Mrs. Pargeter's Package

On a tour of Greece, the mature and spirited Melita Pargeter, last seen in Mrs . Presumed Dead , takes on a case more substantial than her earlier challenges. When she agreed to join recently widowed Joyce Dover on holiday, Melita knew she was apt to encounter the moodiness of the freshly bereaved. But Joyce appears to be importing a bottle of the Greek liqueur ouzo from England, and talks about her husband controlling her from the grave. When she is found dead, an apparent suicide, Melita has even more on her hands than she bargained for--including the mysterious package she has smuggled through customs for her friend. Brett, also the author of the Charles Paris mysteries, is at his best here contrasting the sunburned secretaries and complaining couples on the inexpensive package tour with plump and plucky Melita, who even in the face of murder can observe that marble flooring is easily wiped clean of bloodstains. Mystery Guild selection. (May)