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THE EXTINGUISHED GUEST
by Jeanne Glidewell
Gale/Five Star, November 2010
219 pages
$25.99
ISBN: 1594148961


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Forty-eight year old widow Lexie Starr has found love once again with Stone Van Patten, who has moved to Kansas to be with her and has bought and refurbished the Alexandria Inn. The grand opening is scheduled to coincide with the installation of the new president of the Rockdale Historical Society, Horatio Prescot III.

Alas, things begin to go awry when Lexie and Stone find Horatio shot to death in his room. They also soon learn that every member of the Historical Society had a motive for killing Horatio - from blackmail to shady business practices to a jilted lover.

Because of the blizzard, all the members of the Historical Society as well as the inn's staff are stranded. Stone rather generously agrees that all will be staying gratis. (You might think the kitchen staff was planning to murder the guests by giving them heart attacks with meals designed to send their cholesterol through the roof - fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, for example).

Lexie and Stone decide to undertake their own investigation of the murder, although Lexie does most of the sleuthing. Here is where thing begin to get dumb. Lexie herself admits that she does dumb things. It's hard to know who is stupider -- Lexie or the dupes who fall for her various cock-and-bull stories.

Using an assumed name, she insinuates herself into the local bank, disguised as an auditor. On the basis of a phone call the bank manager (not looking at the fake document she has brought to verify her non-existent credentials) photocopies a series of sensitive documents for her.

With another assumed name, again in the blinding storm, she confronts one of the suspects -- saying that she is in need of a financial advisor. He is at least a little less gullible than the bank manager.

Lexie's act of stupidity in hiding under the bed of a guest - not foreseeing that the guest might return to the room or that dust bunnies might make her sneeze (both of which happen) - does manage to foil a birdnapping scheme.

After that is taken care of, the murder of Horatio remains to be solved; the solution is logical, if unexpected.

§ Mary Elizabeth Devine taught English Literature for 35 years, is co-author of five books about customs and manners around the world and lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Reviewed by Mary Elizabeth Devine, January 2011

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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