confusing ones about his rich lifestyle. Superintendent Porson offers support and endless malapropisms (e.g., "Talk about a needle in a woodpile!") in a case that Porson opines will come down to "sex or money." Slider and his key players, including Det. Constable Norma Swilley, whose macho image has been undercut since her return from maternity leave, are usually competent, sometimes inspired, sometimes lucky. This fine ensemble procedural produces a surprising picture once all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. (Apr.)
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Starred Review Existing Harrod-Eagles fans will delight in her new Bill Slider novel, while readers unfamiliar with one of the stalwarts of the modern British police procedural are in for a real treat. Slider's latest case focuses on the murder of Dr. David Rogers, who is killed at home with an execution-style shot to the head. The more Slider and his team investigate, the more puzzling the case gets. Rogers appears to have no next of kin except his ex-wife, who claims she hasn't spoken to him in years. He lived a luxurious lifestyle on a modest income from a company that doesn't exist. He was a womanizer whose numerous girlfriends claim he was a respected doctor, but no hospital has him on their books. Leads are thin on the ground, and motive, means, and opportunity are impossible to substantiate. But eventually the case breaks wide open, and Slider and his team win kudos for solving a crime with international implications. The multitalented Harrod-Eagles has the modern police procedural down pat and perfectly captures the quirks and foibles of the British copper. With its original plot twists, charismatic cast, and the intriguingly multifaceted Slider, this one is a top pick for all collections. --Emily Melton
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