Another outstanding modern police procedural featuring strong, well drawn characters

Headlong by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is the 21st in the DCI Bill Slider series however it does read well as a standalone. Ed Wiseman, a 67-year-old literary agent, is found dead in the construction site next to his home and office. The death is deemed accidental in the beginning of the investigation but soon looks like murder. DCI Slider's bosses pressure him to keep the whole thing out of the newspapers and to resolve the case quickly. The potential list of suspects soon grows due to the fact that Ed Wiseman was very popular with the ladies, all of the ladies. This is a good old-fashioned police procedural that flows well and is entertaining. I look forward to reading other novels in the series. Highly recommended. Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Edward Wiseman, a well-known literary agent is found dead at a construction project next door to his home. DCI Bill Slider is assigned to the case and department brass wants it determined to be accidental death as soon as possible. However, Slider can't ignore his hunch that Wiseman is a victim of murder.

I've read many of the books in this long-running series, but the book would be just as enjoyable to readers who are new to the series. The clever title fits the murder and is also the title of a book Wiseman wanted to publish before his untimely death. This is just one example of the author's expertise with language. The book is filled with witty language and wordplay, especially in the banter between Slider and his friend and colleague DS Jim Atherton.

The case featured in the story is interesting, with more than one viable suspects. There was one aspect that seemed unbelievable to me in that a key witness was off limits for questioning, due to her tie to a department bigwig. Other than that, I was engaged in the case and was surprised at the outcome.

This series has always shown a nice mix of Slider's work and home life. This book in particular realistically deals with balancing work and family when both parents have a career outside the home, and I enjoyed this aspect of the story. There are surprises on the personal side in the book that I look forward to see play out in future books.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Severn House. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

A good, solid police procedural and the discovery of a new good series.
It's the first one I read in this series and was really happy to have read it.
It was engaging and entertaining, a well written and with likable cast of characters.
The mystery was good, no plot hole, and it keep you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading another installment in this series.
Recommended
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC

I have just read the last four books (or more correctly the most recent four books) of the Bill Slider series. These are police procedurals set in London in the UK, and are authentic, intelligent, witty, and have some excellent puns. The mysteries are pretty straightforward and the police work in ways you expect them to. The detectives have pretty normal backgrounds and home lives, and you can follow their lives throughout the series. While most of them do not rely on having read earlier ones and they can be read out of order, the back stories are important and enjoyable so I recommend reading in order. The books are short - anywhere from 218 to 256 pages as Harrod-Eagles hasn't bought in to the whole longer must be better (and more complicated and confusing) idea that so many authors embrace these days. This is one of the best police procedural series I know and I highly recommend it if you like British series.

Big fan of police procedurals, I'd never have read a British police procedural, save the book club. So glad I did. The preciseness and paucity of the language, the solid plot, all the words, dialects, and references I didn't get - a wonderful read!

Big fan of police procedurals, I'd never have read a British police procedural, save the book club. So glad I did. The preciseness and paucity of the language, the solid plot, all the words, dialects, and references I didn't get - a wonderful read!

A good, solid police procedural and the discovery of a new good series.
It's the first one I read in this series and was really happy to have read it.
It was engaging and entertaining, a well written and with likable cast of characters.
The mystery was good, no plot hole, and it keep you guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading another installment in this series.
Recommended
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC

Big fan of police procedurals, I'd never have read a British police procedural, save the book club. So glad I did. The preciseness and paucity of the language, the solid plot, all the words, dialects, and references I didn't get - a wonderful read!