The Beauclerk--Fisk family is the definition of dysfunctional. There's Ruthven, the oldest and heir apparent, who's as cold-blooded and ruthless as they come. His socialite wife Lillian is as shallow as the day is long. The second son, George, is almost on a par with Ruthven but always comes up short when compared to his big brother. Natasha is the latest in George's string of girlfriends, but she's unlike his usual airheads. Youngest son Albert is a washed-up actor with a taste for booze and is protective of his little sister. Youngest child Sarah writes cookbooks and is somewhat eccentric but lacks the family mean streak. And of course Sir Adrian himself, malevolent and spiteful, yet he inspires loyalty from his cook. Lovely bride Violet is a widow with a very scandalous past.

Once the entire clan (minus Sir Adrian's ex-wife Chloe) gathers in Cambridgeshire, trouble is sure to follow. When one member of the family is brutally murdered, everyone on the estate becomes a suspect. Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just is on the case, aided by Sergeant Garwin Fear. Will they be able to unravel the conflicting stories to find the murderer before s/he strikes again? What does a fifty-year-old murder have to do with the present case?

DEATH OF A COZY WRITER is filled with twists and turns, making the reader constantly reassess who might be the guilty party. The story ends with a Christie-like denouement, revealing a killer and a motive that only the most attentive reader could have predicted. I myself was fooled; be warned, some of the clues are very subtle. Try Ms. Malliet's prize-winning debut for a classic cozy set in modern times.

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