Shadesmoor

The murder of a colleague--with a paleolithic ax--tempts archeologist Dr. Jeffrey Flint to put ambition over principle in this nicely constructed whodunit. After the death of Tom Aitken, Flint is invited to oversee an excavation on the grounds of northern England's historic Shadesmoor Castle. The anti-establishment Flint would normally spurn such an offer, since Shadesmoor is being developed into an American-style amusement park, but the project also carries an appointment as a university lecturer. Aitken's death seems to have resulted from a bungled burglary, and the police have a suspect in hand. Still, Flint can't help looking into things on his own, even as his involvement costs him his relationship with his newswoman girlfriend and the loyalty of his assistant. Flint would like to pin the crime on the developer of Shadesmoor, but evidence points in another direction. While other suspects and other crimes further twist the tale, Foss (Shadow in the Corn) never plays less than fair with his readers. Foss, a specialist in Roman pottery, offers a well-drawn hero and gives his archeological effects, especially as applied to forensics, a satisfying authenticity. (Jan.)