Stiff News - Hardcover

Aird, Catherine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312200234 ISBN 13: 9780312200237

Publisher: St Martins Pr, 1999

Synopsis

When an old woman dies of apparently natural causes, a letter received by her son leads Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan into a disturbing investigation into possible murder in a regimental retirement home for World War II veterans.

About this title

From AudioFile:

In this installment of Aird's popular series, Detective Inspector CD Sloan and Constable Crosby investigate what may or may not be murder at a retirement home for former members of the Fernshire Regiment. The reader, Bruce Montague, has a pleasing delivery and gives each of the many characters a distinctive voice. The reading captures Aird's subtle humor perfectly--altogether delightful. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Kirkus Reviews:

Strange things are happening at the Almstone Nursing Home for retired military officers and their wives in the town of February, the turf of Detective Inspector C.D. Sloan, his Superintendent Leeyes, and his Detective Constable Crosby (After Effects, 1996, etc.). Aged and ailing Gertrude Powell has died at the Home, but shes left behind a letter to her son Lionel claiming to have been a murder victim. It seems, too, that correspondence is missing from her room, but Medical Examiner Dabbe's autopsy fails to produce anything suspicious. Meanwhile, Sloan's persistent questioning at the Home reveals a surprising number of deathsmore than even this setting would warrant; a common war background in North Africa among the male patients; something called an Escape Committee, and something else named the Almstone Pragmatic Sanction, a title evoking euthanasia. A Scottish dagger, an Egyptian amulet and the disappearance of new patient Morag McBeath make for further complications, but finally (as Sloan eventually discovers) what holds the key to Almstones troubles are a few long-hidden secrets. What might have been an intriguing story gets buried in a stream of clichd quotes, tedious asides, and a meandering, unfocused narration that produces little suspense and a pancake-flat finale. Disappointing stuff from a usually reliable veteran. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: St Martins Pr
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0312200234
• ISBN 13: 9780312200237
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 227