Cruel as the Grave

In Harrod-Eagles’s clever, frequently funny 22nd police procedural featuring Det. Chief Insp. Bill Slider (after 2019’s Headlong), Slider and his friend and partner, Det. Sgt. Jim Atherton, arrive at the London apartment of Erik Lingoss, a personal trainer, to find the man dead, his head bashed in, and Erik’s recently jilted girlfriend, 19-year-old Kelly-Ann Hayes, covered in blood. Though pressured to pin the murder on Kelly-Anne, Slider isn’t convinced of her guilt. A search of the victim’s apartment leads to a series of tantalizing suspects, including Erik’s wealthy private clients and a long list of discarded lovers. Sparkling dialogue complements a plot that provides satisfyingly shifting motives and persons of interest. However, it’s Harrod-Eagles’s ability to create authentic relationships between Slider and his colleagues and family that lifts this series into a league of its own. Slider’s marriage to Joanna, a concert musician, is certainly one of the most well-balanced in detective fiction. This entry will garner new readers and delight loyal fans. (Feb.)