"Homespun, humane, deeply satisfying private eye novel, with Manchester shamus Sal Kilkenny - single parent, platonically sharing a house with similarly placed Ray - hired to find long-gone Jennifer, disinherited by her family and seen by no one for twenty years; investigating at the same time, racist threats to Somali immigrants by thuggish local neo-Nazis. Skilful blending of family concerns - collecting kids from school, daring to read the bank statement, wondering if the new man on the phone is Mr Right - with authentic matters of life and death. Dogged, down-to-earth detective work (with a flash of inspiration) in the first case and righteous rage in the second, when the Somali house is fire-bombed and a child dies. Real people, real problems, sometimes with solutions still to come. Staincliffe writes brilliantly and compassionately about things that matter. Seriously good." Philip Oakes, Literary Review
Reviews of
Blue Murder
'Janine Lewis has just been promoted - to become the first female detective
chief inspector in Manchester. However, the thrill of her initial murder
case (a local deputy headmaster is stabbed to death on his allotment)
is not unalloyed. Janine's boss has little faith in her abilities, her
husband has left her and their three children - and she is pregnant. Caroline
Quentin starred in the television version last year but, thanks partly
to Franklin's sympathetic delivery, the book is more complex and satisfying
in its handling of Lewis's agonised attempts to be both a good cop and
a good mother. A grittily real cast of Manchester lowlifes provides clues
and red herrings about how the teacher met his demise.
Sunday Times
'Manchester author Cath Staincliffe is a crime writer
who has taken the female private eye seriously in the past, with her highly
praised Sal Kilkenny series. Her new book, however, is Blue Murder the
novel of her own television drama which starred the always excellent Caroline
Quentin as the pregnant, single mother Detective Chief Inspector Janine
Lewis. Having struggled with sexism in her job, an unfaithful husband
and the harassments of a working mum bringing up three children, Janine
now faces a new challenge: her first murder case, when a local schoolteacher
is stabbed to death. But after bringing up three kids already, she can
take this in her stride and the balancing act between domesticity and
the demands of policework, which could have been mawkish, is instead warmly
and convincingly described by Staincliffe in uncluttered and finely detailed
prose.'
Birmingham Post
'On the page, Janine makes an engaging and attractive
heroine, injecting a satisfying note of realism into the genre of the
hard-bitten murder detective. She has to juggle the needs of her young
family with the demands of her job in a way male policeman are rarely
- if ever - portrayed … Ms Staincliffe writes in beautifully realised
little snapshots of the different characters' lives, speaking with a convincing
voice as a dying elderly man on one page and as seven-year-old latchkey
child on the next. Compelling stuff. I have no doubts that this is another
winning series for Cath Staincliffe'
Sherlock Magazine
'Janine's problems at home are played against the tension
in the murder investigation to create a pacey narrative, led by a realistic
and likeable character. For local readers the book has an extra draw because
Staincliffe carefully depicts a recognisable version of the city, rather
than claiming a Manchester setting then not bothering to fill in any details
… A swift, satisfying read.'
City Life
'Manchester has a new crime heroine from a familiar
and reliable source. For years a growing band of devotees followed the
adventures of sassy, single parent, private eye Sal Kilkenny who solves
crime on the city's mean streets in a series of mysteries. Now her creator,
Manchester-based author Cath Staincliffe, has turned her attention to
Janine Lewis, greater Manchester's first female Detective Chief Inspector.
When a local deputy head teacher is brutally murdered at his allotment
Lewis must lead her first murder inquiry against a background of pregnancy,
a failed marriage - her husband has just moved out - and juggling the
demand of a rebellious teenage son, a faddy eating daughter and asthmatic
third child with running a tricky investigation which is hampered by the
fact that the main suspect is on the run, and the only possible witnesses
are a terminally ill man and a seven-year-old girl. And of course Lewis's
boss Hackett - The Lemon - hates her and wants her to fall flat on her
face. The action chugs along at a rate of knots and Lewis seems set to
become another very popular string to Staincliffe's bow as one of the
leading English murder writers.'
