Trigger (and slight spoiler) warning: There's a dead dog in this one. ( )

When elderly schoolteacher Beatrice Wansdyke dies of diabetes, everything points to natural causes until the police discovers she died with a quarter of a million pounds in her bank account. In addition, Beatrice had reported her dog missing the day before her death. Afterwards, the police discovers the dog buried in her garden.

Inspector Sloan must prove this death was a premeditated murder and catch a cold-blooded murderer. ( )

money in account of diabetic spinster sets by investigation by Sloan

Beatrice Wansdyke, chemistry mistress at an all girl’s school in Berebury, England, is found dead in her home due to complications from diabetes, from which she had suffered for many years. Her only living relatives were two nephews, one the co-owner of a plastics company and the other a ne’er do well, and a niece who is a nurse. Her death appeared to be from natural causes until the police find that her bank account contained a quarter of a million pounds, recently deposited into her account. Inspector CD Sloan has been called upon to investigate, but he has other challenges as well – his wife is expecting their first child at any moment.

Some Die Eloquent is the 8th book in the Inspector CD Sloan series by Catherine Aird. This series is a delightful example of a Britsh police procedural. Sloan is a modest, but effective, police inspector who is hampered in his investigations by his boss, Superintendent Leeyes, and his subordinate, Detective-Constable Crosby. He is a very likable character and both Leeyes and Crosby provide comic relief. The much-maligned Crosby usually unknowingly provides an insight that aids Sloan in finding the culprit, thereby making himself somewhat valuable to the team. Superintendent Leeyes spends his personal time taking classes at the local college and wants to share his knowledge with his subordinates, who usually find ways to avoid him.

I found this book well-plotted and the storyline very interesting. I don’t think it’s spoiling anything to say that there was a murder committed, but Sloan first had to prove that it was murder before he could narrow down the murderer from several plausible suspects. Sloan is not afraid to use his intuition and follow hunches, which typically turn out to be correct.

Although this is considered a police procedural and was written in 1979, it has many of the elements found in Golden Age mysteries, and I think fans of the genre would enjoy this book. Some of the book – the portion taking place in the hospital – is a little dated, but not enough to hamper one’s enjoyment. ( )

It wasn't so much how Beatrice Wansdyke died that was the trouble - it was what she had when she died. £250,000 - which I calculated to be worth $1.2 million today. So what was a quiet, elderly schoolteacher doing with that kind of money? Her lifestyle didn't reflect a taste for the good life. She lived in a modest home in a quiet suburb that the police describe in the most glowing terms - "no trouble, even on Saturday nights!"

So when the medical examiner finds a few suspicious indications, he informs Inspector C D Sloan. Sloan is plenty busy on his own. His wife is 9 months pregnant with their first baby, and growing more irritable and uncomfortable by the minute. (Hm, wonder what that's like.) But Superintendent Leeyes is just as determined that Sloan figure out how the woman died, where the money came from, and whether there was any foul play involved.

I really enjoy this series. I love the dry, English humor that runs through the books. The exchange between Inspectors Sloan and Harpe has all the humor of Abbott and Costello, but with a British flavor. My only complaint is that sometimes the books leave a lot of loose ends. But this one is one of the best and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. ( )