# I've discovered a new mystery series!



## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I’ve discovered a mystery series that somehow escaped me over the years: The C. D. Sloan mysteries, by Catherine Aird.  These are the stories of Detective Inspector Sloan, a policeman in rural England. There are now 24 in the series, published between 1966 and 2016.  The publisher regularly runs sales on the volumes in this series, I’ve picked up 14 of them for $1.99 each (courtesy of Open Road Media’s Early Bird book notifications).  I’ve seen these books on the shelves at the bookstore for several decades, but never thought to try one. 


The books would fall somewhere between cozies and police procedurals, and are very witty and literate. They remind me a lot of the works of MC Beaton and Martha Grimes. I am still in the early books, and so far they are all in the 1950s time frame.  Which is fine with me. DI Sloan is not one of these newfangled detectives that has to be an alcoholic, have psychological problems, or talks to ghosts. He’s just an ordinary, albeit smart copper.  He does get saddled with a slightly dim detective sergeant who drives like a crazy person. And Sloane is happily married. 


I am very glad I discovered these, it gives me a nice warm feeling to know that I have almost an entire series of new-to-me books to look forward to. 



Edit:  I see the problem with question marks instead of apostrophes in the final posted message is still not resolved.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I've not heard of this author or series, but I'm always looking for new-to-me traditional style mysteries! Looks like the first one is The Religious Body. I've put it on a watch list for a Kindle sale (looks like each book is running $6 right now) and will also check my library. Thanks, Mike.


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## Fogeydc (Oct 24, 2017)

I have very fond memories of that series -- nice traditional English mysteries. I know I read as many as I found years ago, some more than once. I've recently picked up a few on $1.99 deals to revisit.

(I seem to be re-constructing an e-version of my old DTB library, books I could no longer comfortably read in what appears to me now to be micro-print on yellowed pages so I offloaded them a while back.)

Is Sloan the one with the bad back he has to do exercises for when it acts up?


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Already read the first one and I'm now on the second. For anyone interested, the second one is at $1.99.

\

Thanks so much, Mike.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

_The C.D. Sloan Mysteries Volume One: The Religious Body, Henrietta Who? and The Stately Home Murder_ $3.99


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Andra said:


> _The C.D. Sloan Mysteries Volume One: The Religious Body, Henrietta Who? and The Stately Home Murder_ $3.99
> 
> 
> 
> Excellent, now residing on my Kindle. Thanks, Andra.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Andra said:


> _The C.D. Sloan Mysteries Volume One: The Religious Body, Henrietta Who? and The Stately Home Murder_ $3.99


Darn, I already bought (and read) the first two.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

Enablers...


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Darn, I already bought (and read) the first two.


It's still less expensive to buy the box set to get Book 3 than to buy Book 3 individually!



anguabell said:


> Enablers...


It's true!


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I bought the 2nd one, then I found the set in one of the emails I get so I returned it and purchased the set instead.
I have to work out of town next week and I'm excited to have something new to read.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

crebel said:


> It's still less expensive to buy the box set to get Book 3 than to buy Book 3 individually!
> 
> It's true!


Yes, you're right. So I got it.



Andra said:


> I bought the 2nd one, then I found the set in one of the emails I get so I returned it and purchased the set instead.
> I have to work out of town next week and I'm excited to have something new to read.


I also got this one.



Sixteen of Aird's short stories for $2.99.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm pulling this thread back up to thank Mike for finding and recommending this traditional British mystery series.  I purchased the box set of the first 3 back in May and it finally came to the top of my Mountain of Immortality yesterday.  I have already finished the first 2 and started book 3.  I'm sure I will continue to binge read through the rest of the series.

The remaining books fluctuate wildly in price at Amazon and are not available through my library, but I like them so well I will continue to buy at "regular" prices.  Add me to the others here; I place them at highly recommend!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

"Mountain of Immortality"  Perfect! 

I see the first in that series is part of my mountain as well . . . perhaps I'll have to go spelunking . . . . as soon as I finish the two library books I currently have checked out.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> "Mountain of Immortality"  Perfect!
> 
> I see the first in that series is part of my mountain as well . . . perhaps I'll have to go spelunking . . . . as soon as I finish the two library books I currently have checked out.


Maybe you could lend it to me while you read the two library books? I see lending is enabled... 

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Maybe you could lend it to me while you read the two library books? I see lending is enabled...
> 
> Betsy


I can do that . . . . send me a PM or email and let me know what email address to use.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

As I recall, it doesn't matter.  You can use the one we've been exchanging emails on the last couple days...

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> As I recall, it doesn't matter. You can use the one we've been exchanging emails on the last couple days...
> 
> Betsy


Just sent it.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Accepted!  Opened on Calypso the Oasis. Starting to read...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Except I just noticed it's Book 7?

EDIT:  Never mind, operator error.  Forgot I picked up the two cheapies.


Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Missed this thread originally. Darn, the box set is $13.99 now.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Yep, I had the same reaction, Claw.  But the series is lending enabled...Perhaps someone would do as Ann did for me this and lend you the first in the series.  The second is 1.99 so I picked that up!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

The Hooded Claw said:


> Missed this thread originally. Darn, the box set is $13.99 now.





Betsy the Quilter said:


> Yep, I had the same reaction, Claw. But the series is lending enabled...Perhaps someone would do as Ann did for me this and lend you the first in the series. The second is 1.99 so I picked that up!


He might know someone who would be willing to do that ...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

crebel said:


> He might know someone who would be willing to do that ...


 

Enjoying the first one so far...once I've read that one and the second one which I bought for $1.99 I'll know better if I want to invest in more in the series! (Or try to bum a copy of #3!)


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

So I found the first on one of my libraries, put on waitlist, although nobody else is in line. But then I noticed its only 158 pages. Are those novellas? Thats  way too short for a proper mystery.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah, it's much shorter than I typically read.  But if there are 24 of them, I can consider them one really long book.  

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Yeah, it's much shorter than I typically read. But if there are 24 of them, I can consider them one really long book.
> 
> Betsy


Yep -- as long as each volume isn't too thin on plot. How are you finding it so far? When you return book one, I'll read it and then borrow book 2 (unless I also have it; haven't checked yet). My Mountain of Immortality has a lot that I'm not completely aware of.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Yep -- as long as each volume isn't too thin on plot. How are you finding it so far? When you return book one, I'll read it and then borrow book 2 (unless I also have it; haven't checked yet). My Mountain of Immortality has a lot that I'm not completely aware of.


I'm enjoying it so far--seems pretty well fleshed out so far. Let me know if you want book 2 (it was $1.99 so I bought it on spec). As it turns out, book 1 is available in the Fairfax County system--but is the only one in the series available, apparently.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

So, it turns out I have a bunch of 'em, but not all -- they were $2 back in February of 2017. I have 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 16.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> So, it turns out I have a bunch of 'em, but not all -- they were $2 back in February of 2017. I have 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 16.


And I have 7! It is currently $1.99, I think, if you want to add to your set, or you can borrow it from me.

You may hear from me again on some of the others. Maybe they'll go on sale again.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> And I have 7! It is currently $1.99, I think, if you want to add to your set, or you can borrow it from me.
> 
> You may hear from me again on some of the others. Maybe they'll go on sale again.


I'll probably read at least the 1st 2 when I'm finished the two library books . . . unless something else comes up. I don't tend to binge a whole series at once, but if you buy #3, let me know.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I have volume 1 (#1-3) and #6 if anyone wants to borrow them.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Andra said:


> I have volume 1 (#1-3) and #6 if anyone wants to borrow them.


If no one takes you up on volume 1 by the time I've finished the first two, I might take you up on that!

Betsy


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Atunah said:


> So I found the first on one of my libraries, put on waitlist, although nobody else is in line. But then I noticed its only 158 pages. Are those novellas? Thats way too short for a proper mystery.


I haven't found them to be too short at all, in fact I was surprised to realize the paperbacks are listed at 158 pages. The stories are fully fleshed out. The reader gets the "clues" at the same time DI Sloan does, which I really appreciate. I dislike when crimes are solved at the end of a book with clues the reader never got *mumble ... Agatha Christie ... mumble*.

I also concur with Mike when he says they are "witty and literate", with the vocabulary a higher level than found in most current mysteries, yet still quite readable. Just what I expect from traditional British mysteries. Book 3 was a little bit of a slog in the beginning, but picked up nicely once DI Sloan got on scene.

One of my favorite characters is the local coroner, Dr. Dabbe. He ends up providing pretty interesting forensic clues for books that were written decades ago!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

All right. You guys convinced me. I can get the first at least at the library to see how I like it. Once I finish the other 2 borrows I have to get too still.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

It looks like most of them are on sale today for $1.99 or $2.99.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Andra said:


> It looks like most of them are on sale today for $1.99 or $2.99.


Sweet! I just purchased 4-15. If anyone wants to borrow my box set of 1-3 or any of the other individual titles, send me a pm - first come, first serve! I stopped at #15, because it appears #16 and #17 are both collections of short stories.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

crebel said:


> Sweet! I just purchased 4-15. If anyone wants to borrow my box set of 1-3 or any of the other individual titles, send me a pm - first come, first serve! I stopped at #15, because it appears #16 and #17 are both collections of short stories.


Ditto


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I noticed when I finished book 1 (Thanks, Ann!) that it's an Open Road imprint.  Open Road is Amazon's imprint, I think?  They must have bought the rights.  Maybe all of us checking the books out encouraged them to put them on sale!

Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

crebel said:


> He might know someone who would be willing to do that ...


My life is busy right now, but I might look for that somebody before long!


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

@ Crebel:  Can I borrow your boxed set #1-3?  I don't know the process for that, though, so you'd have to walk me through it.  If it's still available, TIA!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Trophywife007 said:


> @ Crebel: Can I borrow your boxed set #1-3? I don't know the process for that, though, so you'd have to walk me through it. If it's still available, TIA!


