From Publishers Weekly A long-unsolved crime haunts French teacher Annabel Kendal in this compelling traditional mystery by prolific British author Fraser (The Twelve Apostles, etc.). When Annabel and her husband, Simon, get invited to her grandmother's annual birthday party and family reunion, old anxieties resurface. Worried her marriage may be floundering and by the unexpected appearance of a journalist eager to question her about the unsolved murder of her Aunt Hilary that occurred at a similar family celebration 28 years earlier, Annabel experiences once again the dreaded nightmare that has plagued her since childhood. To delve into the past could further jeopardize her tenuous position in the prestigious and proper Carlyle family, as the murderer may have been one of her own relatives, including her very French and now deceased mother. Despite growing tension as the family gathers, Annabel, now in possession of her mother's lost diaries, feels she must dispel the shadows of suspicion for the sake of her own sanity, whatever the cost. The pieces of the puzzle neatly build toward the dramatic and surprising conclusion, while the vivid South Wales, Devon coast and Cheltenham settings will delight Anglophiles everywhere. In spite of somewhat stereotypical secondary characters and a rather contrived portrait of family dynamics, this is a book readers will be reluctant to put down. (Sept.)SOMEONE KILLED HIS BOYFRIENDDavid Stukas. Kensington, $22 (256p) ISBN 0-7582-0038-2~A clever combination of mystery and social satire with a dash of fantasy, this debut novel takes the reader on a romp through gay and lesbian neighborhoods from Manhattan to Provincetown. Fabulously wealthy Michael Stark picks up every gorgeous young man he meets, much to the envy of his loyal follower, ad copy writer and narrator Robert Willsop. But when Michael is ready to settle down, he gets his comeuppance at his extravagant wedding to supermodel Max Crawford, who leaves him at the altar and absconds with his priceless Matisse. A merry chase takes Michael and Robert through posh Newport to the gay bars and drag shows of P'town, at first in search of the missing painting but later after Max's murderer. Chapter headings amusingly spoof movie and song titles or movies ("Beach Blanket Himbos," "It's My Party and I'll Be Smug if I Want to," etc.), while character names are often puns; e.g., drag queen Beyonda Sea, who wants money for her charity called SFA (not Saks Fifth Avenue, as Robert guesses, but Sequins For All). Often hilarious, sometimes silly and occasionally clich‚d, this fast-moving farce gives a riotous view of the gay rich boy scene of sex, money and outrageous flamboyance. A bright, eye-catching dust jacket of a beach scene perfectly conveys the flavor of the text. Those readers who miss Joe Keenan (Blue Heaven; Putting on the Ritz), both gay and straight, will appreciate this promising and witty writer, who is at work on a second novel. Agent, Alison J. Picard. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal A victim of nightmares stemming from the long-ago murder of her aunt and committed to her faltering marriage, thirtyish Annabel Kendal heads for the annual family holiday with trepidation. This year she decides to solve the murder: her aunt died during one such holiday. Good psychological suspense. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