Manchester Metro
'A police procedural with a strong and sympathetic
lead character, Janine Lewis, heading up her first murder case. Harassed
and harried by her Chief and her own family life and problems, it's not
easy being Manchester's first female DCI. I liked this a lot; it has pace
and plenty of human interest.'
Publishing News
'This book has an unorthodox history. It began life
as a novel called 'Cry Me a River' but - unusually - attracted the interest
of television moguls before it found a publisher. As a result, Cath Staincliffe
found herself being asked to adapt the story into a screenplay, with Caroline
Quentin taking the part of DCI Janine Lewis, before turning it back into
the present volume. The author acknowledges that, in consequence, 'many
people helped shape this story', but it remains very definitely a Cath
Staincliffe book - not least because she has cornered the market in doughty
female lead characters who combine detective work with demanding domestic
obligations. Janine is perhaps a shade tougher than Staincliffe's regular
p.i. character Sal Kilkenny, but they are both cut from the same sturdy
Mancunian cloth. Here Janine investigates the killing of Matthew Tulley
at his allotment, but as always with Staincliffe it is the precise and
detailed delineation of contemporary family relationships that is of prime
interest. The TV show was a ratings success, so return appearances from
Janine are guaranteed.'
Tangled Web
Towers Of Silence, by Cath Staincliffe (Allison & Busby) Less than merry Christmas for dedicated Manchester PI Sal Kilkenny, single parent, fleetingly involved with dodgy new Mr right, hired to investigate two modest local cases: a teenager mysteriously skipping school (devoted mother wants to know why) and the alleged suicide of ex-mental patient thought to have jumped form the top of a soaring multistorey car park (grieving relatives question why someone with fear of heights should choose to end it all this way). Excellent, always practical detective work sandwiched between family interludes as warm as toast. Staincliffe's sixth novel is unmistakeably her best, with writing that gives Britcrime its heart, mind and soul.. Accept no substitute; this is the real thing. Philip Oakes, Literary Review
Towers Of Silence "Here we have a worthy British response to Sarah Paretsky and Sue Grafton. Sal is a truly engaging detective character. She and her young daughter share living quarters (but no more) with Ray and his young son. The children, buzzing with excitement because it's Christmas, are brilliantly portrayed by an author who has patently been there, done that. In fact, all the characters are convincing and so is the whole multi-cultural, multi-ethnic background. Every gesture, every word, rings true. The same applies to plot. Sal undertakes two investigations, both of which look reasonable and both of which develop credibly. Yes, we finally agree. That's what "baddies" are made of. All the more exciting, then, is the pulse-quickening last reel, where Sal must fight for her life." Julia Burrows, Nottingham Evening Post
Towers of Silence, by Cath Staincliffe (Allison & Busby, £17.99) In a world grown increasingly confessional, where everyone, it seems, bares their souls to therapists or Jerry Springer, the secrets we keep become inevitably more interesting. In the fifth novel featuring Manchester's own Sal Kilkenny, Cath Staincliffe sets out to explore this intriguing terrain. And for those of us who live and work in the city, it's a bonus to see the tale unfold against a familiar backdrop honestly rendered. A black woman with a history of mental illness commits suicide; a teenage boy suddenly changes from being a bright, open lad to a churlish, truanting stranger. It's their families who refuse to accept the verdicts of the rest of the world, and it's Sal who is hired to scrape away at the surfaces until the unvarnished truth is revealed. And an uncomfortable set of revelations it is. As always, Cath Staincliffe counterpoints these individual human tragedies against the backdrop of Sal's own family life; the difficulties of finding enough space for herself amid the demands of childcare, the festive season and everyday relationships. It's a balance that rewards the reader, and there's no doubt this is the best of Sal's outings. It's always exciting to see a writer get better and better, and Cath Staincliffe is doing just that. Val McDermid, Manchester Evening News
