Killed in Para

A group of mystery writers on a mystery cruise to St. David's Island in the Caribbean, three disappearances, an old murder, drug trafficking and a touch of the Mafia make a fine stew for Network vice-president Matt Cobb (Killed on Ice), who has been dragooned into squiring two winners of a Network contest on the cruise. That the winner and her companion turn out to be beautiful young women helps make the trip enjoyable until macho writer Lee H. Schaeffer takes a strong dislike to Cobb and starts a feud, doing his best to make life difficult for Cobb with the aid of easily bribed acting chief dining-room steward Watson Burkehart, a native of St. David's. Then Schaeffer, and some deadly kitchen knives, disappear, and this is not part of the approved plot. When it looks as if Burkehart is about to tell all, he also disappears. Once the ship arrives in St. David's, the police take over because another murder occurs. Cobb continues to investigate, in the process visiting Mafia boss Martin Gardeno, who has retired to the island, and who seeks Cobb's help in solving the murder of his nephew. Seeing a connection between the cases, Cobb agrees to investigate. This is another skillful, well-plotted mystery from DeAndrea, and the ending, with the cats closing in on the mouse, is top-notch. (July)