Guilt Trip: A Lina Townend Mystery

In Cutler’s well-done fourth Lina Townend mystery (after 2011’s Guilty Pleasures), Lina and Griff Tripp, her elderly mentor, try to fathom an unpleasant stranger they meet at a Kent antiques fair, who’s much too aggressive in demanding Lina use her considerable talents to restore his damaged china. Meanwhile, Griff’s scheduled medical procedures have Lina fearful, and his participation in an amateur theater production has her crazy—the extra driving and the diva director, Emilia Cosworth, are just two of the annoying features. More serious trouble arises after an escalating series of humorless pranks dog the actors, and Lina encounters a handsome man known only as Paul, who tries to warn her—but about what, exactly? Lina’s disreputable father, Lord Elham, and his comrade-in-fraud, Titus Oates, make cameo appearances as the threats to Lina ramp up. Lots of action and clever writing make this an exceptional addition to this traditional series. (June)