Monsieur Pamplemousse Rests His Case

If this seventh haute cuisine adventure by the author of the Paddington Bear children's books strikes new readers as initially precious, it rapidly becomes deliciously funny. M. Pamplemousse, retired from the Surete, is representing Le Guide magazine in Vichy, where six celebrated American mystery writers are recreating a gourmet feast supposedly once hosted by Alexandre Dumas. The Inspector arrives at the dinner as instructed, costumed as D'Artagnan and riding a horse--a wickedly unreliable horse. All too soon he finds himself thrown into a rural ditch, arrested and handcuffed, pursued on foot over the fields, locked in a country brothel (and rescued by his dog Pommes Frites), tucked in a hotel bed with a ravishing American gourmet-magazine publisher (and desperately trying to conceal the fact from his suspicious spouse, who has popped in from Paris). At the same time he's coping with two fake murders and one genuine one. ``Pas de probleme,'' exults Pamplemousse, perhaps too soon. A delectable souffle. (Nov.)