Finishing Touch: A Melissa Craig Mystery

Rowland's second mystery featuring author Melissa Craig ( A Little Gentle Sleuthing ) confirms Melissa as a modernized (and younger) Miss Marple. Cotswold resident Melissa and her painter friend Iris Ash attend commencement ceremonies at Ravenswood College of Art and Design, where they witness an enraged artist publicly slashing his portrait of his fiancee, Angelica Caroli. Later Melissa agrees to teach a creative writing workshop at Ravenswood, where Angy has become a part-time secretary. After stirring up the emotions of several male faculty members, Angy is found stabbed to death. Rowlands blends petty jealousies, gossip and everyday rural life with strong, believable characters in this gently paced puzzle. Melissa, with a grown son who was born out of wedlock, is young enough to have no regrets when she spends the night with a compatible man, and old enough to accurately interpret characters and situations without romanticizing them. Readers who hunger for a cozy mystery with little overt bloodshed, sex and profanity will do well to meet Rowlands. (Mar.)