[.ca] Stiff News (ISBN 0333736524)

Not her best stuff:
I welcomed the return of C.D. Sloan and even the lead-footed Crosby, and I was quite intrigued by the mystery; however, the thread seemed to fizzle out and the denouement left me cold. It all seemed much ado about nothing. An enjoyable read for fans of this sleuth, but newcomers to Aird should read some of her older books. My personal favorite is "A Most Contagious Game". It does not feature C.D. Sloan, although it is laid in Calleshire and mixes a delightful historical mystery with a modern one in masterful fashion.

Fans will welcome the return of of C.D. Sloan:
No one would expect murder to occur to any of the residents of the Almstone Manor rest home for the Fearnshire regiment and their families. Anyone living at the home already suffers from bad health and death would be from natural causes. This holds true for Gertrude Powell until her son receives a posthumous letter from her, stating that someone has been trying to kill her. Callehsire Detective Inspector Christopher Dennis "C.D." Sloan and Detective Constable Crosby begin to investigate Gertrude's missive by trying to halt her funeral. The two law enforcement officials soon learn that the residents of Almstone have known each since W.W.II. Though it initially appears to be the ramblings of a very sick elderly person, five-decade old grudges remain, but are they strong enough to push someone into committing murder? Catherine Aird is renowned for her witty, British police procedurals starring Sloan (see A GOING CONCERN). However, her current entry, STIFF NEWS, seems to fall short of her previous tales as the story line takes too long before finding its rhythm and the secondary cast never evolves into real characters. Still, Ms. Aird's ability to write keeps her novel from total collapse and Sloan remains an interesting protagonist. The news on this book is that it is a bit stiff, leaving readers who want Ms. Aird at her best to try any of her previous works. Sloan fans will both enjoy and be disappointed by Sloan's latest case. Harriet Klausner

Clever and Sharp:
As in all her books, this one is cleverly and wittingly written. No one quite has Ms. Aird's style. It is truly unique in the genre of British detective fiction. She has sharp dialogue and carefully drawn characters, and her books almost make the reader feel they are partaking of a guilty pleasure because of her sly wit and slightly naughty "tongue-in-cheek" writing. In this book Sloan and Crosby are called out to a Senior's manor. No one seems surprised that a sick old lady has died, except the lady herself. She had made arrangements to have a letter sent to her son saying that she was afraid of dying not a natural death. By the time Sloan and Crosby are on site at the manor it appears that something very wrong has been going on there. It's one of the most puzzling cases of Sloan's career, and he finds that he has to delve into the past to unmask the murderer.