The heat is on, both literally -- the hot July sun -- and
figuratively -- this summer's hot mysteries from the Ballantine
Publishing Group. In this issue of MURDER ON THE INTERNET you'll
find sizzling new books to read as well as an interview with
author/chef/teacher Tim Hemlin, a look at Carolyn Banks and her
horse mysteries, and an excerpt from Jill McGown's latest book,
A SHRED OF EVIDENCE. Enjoy!
WHAT'S NEW IN THE STORES-----------------------------------------
THE MUMMERS' CURSE by Gillian Roberts
Ballantine hardcover
Anthony Award-winner Gillian Roberts' last showcase for her
intrepid heroine, schoolteacher Amanda Pepper, was IN THE DEAD OF
SUMMER. Now it's another season -- and another murder -- as Mandy
solves an assassination at the Philadelphia Mummers' festive New
Year's Day parade.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF WATER by Sarah Smith
Ballantine hardcover
A concert pianist and her lover are immersed in a treacherous
world of plots and counterplots in Paris during the devastating
flood of 1910. A second historical mystery by the author of THE
VANISHED CHILD.
THE ALPINE GAMBLE by Mary Daheim
Ballantine paperback
Emma Lord is the editor-publisher of the weekly _Advocate_ in
Alpine, Washington. In this seventh entry in the "Alpine
Alphabet" series (following on THE ALPINE ADVOCATE, THE ALPINE
BETRAYAL, THE ALPINE CHRISTMAS, et al), murder again makes banner
headlines.
CALL NO MAN FATHER by William X. Kienzle
Ballantine paperback
When His Holiness the Pope schedules a trip to Detroit, a
security nightmare ensues -- leading to the murder of a priest
with radical views about papal authority. The latest thriller
starring Motor City's most adroit amateur sleuth: Father Robert
Koesler.
THE CASE OF THE LAME CANARY by Erle Stanley Gardner
Ballantine paperback
An illicit affair plus a nosy neighbor equals murder in this
classic Perry Mason whodunit, originally published in 1937.
ANIMAL INSTINCTS by Eleanor Hyde
Fawcett paperback
As editor of a chic fashion magazine, Lydia Miller has grown
tired of hemlines and wrinkle cream. But when she takes a
sabbatical to volunteer at an animal shelter, she runs across a
plot that leads right back to the cutthroat world of fashion that
she thought she left behind.
THE QUICK RED FOX by John D. MacDonald
Fawcett paperback
Travis McGee almost walks off a blackmail case when a beautiful
actress begins to show her true colors, but he soon discovers
that another woman's life is quickly deteriorating, a woman he
can't walk away from....
DANGEROUS ATTACHMENTS by Sarah Lovett
Ivy paperback
As a consultant to the New Mexico prison system, forensic
psychologist Dr. Sylvia Strange has probed the minds of some of
the country's most disturbed and dangerous criminals. But
nothing prepares her for Lucas Watson, who escapes the prison to
stalk her. This harrowing cat-and-mouse thriller is a mystery
series debut from Sarah Lovett.
LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK by Colin Dexter
Ivy paperback
Inspector Morse's confidence is shaken when the seemingly simple
case of the murder of Sylvia Kaye, a young hitchhiker, turns into
a complex mystery involving Sylvia's girlfriends and their Oxford
playmates. A special re-release of the first Inspector Morse
novel -- newly packaged inside and out.
SUMMER/FALL PREVIEW----------------------------------------------
July books
--Ballantine--
RAINBOW'S END by Martha Grimes
In the latest Richard Jury novel, three apparently unconnected
deaths in Britain lead the Chief Superintendent to Santa Fe, New
Mexico, and into an astonishing web of greed, murder, and mayhem;
345-39426-7
Paperback, 300 pp.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY by William Bernhardt
Something different from William Bernhardt, creator of the Ben
Kincaid/JUSTICE series: a novel of suspense about a case of
mistaken identity that sets an innocent man on the run; 345-39784-3
Paperback, 416 pp.
IF WISHES WERE HORSES... by Tim Hemlin
The launch of a murder mystery series positioned in the twin
worlds of academe and cuisine -- by an author who is intimately
associated with both. The bonus in this first novel:
championship racehorses; 345-40318-5
Paperback, 256 pp.
DON'T LOOK DOWN by Tima Smith
A pilot/jump instructor and his ex-wife are the protagonists in
this action-packed adventure; 345-39677-4
Paperback, 272 pp.