PM sent to you.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks for this thread.  I just finished the first one, am well into the second in the series, and am truly hooked.  Great stories so far and I like the main character... some of the lines are laugh out loud funny set with the juxtaposition of a murder investigation.  Excellent!  Many thanks to Crebel for the loan!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I just finished the first one ... I found some of the language and attitudes a bit dated, but not in a horrible way. More like: if she was writing today, possibly she'd use different words/descriptions etc. That said ... I enjoyed it so will certainly continue the series. In a way, it's refreshing to read a series that relies more in logic and deduction than high tech forensics.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I just finished the first one ... I found some of the language and attitudes a bit dated, but not in a horrible way. More like: if she was writing today, possibly she'd use different words/descriptions etc. That said ... I enjoyed it so will certainly continue the series. In a way, it's refreshing to read a series that relies more in logic and deduction than high tech forensics.


Agree! I find myself using the dictionary function fairly often in this series (which I think is a plus). There are certainly some dated attitudes and I was taken aback by some word/phrasing usage in Book 4 and 5 which I do consider horrible, considering these books were written in the 80s even though the story lines are in earlier times. I also didn't realize the one particular phrase that really bothered me might have been common usage in the UK, in that I was more surprised it was used by a UK author in a UK setting.

It bothered me enough that had Book 4 been Book 1, I might not have continued the series. The single word that was used in Book 5 is a word with a once common acceptable negative definition that is now completely unacceptable in this day and age. Does that make any sense without repeating the phrase and single word here?


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

I haven't gotten that far... you'd think they would go back in and revise.


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## Fogeydc (Oct 24, 2017)

Trophywife007 said:


> I haven't gotten that far... you'd think they would go back in and revise.


Are you saying that authors (&/or publishers) should go back and re-write/edit old books to remove language when it becomes offensive to a new (more enlightened?) generation?


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Fogeydc said:


> Are you saying that authors (&/or publishers) should go back and re-write/edit old books to remove language when it becomes offensive to a new (more enlightened?) generation?


You didn't ask me, but I'll give my opinion anyway!  I don't think publishers should ever change what has already been published. If an author wants to change something, fine.

I don't think the ugly usages in Tom Sawyer, To Kill A Mockingbird, Huckleberry Finn, etc. should be changed, censored, or banned. They were, unfortunately, an accurate reflection of the time and circumstance, and I don't think we should forget or be unwilling to recognize it by changing them. I mean if every mention of racism, misogyny, etc. were to try and be eradicated, we would lose a lot of great literature, and there would be WAY fewer songs in the world or television shows, or movies, on and on.

In the case of the two books I mentioned, the first phrase, used a single time, is a U.S. idiom that was directly a result of slavery. To see it in a British setting book, by a British writer, in a circumstance that was in no way applicable, in a book that was written in 1986, jolted me. There are frequent Shakespeare quotes throughout the series - if the character had said, "There's something rotten in Denmark" I wouldn't have given it another thought. This usage offended me more than the word in the next book and would be a deal breaker for some in their decision to read it, so I mentioned it.

The second single word, again used only once, still has a dictionary definition of: "reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly.
meanly or ungenerously small or scanty" and I could understand how/why it was used. It is only because its spelling that now gives it a relationship to a derogatory racial term and it has fallen out of usage for "more enlightened" generations.

TLR My answer to your question is "No, unless the author wants to change it."


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

crebel said:


> ...The second single word, again used only once, still has a dictionary definition of: "reluctant to give or spend; stingy; miserly.
> meanly or ungenerously small or scanty" and I could understand how/why it was used. It is only because its spelling that now gives it a relationship to a derogatory racial term and it has fallen out of usage for "more enlightened" generations.
> 
> TLR My answer to your question is "No, unless the author wants to change it."


My thought was that since it appeared the author was still alive and since we weren't talking about Mark Twain or something historical, if it were truly offensive (and possibly used in the wrong context) it could be changed. Since I haven't actually read the piece, I can't judge.

Making an assumption here that the word "niggardly" is being referred to: it is my understanding that its origins are not racially based at all. There was a bit of a bruhaha some years ago about it and turn out it is Norse in origin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I can only speak about the one book as that's all I've read so far. To clarify my earlier post, my perception is mostly that some of the attitudes displayed, while probably pretty standard for the time, are not the sorts of things I'd expect to see in a book written and published nowadays. But, considering the one I'd read was written in the 60s, I was not particularly put out. I get that times were different. IF the author chose to go back and do some re-rwiting, I'd have no objection; that's her right. But I don't think she has any obligation to do so. 

I'll continue reading the series for as long as I enjoy the stories.


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

I've never run across those either. I really have to tell my wife about those who is a big fan of Christie and Josephine Tey.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

I missed this thread at its origins as well; now going to check out the series!


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