Publishers Weekly (USA) The "stone cold" in the title of British author Staincliffe's (Looking For Trouble) excellent fifth Sal Kilkenny mystery refers to the traces of a young woman, Jennifer Pickering, who went missing 20 years before. For some initially undisclosed reason, her parents deemed her a disgrace. Her mother refuses to have her name mentioned even now. But younger brother Roger, who loves her a s a boy, hires Sal to determine what became of her. Jennifer disappeared without saying goodbye to anyone, and has not contacted any of her friends since. "Red hot" refers to Sal's second problem: a Muslim family from Somalia that is the target of neo-Nazi youths determined to drive them from their home. The Neighbourhood Nuisance Unit hires Sal to observe the situation with a camcorder from a neighbour's house to get evidence against the thugs. It is immediately obvious that the local police are indifferent to the increasingly dangerous plight of the family. The two cases unexpectedly come together in a whirlwind denouement. Sal, an intelligent, workmanlike sleuth, tends to discern the facts rather than jump to conclusions. Staincliffe's depiction of Sal's domestic life is exceptionally good: she and her little girl live with her partner, Ray, who is also a single parent with a little boy. Another principal character is the city of Manchester, England, of which both author and detective are fond. This fine piece of craftsmanship is a very pleasant, well-paced read. Publishers Weekly, (USA) July 23, 2001.
*
Bitter Blue
Sixth appearance of Sal Kilkenny, Staincliffe’s single-parent private
eye, chastely sharing modest Manchester house with single-parent dad.
Dodgy case of alleged harassment brought by hotel receptionist who claims
heavy and hostile breathing by fellow employee. Investigation runs in
tandem with Sal’s daughter being bullied at school (why and by whom?)
and a trawl round West Didsbury to
see whether or not the neighbourhood would suit her monied house-hunting
clients. Mounting tension in all directions … Increasingly anxious
detective work, with whodunwhat uncomfortably linked to Sal’s conscience-driven
concerns.
Admiring the Lowry in smarted-up Salford she wonders what happened to
the people who lived in the warrens of terraces that had been swept away:
“I don’t think they moved into the smart new apartments.”
Solutions belatedly reached. Blood is spilt but Staincliffe hints at a
happy ending on the way. Unique in current British crime fiction: truthful
affirmative and exciting. Planted in
the real world and looking good on it. Philip Oakes, Literary Review.
‘Staincliffe skilfully weaves the challenges of work and family into a realistic, fascinating whole. At the same time she pricks our social conscience with issues of the day. A most satisfying read.’ George Easter, Deadly Pleasures
‘Although the two investigations are totally enthralling, the book is rich in personal detail, not just of the romantic kind – but the sheer magnitude of Janine’s skill of juggling a demanding job whilst struggling to be there for her four children. (An) excellent series.’ Lizzie Hayes, Mystery Women
‘Cath Staincliffe's ninth novel is the second to
feature DCI Janine Lewis, played by Caroline Quentin in the popular ITV1
series 'Blue Murder'. Janine, like Staincliffe's longer-established series
character Sal Kilkenny, juggles detective work with domestic life and
it is this portrayal of her losing battle with the work-life balance that
is at the heart of the appeal of the stories about her. That appeal is
enhanced by the Mancunian setting ('the prow of the Lowry, the triangular
peak of Urbis and a sea of cranes…') and the fact that the supporting
cast are so neatly-realised – for instance, the two sergeants, Butchers
and Shap. The story-line is one that has become familiar in recent crime
fiction – the exploitation of 'illegals'. One of the 'nice girls
just off the plane' finishes up dead after a spell at a seedy lapdancing
bar called Topcat. There is a satisfying twist of identity towards the
end as the police move inexorably towards the resolution of a bleak and
thought-provoking case.’
Martin Edwards, Tangled Web