Hard Going (Bill Slider Mysteries Book 16)
Hard Going (Bill Slider Mysteries Book 16) book cover

Hard Going (Bill Slider Mysteries Book 16)

Kindle Edition

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Price
$6.49
Publisher
Severn House
Publication Date

Description

From Booklist *Starred Review* The always-reliable Harrod-Eagles pulls another rabbit out of the hat with her latest Bill Slider crime story. The plot is distinctive and well structured, the descriptions of plodding police work authentic-seeming, and the characters colorful, but it’s the repartee and the laugh-aloud dark humor that sets this book apart from other procedurals. Slider is called to investigate the brutal murder of Lionel Bygood, who has been beaten to death with a gold statuette from his own mantelpiece. According to those who knew him, Bygood was a kind, gentle, cultured, generous man who went out of his way to help the unfortunate. So who would kill such a wonderful person? The neighbors didn’t see anything unusual on the day of the murder, nothing seems to have been stolen, and there are almost no clues or leads; but Slider isn’t one to give up, and as he delves into Bygood’s past, he uncovers a few skeletons that could just lead him to the killer. As usual, a tour de force of character-driven crime writing from genre master Harrod-Eagles. --Emily Melton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. "Levelheaded DI Slider returns in a satisfying balance of bullpen banter, lively characterization and thorough detection" ― Kirkus Reviews “As usual, a tour de force of character-driven crime writing from genre master Harrod-Eagles” ― Booklist Starred Review “Harrod-Eagles continues to entertain with this well-plotted, gracefully written procedural series” ― Publishers Weekly "Believable protagonists, a diverse ensemble cast, and contemporary issues. Her knack for making the supporting characters stand out is particularly notable" ― Library Journal Starred Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is the author of the internationally acclaimed Bill Slider mysteries and the historical Morland Dynasty series. She lives in London, is married with three children and enjoys music, wine, gardening, horses and the English countryside. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Why was a local philanthropist murdered? Bill Slider investigates . . .
  • A rare week off with his family is rudely interrupted when Slider is called in to investigatethe murder of an elderly man, bashed on the head with a bronze statuette, inwhat Doc Cameron describes as ‘our old friend the Frenzied Attack’. Lionel Bygod, retired solicitor, was an old-fashioned gentleman, apillar of society, who gave advice and help to all, from the highest to thelowest. But as Slider and his team investigate, they discover dark secrets at the heart of thismild and kindly man’s life. Shadows from the past – professionalenemies – long-incubated revenge: what was it that sparked such unquenchablefury? The trail is old and cold, and Slider’s on the clock . . .

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(138)
★★★★
25%
(115)
★★★
15%
(69)
★★
7%
(32)
★
23%
(107)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Hard Going is Easy Reading

I have been reading this police procedural series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, featuring DI Bill Slider of the Metropolitan Police, Shepherd’s Bush, West London, for many years. I see this series as a traditional, cozyish police procedural series. There is a strong focus on the lives of the two major characters (Slider and his partner Atherton) in addition to the investigation of the crime; that makes it feel more realistic.

In this case, the police investigate the brutal killing of an elderly solicitor who seemingly had no enemies and can find very little information about the victim. He has many friends and acquaintances in his neighborhood, and he is known for helping out hard-luck cases, but his friends can provide no background on him. No next of kin. Slider and his team must work hard to find where he came from. I especially enjoy the stories where a person's identity is in question; I like the research involved.

Like many long running series, this one has its ups and downs, but I have found it a series worth sticking with. The characters are likable. I find that the policemen are very well-defined characters, the other persons involved in the crime less so. These books tell the story of the day by day investigation, looking for leads and connections, searching hours of CCTV tapes to trace the activities of the suspects.The series is known for its wit and humor, but this one seemed less humorous to me. Which was fine.

