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Simon Kirby-Jones has been roped into appearing at Lady Hermione Kinsale's annual writers' week at Kinsale House. Simon's assistant, (Sir) Giles Blitherington is delighted; his mamma will be green with envy. Simon is intrigued because his agent, Nina Yaknova, has assured him that Dorinda Darlington, one of Simon's alter egos, will be appearing. Simon is an historian. Under his real name, he has written well received biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionhearted. As Dorinda Darlington, he writes a hard-boiled female PI series, and as Daphne Deepwood, historical romances. He is also a vampire, but as long as he takes 3 pills a day, he is unrestricted in his movement and diet. He just doesn't like to go out in full sunlight. When Simon and Giles arrive at the house, he is introduced to a group of eccentrics who are the other writers invited to spend the week helping wannabes learn how to write. A woman purporting to be Dorinda Darlington turns up, and Simon confronts her to no avail. Most of the other writers are also members of Nina's stable, and, with one exception, none of them seem to like Nina, but they stay with her. Dean James has taken the southern cozy, moved it to England and made his protagonist an American gay vampire. He has a good grip on the classic country house mystery but he pushes the characterizations and descriptions to the edge of parody. He ties everything up neatly by the end of the book, except, will Simon ever tell Giles he is a vampire and will they get together.....We must wait for the next installment.
Reviewed by Barbara Franchi, March 2003
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