Kill My Darling

Bill Slider #14

by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

A new Bill Slider mystery - When Melanie Hunter goes missing, the men in her life come under suspicion. And there's plenty to suspect; lies, half-truths, deceptions. When you pull one thread, the whole fabric of family life can come apart. There are secrets in Melanie's past, and pain she tried to hide from the world. slider and his team need to answer two questions: who loved Melanie, and who loved her too much . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, British Literature, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, Detective

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2011

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

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I’ve been skipping around in this series but it doesn’t matter really. The characters are engaging and the sleuthing keeps my interest. There is always a twist, usually arising from some quirk of human nature. I will definitely read more by this author. I like this series but I know she has others to check out too.

[Terence M [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook - 10:20 hours - Narrator: Terry Wale

I have read/listened to 14 (now 15) books in this series, but until now the last one was in March 2017, so I am pleased to be back amongst the detectives at Shepherd's Bush, London. The regular crew has been supplemented by a new female DC, but otherwise all is as it was. The crimes are serious and are treated seriously, while the writing is a bit more "soft-boiled" police procedural and easy to enjoy than the current crop of in-your-face, 'hard-boiled', 'hard language' police procedurals.
One of the best continuing police series I have listened to, the books are not too vulgar or gruesome, but are definitely not in the "cosy mystery" genre.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant discovery. An interesting police procedural with plenty of mystery and a delightful cast of characters. Lots of banter mixed in with serious detective work. I particularly appreciated the serious nature of the crime presented without too much gore. The characters had their foibles but happily there weren't any personal problems that took center stage. Alcoholic loner cops are a bore.

Harrod-Eagles certainly has a talent for similes and metaphors. There were a few times when I thought a simile or metaphor was forced but most times, they were clever and fun.

I can't wait to read another in the series.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent in all respects. The relations between the detective team are well-portrayed and entertaining, the mystery had some good red herrings, and the conclusion was both a bit of a twist, yet not impossible to guess--the reader is given a few clues.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: At first Connolly thought he was crying; but after a few minutes she realized he just had a left eye that watered.

Melanie Hunter is known to be polite, and friendly. Now she’s missing; reported gone by her downstairs neighbor who’s caring for her dog. Melanie’s body is soon discovered but the deeper Insp. Slider and his team become involved in the case, they more secrets they find; Melanie’s and the men in her life.

Reading Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is always a delightful experience. Only someone with a superb grasp of language could use it as she does…”Connolly gave him a look so cold it could have hosted the Ice Capades.” Who else includes words such as “propinquity” and creates malapropos with such aplomb. Her dialogue is flawless and so natural; while her descriptions provide mental pictures: “The woods looked beautiful as the sun reluctantly rose for its low-slung hibernal trajectory across the sky, sparkling and tinged with pink.” She is the queen of metaphor: “The hard winter had taken its toll on the road surfaces, and…there were potholes you could find lost tribes in.” Her voice is casual, almost conversational; the narrative as though you are being told a story by a friend.

Likeable, appealing characters are so important and these are that. They are human, fascinating and intriguing. They have lives outside their work, homes relationships and pets. This is not an angst-driven cast and how nice is that.

Lest you think all this overshadows the plot, you’d be wrong. There is an excellent twist right from the start and an investigation that builds on police teamwork.

“Kill My Darling” is another very good addition to the Bill Slider series. As ever, I am anxious for the next book.

KILL MY DARLING (Pol Proc-Bill Slider-England-Contemporary) - VG
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia – 14th in series
Severn House, 2012

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written crime novel in the Bill Slider series. The plot is complex and the characters are interesting. A young woman - Melanie Hunter - goes missing. First suspect is naturally her boyfriend but there is also the man living in the basement flat who murdered his wife and served a prison sentence for it. All too easy to give a dog a bad name . . .

The investigation uncovers and unravels the problems in families and turns over more stones than maybe some people involved would have wanted it to. I love the amusing chapter headings and the relationships between the police officers involved. The banter is well done and the personal relationships really come to life on the page.

Even though this is part of a series it can be read as a standalone novel. I have read most of the series now - many out of their correct order - and I don't feel I have lost anything by reading them that way. If you like crime novels with little on the page violence and no swearing you will enjoy this series.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The who dunnit factor is excellent. I liked the book for that.
It seemed to me that the word play with Slider and Atherton was missing. Porson outdid himself, though.
I loved the little bits of Slider's homelife that came in to the tale, just want more.
I think I want to live next door to Slider and Joanna.

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in an NLS-compiled three-book collection. If you intend to search by title, use the one below my review, not the title at the top.

The old guy walking his dog found her on a Monday morning. The cops figured Melanie Hunter died when someone struck her on the head.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book in the series; I’m glad I continued with it. I appreciated the fact that I didn’t know who the killer was until the author revealed it, and when she did, I came away surprised.