I was given the opportunity to review this book by Severn House via NetGalley.
7 people found this helpful
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"Hard Going", the most recent of Cynthia Harrod-Eagle's books featuring Bill Slider. Kindle version

I had been waiting with great impatience for this book to become available, and it was worth the wait.
As usual with her books, Harrod-Eagles uses beautiful prose, and the plot follows a clear path to the denouement.
Although Slider and his fellow detectives are always trying to solve a murder, the author does not wallow in the gore, and she is too good a writer to depend on horror and shock tactics.
I also enjoy the clever puns and sly allusions.
The anxiety her readers endured while waiting to see if Bill and Joanna would find a way out of their financial and accommodation difficulties was finally laid to rest, but not until the last couple of pages, which kept the reader in suspense.
I would certainly recommend this book to friends and family, though I think they should read the earlier books in the series first.
5 people found this helpful
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Solid British detective novel

London Detective Bill Slider and his team have a new murder case to solve. Many cases are difficult to solve, but this one is surprising because the victim, Lionel Bygood, seemed like such a nice guy. He offered advice and sometimes money to those in need, seemingly out of a genuine desire to help other people. Slider and the detectives reporting to him keep digging to find who had a motive to kill this kind gentleman.

I really enjoy this detective series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. I’ve read many, but not all of the prior books in this long-running series, but newcomers can easily catch up on the characters and fully enjoy this mystery. The case is complex and takes Slider’s entire team to bring the case to its unexpected solution.
The case in this book is interesting, but what I like the most about the book and the entire series is the realistic relationships between the characters. Their witty banter, camaraderie, as well as conflicts are believable, as well as entertaining. The working relationship between Slider and his friend Jim Atherton is complicated by what’s going on in Atherton’s personal life, and this sub-plot is realistic and adds depth the characters.

“Hard Going” is a pleasant, easy-to-read novel for anyone who loves an excellent, witty British mystery. Readers who enjoy books by Deborah Crombie or Shirley Wells will want to give this series a try.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House publishing, in exchange for an honest review.
5 people found this helpful
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Somewhat routine entry in usually entertaining 16-book Bill Slider series

We have really enjoyed this Detective Inspector Bill Slider series, of which this latest is the 16th in the set. Almost like Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth, Slider, with a little help from his colleagues at London suburb Shepherd’s Bush PD, mostly uses his wits and common sense to zero in on criminals. In this one, a retired lawyer Lionel Bygod has been murdered – but a paucity of clues point to little other than his housekeeper (or her husband), a potentially jealous actor, and an aggrieved family involved in the victim’s last criminal trial. Indeed, most of the novel chases those suspects to a fruitless set of findings. With just a slim slice of book left, a few new clues surface, after which it seems the perpetrators cave in with only a little provocation.

While we typically find all these tales entertaining, including the personal life asides with Slider and symphony violinist wife Joanna, dad George, and right-hand man Atherton; his exasperation in honing in on the killer for nearly the whole book left we readers feeling almost as exasperated. The author's hasty wrap-up then seemed to cheat a little – to perhaps target a certain page count, rather than deliver a well-crafted conclusion to a drifting plot. While we would never skip one of these Brit mysteries, the aptly titled “Hard Going” was by no means our favorite.
2 people found this helpful
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Not her best effort

I love the characters in this series, but I found this particular book to be indeed "Hard Going". Also the puns and silliness that I enjoy so much, such as the fish dish Atherton makes called "Raison Sole D'etre", seemed contrived and -- dare I say it? -- even irritating this time around. Usually I laugh out loud at least once, but this book was lacking clever repartee. It was also sadly lacking Harrod-Eagles' deft hand with plot. Think I'll go back and re-read some of the earlier books to remind myself why I like this series.
1 people found this helpful
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Good but not Great

I've read every Bill Slider Mystery Cynthia Harrod-Eagles has written and look forward to the next one but "Hard Going" seemed a bit uninspired.
1 people found this helpful
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You'll love these stories

I have read all that is available to me from this series...hope there is more. She is great author...with gripping storylines and superb characters. British policing at it's best from Cynthia. I loved every one in the series and I know you will too. Such a talented writer...sorry 've copied and pasted these reviews but time is short, and I read a lot.
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Four Stars

Great police procedural.
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Good

Not great. Not enough Joanna and baby George in this one. Slider's interaction with his little son is one of my favorite things. For some reason this one seemed slower going than most of the previous, but since I found the victim and the people who cared about him so appealing I wanted to know who/why they ended his life.
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Good Book from a Good Series

This is a good, complicated mystery, with interesting, believable characters. Unusually, the plot hinges on the character of the victim.

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