Rogue in Porcelain

The stately pace and tame revelations of the latest Rona Parish mystery from British veteran Fraser (A Family Concern ) make it especially suitable for genteel readers. For a Chiltern Life magazine series on family businesses, Rona interviews various Curzons, manufacturers of porcelain—including managing director Charles and sales and marketing director Finlay—who are quite keyed up about the company's 150th anniversary and the unveiling of a new product line, code named "Project Genesis." Rona's archival investigation unearths a skeleton that may threaten the firm, and then she and Finlay happen upon the fresh corpse of a woman they both know. Those who like their contemporary mysteries in traditional mode will be most satisfied. (May)