Corporate Bodies: A Charles Paris Mystery

No sooner does London actor Charles Paris land the part of a forklift operator in a corporate video than a young woman employee named Dayna is found crushed under the same machine. Paris (last seen in Dead Giveaway ) is the prime suspect until the police determine that he had no motive: Dayna, who had been sleeping her way up the corporate ladder, was too busy blackmailing her important bedmates to make an enemy of Paris. Investigating on his own out of curiosity, Paris learns that the victim had filmed her trysts and that she was killed for one of the tapes. The actor narrowly escapes becoming a victim himself when he uncovers another secret that was earning the dead woman a profit. The killer, ferreted out by Paris, arrogantly confesses and prepares to escape, safe in the knowledge that the minor actor-for-hire is short on credibility and evidence. Brett has assembled the elements of a good read, but his story lacks much suspense as the usually witty Paris , here in his 14th appearance as amateur sleuth, offers only a flat performance. Mystery Guild main selection; Readers Digest Condensed Book selection. (May)