The Otter of Death: A Gunn Zoo Mystery

Webb’s clever, briskly paced fifth Gunn Zoo mystery (after 2015’s The Puffin of Death) finds genial, trouble-prone zookeeper Theodora “Teddy” Bentley taking a morning walk along the California coastline near her home on her day off. While counting otters as part of a study on the effects of offshore drilling on them, she spots one of her favorites with an expensive cellphone tucked under its flipper. Teddy snatches the phone. The camera mode is still on and displays an image of the blood-splattered face of marine biology instructor and fellow otter counter Stuart Booth. The police, headed by Teddy’s fiancé, San Sebastian County Sheriff Joseph Rejas, locate Stuart’s body, and the hunt for his murderer begins. Suspects abound, including a long list of female students who accused him of sexual abuse over the years, most of whom were either disbelieved or paid off by his wealthy in-laws. While examining some timely social issues, Webb also delivers lots of edifying information on the animal kingdom in an entry sure to please fans and newcomers alike. (May)