Helpful Score: 1
Catherine Aird is one of my favorite authors; I love British literature. I read Aird, not for her police procedures but for her droll sense of humor. I particularly love the way Sloan is put upon by the Inspector assigning young Crosby to assist.
Crosby couldnt assist a blind person across the street, so it is always fun to see what excuse is given for sending the young constable. Usually, it is something like, Theres no one else; youll just have to take Crosby.
Crosbys mutterings under his breath are usually priceless; he and Dr. Dabbe (the police pathologist) offer some comedy to the proceedings. I often wonder what Crosbys thoughts are about being considered the most useless member of the Berebury CID in West Calleshire, England.
As I reread Airds works, I am always impressed how her stories stand up to the passage of time. Although this work was written in the late 1960s, the style speaks of an even earlier time in history; it seems to be a period piece.
In this first novel, Aird sets about establishing the characters in Berebury CID; and characters they all are! From Happy Harry (who isnt) to Sloan to Dr. Dabbe, everyone brings something to the banquet.
This is a pleasant introduction to Airds wry wit and entertaining characters!
Crosby couldnt assist a blind person across the street, so it is always fun to see what excuse is given for sending the young constable. Usually, it is something like, Theres no one else; youll just have to take Crosby.
Crosbys mutterings under his breath are usually priceless; he and Dr. Dabbe (the police pathologist) offer some comedy to the proceedings. I often wonder what Crosbys thoughts are about being considered the most useless member of the Berebury CID in West Calleshire, England.
As I reread Airds works, I am always impressed how her stories stand up to the passage of time. Although this work was written in the late 1960s, the style speaks of an even earlier time in history; it seems to be a period piece.
In this first novel, Aird sets about establishing the characters in Berebury CID; and characters they all are! From Happy Harry (who isnt) to Sloan to Dr. Dabbe, everyone brings something to the banquet.
This is a pleasant introduction to Airds wry wit and entertaining characters!
Catherine Aird is one of my favorite authors; I love British literature. I read Aird, not for her police procedures but for her droll sense of humor. I particularly love the way Sloan is put upon by the Inspector assigning young Crosby to assist.
Crosby couldnt assist a blind person across the street, so it is always fun to see what excuse is given for sending the young constable. Usually, it is something like, Theres no one else; youll just have to take Crosby.
Crosbys mutterings under his breath are usually priceless; he and Dr. Dabbe (the police pathologist) offer some comedy to the proceedings. I often wonder what Crosbys thoughts are about being considered the most useless member of the Berebury CID in West Calleshire, England.
As I reread Airds works, I am always impressed how her stories stand up to the passage of time. Although this work was written in the late 1960s, the style speaks of an even earlier time in history; it seems to be a period piece.
In this first novel, Aird sets about establishing the characters in Berebury CID; and characters they all are! From Happy Harry (who isnt) to Sloan to Dr. Dabbe, everyone brings something to the banquet.
This is a pleasant introduction to Airds wry wit and entertaining characters!
Crosby couldnt assist a blind person across the street, so it is always fun to see what excuse is given for sending the young constable. Usually, it is something like, Theres no one else; youll just have to take Crosby.
Crosbys mutterings under his breath are usually priceless; he and Dr. Dabbe (the police pathologist) offer some comedy to the proceedings. I often wonder what Crosbys thoughts are about being considered the most useless member of the Berebury CID in West Calleshire, England.
As I reread Airds works, I am always impressed how her stories stand up to the passage of time. Although this work was written in the late 1960s, the style speaks of an even earlier time in history; it seems to be a period piece.
In this first novel, Aird sets about establishing the characters in Berebury CID; and characters they all are! From Happy Harry (who isnt) to Sloan to Dr. Dabbe, everyone brings something to the banquet.
This is a pleasant introduction to Airds wry wit and entertaining characters!
Very old fashioned murder mystery, which I enjoy more for a glimpse into British life in the 1960s than for the writing style or the challenge of the mystery. While we might think that the Swinging 60s wrought an instant transformation on the British Isles, Aird makes it clear from the setting and context of her murders, and the attitudes of her characters, that change took time to percolate through to places like the little market towns of the fictional "Calleshire" (her version of Midsomer, for cozy mystery fans).
This is the first Inspector Sloan novel, and it has the same faults and attractions of any novel introducing characters who are clearly intended for a long run. (Is Sloan as clever as he thinks he is? Is his not-so-trusty sidekick really as stupid as he seems? Is Calleshire interesting enough to provided the necessary local color?) The murder takes place in a convent, and the unreconstructed misogyny this introduces, as various characters reflect on the "unnaturalness" of an all-female community, is pretty bracing.
An interesting beginning, which made me want to read more
This is the first Inspector Sloan novel, and it has the same faults and attractions of any novel introducing characters who are clearly intended for a long run. (Is Sloan as clever as he thinks he is? Is his not-so-trusty sidekick really as stupid as he seems? Is Calleshire interesting enough to provided the necessary local color?) The murder takes place in a convent, and the unreconstructed misogyny this introduces, as various characters reflect on the "unnaturalness" of an all-female community, is pretty bracing.
An interesting beginning, which made me want to read more