There is no end to suspects here. Melanie’s live-in boyfriend and her stepfather are at the top of the cops’ list, but don’t assume everything is that easy.

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

A good story, and nicely written. It leaves you feeling sad for the death of Melanie, a girl without much happiness in her life. She is found hidden in the woods, and police investigation reveals a boyfriend—who will do anything to conclude a big deal—a stepfather carrying on an affair with a teenage student, a mother in a serious depression, and a friend in the basement apartment who had served time for killing his wife. Slider is frustrated by the lack of suspects and clues, but his intuition kicks in and leads to success.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

And another typically good one in the series. The puns just keep on coming: Chapter title: "Deliver us From Elvis." And the guvnor, whose malaprops are starting to make sense and even maybe be more apposite than the real thing: "That will require the approval of higher ups. But I'll do everything I can to grease the whales."

[ElaineY · Rating 3 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; JULY 25, 2022
Narrator: Terry Wale

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
If this had been a couple of hours shorter I would have rated it higher. I was tempted after the 8th hour to dump it and move on to another book but stuck through it. I was curious enough about who had killed Melanie but the Big Reveal was disappointing for me.

[Dan Bailes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s fun to read a Bill Slider mystery. Comfortable as an old shoe, full of dry wit, quips and familiar characters. Always a puzzle to solve and a pleasure to watch Slider and his fellow detectives put the pieces together. A body of a young woman is found in the woods. How did she get there and who did the deed?

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a good read, is Harrod-Eagles. In this entry, Slider and family have settled in, which is a welcome change from the constant anxiety of their relationship. Terrific characters all, even though I sort-of figured out whodunnit. Still, well worth the read for the characters and stylish writing.

[Pgchuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was well-plotted and well-paced, with plenty of interesting red herrings (although I was bemused at the way the victim's boyfriend forgot all about their dog...)

I continue to wonder at how Slider gets away with never seeing his children and everyone finds this acceptable.

[Julia Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a friendly young paleontologist turns up dead, there are several strong suspects. Bill Slider and crew sort through it all to solve another case. I'm not reading these books in series order but enjoying them anyway.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cynthia pretty much at her best. Very tightly plotted and a good description of Slider's involvement int he case. Very satisfying!

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to read more about Bill Slider, Atherton, Norma Swilley, MacLaren, and the others at Shepherd's Bush clink.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5***

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty decent mystery worth 3.5 for some excellent red herrings, but I had a bit of trouble believing the reveal so rounded down.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex, well paced & engaging...

[Ellen Dark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The detectives seem more human than in some series, and the humour is an integral part of the appeal. None of the civilians attached to the death of a young career woman will ever be the same.

[Jeffrey Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

worth reading just for the malapropisms alone

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series

[Susan W · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 in a row. Very good

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Jennifer]

My first time reading anything by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and I liked it right away. I'm so glad she's written so many more.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent crime story.

[Lucy Takeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy how Slider's boss mangles language: " The early bird carries no moss." Slider's interactions with his crew are compelling and well depicted. Slider insists on trying to do what is morally correct, not merely legal,

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book was ok, but there wasn't anything special about it other than the author's puns.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the newest [and very welcome] Bill Slider mystery, the Detective Inspector is presented with a missing persons report: Melanie Hunter, a young woman who is a paleontologist at a prestigious Kensington museum, has not been seen in a day, and though that is normally not a matter for the police at that early stage, there is a hint of Sherlock Holmes in the fact that her dog, usually a very quiet animal, has been left alone in her apartment and has been barking a lot. When her downstairs neighbor lets himself into the apartment with the key he had been provided for just such purpose, he takes the dog back with him and reports the incident to the police. The worst fears are realized in short order when the woman’s dead body is discovered.

Suspicion first falls on that self-same neighbor, who is found to be a convicted murderer, though out of prison for several years. Although everyone who knew Melanie says she was very friendly and loved by all, there are soon several serious suspects, and no real proof or evidence to narrow it down. Slider, always a sensitive soul, finds the girl’s death haunting him.

Slider is a wonderful protagonist, and his colleagues in Shepherd’s Bush cop shop are delightful creations all, including D.S. Porson, king of the malapropisms and mixed metaphors, described variously as having “the looks and charm of a bunion,” wearing a “greatcoat, the folds of which were so voluminous a Bedouin could have kept his entire family in there, and several of his favourite horses as well.” The author’s trademark evocative descriptions of people and places are terrific as always; the writing throughout is wonderful in its humor and poignancy, and the mystery thoroughly satisfying, with a fascinating resolution that is truly unexpected - - though all the clues are there.

Highly recommended.