Murder in Mellingham: A Mystery Introducing Joe Silva

Oleksiw perceptively examines the social classes of a small New England town in this leisurely, sly debut. Malicious, self-important, middle-aged Beth O'Donnell makes her biannual trek from New York to visit her brother, financier Howard O'Donnell, at his estate in Mellingham, north of Boston, in the futile hope of gaining control of the trust fund he set up for her. Earlier failures have led her to get revenge on others, most notably by helping to drive local publisher Lee Handel into bankruptcy. But this time, after attending a large party thrown by her brother, his wife and their grown daughter, Beth is found clubbed to death in their guest cottage. Suspects include Bob Chambers, a young editor whom Beth had threatened; Lee Handel and his wife, and all the members of the dead woman's Mellingham relations, each of whom she had harassed over the years. Chief of police Joe Silva, formerly a big-city cop, gingerly untangles the many motives and alibis. Oleksiw's mystery starts slowly, and her upper-class suspects are somewhat stodgy, but the ordinary citizens of Mellingham--the cops, the restaurant owners and lifeguards--are acutely, affectionately rendered. (Feb.)