A Deepe Coffyn

Jealousy and malice in the food world lead to murder in this promising English debut. Darina Lisle, a rising young cook and caterer, takes a large step forward in her career when she is hired by the Society of Historical Gastronomes to prepare the authentic feasts for their annual weekend. The commission is not without its hazards, including the unwelcome attentions of her cousin Digby Cary, a prominent food writer and critic; the presence of a television crew covering the society's meeting and the food preparation; and one member's dog, who bites a restaurateur and devours an elaborate tart planned for breakfast. On the morning of the second day, Digby is discovered dead, killed with a kitchen knife, and Darina, as heir, is chief suspect--although many society members had reason to hate him. When food author Deborah Makepeace, convinced Digby had plagiarized her work in his new book, dies of an overdose of sleeping pills, the evidence again points to Darina. Laurence introduces a truly engaging heroine and deftly balances the seriousness of murder with lighthearted mockery of the egotists who inhabit all professions. ( Jan. )