Death and Blintzes

It's the Depression, and young widow Belle Appleman is grateful for her new job tacking belt loops on men's pants in a Boston factory. Then she discovers a co-worker's body in the Charles River and, feeling personally involved, begins trading theories with the detective in charge of the case. In the midst of her sleuthing, she's elected shop steward and becomes involved with union politics, as well as with a dashing union leader on whom she tries out her Bette Davis voice and Garbo look. But when one of the factory owners is also murdered and a friend is accused, Belle must make serious efforts to find the killer, for her heart's sake as well as for her friend's. Feisty, impulsive and chatty, Belle Appleman is a welcome addition to Boston's growing population of female amateur detectives. Foreign rights: Bleeker Assoc. October 21