Final Design

Although Gilpatrick ( The Piano Man ) sacrifices a modicum of suspense by tiptoeing too noisily around her villain's identity, this intricate whodunit still provides steady excitement. When Catherine Fletcher, a partner in a four-woman advertising agency, dies of drinking morphine-laced tea, Seattle police detective Kate MacLean takes the case. Fletcher's death may have been suicide, but suspicion also falls on her co-workers, her smarmy ex-husband and her alleged fiance. Three morphine murders later, MacLean has become emotionally involved with two of the potential killers--one whom she instinctively believes to be innocent and the other whom she casually excuses for lack of evidence. As the list of suspects dwindles, it becomes abundantly clear that disappointment, heartbreak and mortal danger await Kate. Several of Gilpatrick's scenarios stretch credibility; for instance, many characters cooperate too easily with police, evincing neither curiosity nor mistrust when interrogated. Still, this mystery conveys both the tedium of procedural work and the satisfaction of obtaining results. In the end, as the guilty party and MacLean reach the requisite dramatic standoff, adrenaline kicks in and minor quibbles fade. ( Oct .)