Still Life with Pistol

Dead Ringer, Seeing Red and Ormerod's other mysteries have made his Inspector Richard Patton a favorite of fans who enjoy British police procedurals. Now retired, Patton takes his lover, Amelia, on a fortnight's visit to suave Bruno Fillingley's stately home. Aside from the detective, the guests are aspiring artists, like Amelia, who pay their host for advice and critiques. Then one of them, Roy Towers, is shot dead, leaving his Still Life with Pistol on the easel.Brooking no interference from Patton, the police arrest his host for the murder, together with a woman identified as Towers's ex-wife and Bruno's mistress. Later, however, the retired officer ferrets out facts that reveal the killer. As expected, the author is witty and inventive, but perhaps a bit too tricky with arcane clues that will prove a challenge even for clever who-dunit buffs. (September 23)