Toby's Folly: A Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower Mystery

The eighth appearance (after The Menehune Murders ) of archeologists/sleuths Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower features a Russian ballet troupe touring the U.K. during the era of glasnost. The company manager, a KGB agent who had been sexually harassing many of the troupe members, is found murdered in Brighton's Royal Pavilion, and ballerina Sonya Danarova goes missing. Found and arrested, she demands to see Sir Toby, claiming he is her father. The astounded archeologist admits to a postwar romance with a Russian dancer, although he hadn't known of a child's existence. The defection to Brazil of two dancers and the murder of the prima ballerina follow as Toby, Penny and her son, physician Alexander Spring, try to prove Sonya's innocence and keep her in the U.K. Pursued by a motorcycle gang, Toby and Alex take Sonya to Toby's Welsh hideout, while a mysterious figure out of the sleuths' past enters the case with important information on what is really going on--a blackmail scam and a black market in Russian icons. Arnold's lively and literate mystery is enhanced by her sure eye for details. (Sept.)