--Fawcett--
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS by Julie Smith
New Orleans detective Skip Langdon is on a one-woman crusade
against mayoral candidate Errol Jacomine. In her quest to prove
to the world what she knows to be true -- that he is pure evil --
she chases clues into the bayou country just as a deadly
hurricane blows in; 449-90937-9
Hardcover, 352 pp.
A SHRED OF EVIDENCE by Jill McGown
When a schoolgirl is found strangled near a playground, Detective
Judy Hill and her boss (and lover) Inspector Lloyd work together
to uncover a plot of adolescent passion and psychotic obsession.
This is the seventh installment of the Lloyd/Hill series;
449-91066-0
Hardcover, 304 pp.
DEATH ON THE DIAGONAL by Carolyn Banks
Equestrienne Robin Vaughan and her food critic husband Jeet are
off on another mystery adventure. In this fourth book, they find
murder at a horse show; 449-14968-4
Paperback, 180 pp.
--Ivy--
RIVER by Roderick Thorp
This novel of the Green River killings by the author of DIE HARD
follows two men on parallel journeys: a psychopathic serial
killer and the detective who has to stop him; 8041-1535-4
Paperback, 300 pp.
DEATH OF A TRAVELING MAN by M.C. Beaton
Sergeant Hamish Macbeth is back and frustrated by a sinister
self-proclaimed gypsy who parks his rusty van in Macbeth's
Highland village. When the troublemaker is killed, Macbeth's
only regret is that the killer may be one of his friends; 8041-1211-8
Paperback, 170 pp.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
August books
--Ballantine--
THE KNOWLEDGE OF WATER by Sarah Smith
The author of THE VANISHED CHILD returns with her second
historical mystery. Set in Paris during the devastating flood of
1910, a concert pianist and her lover delve into an intricate
network of plots and counterplots that prove to be more dangerous
than the incessant rain; 345-39135-7
Hardcover, 400 pp.
THE MUMMERS' CURSE by Gillian Roberts
>From Anthony Award-winner Gillian Roberts: another season,
another murder. In this sequel to IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER,
schoolteacher Amanda Pepper solves an assassination at the
Philadelphia Mummers' festive New Year's Day parade; 345-40323-1
Hardcover, 240 pp.
THE ALPINE GAMBLE by Mary Daheim
California real estate developers are on the loose in Alpine,
Washington. Emma Lord, making her seventh appearance as editor-publisher
of the _Alpine Advocate_, keeps an open mind about the
newcomers. But among other Alpiners, ugly suspicions lead to
dark threats...and murder; 345-39641-3
Paperback, 304 pp.
CALL NO MAN FATHER by William X. Kienzle
When His Holiness the Pope schedules a trip to Detroit, a
security nightmare ensues -- leading to the murder of a priest.
The latest Father Robert Koesler thriller; 345-38801-1
Paperback, 352 pp.
THE CASE OF THE LAME CANARY by Erle Stanley Gardner
A classic Perry Mason whodunit, originally published in 1937;
345-35162-2
Paperback, 192 pp.
--Fawcett--
ANIMAL INSTINCTS by Eleanor Hyde
In her second appearance, fashion editor Lydia Miller takes a
sabbatical from her high-class job to work at an animal shelter,
where she unknowingly stumbles upon animal theft, underage
prostitution, and murder; 449-14941-2
Paperback, 240 pp.
THE QUICK RED FOX by John D. MacDonald
When a beautiful movie star seeks Travis McGee's help in stopping
a blackmailer, his gut says not to touch the case with a ten-foot
pole. Unfortunately there's another woman involved whose life is
quickly turning into a disaster, and Travis McGee has never been
the kind of man to sit back and watch...; 449-45613-7
Paperback, 280 pp.
--Ivy--
DANGEROUS ATTACHMENTS by Sarah Lovett
Forensic psychologist Sylvia Strange, who serves as a consultant
to the New Mexico prison system in Santa Fe, recommends that
Lucas Watson not be released on parole. Soon, Lucas escapes and
forces Sylvia to use all of her skill to keep one step ahead of
him; 8041-1297-5
Paperback, 300 pp.
LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK by Colin Dexter
In this debut of the Inspector Morse series, Morse must solve the
confusing case of an Oxford co-ed whose bludgeoned body is found
outside a pub in Woodstock; 8041-1490-0
Paperback, 288 pp.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
September books
--Ballantine--
IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER by Gillian Roberts
This sequel to HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION joins Philadelphia
schoolteacher Amanda Pepper on a tenacious search for a missing
student -- a quest that leads to malice domestic and malevolence
public; 345-40650-8
Paperback, 288 pp.
A CLEAR CONSCIENCE by Frances Fyfield
Helen West, Prosecutor for the Crown, returns in this noirish
suspense novel about the private and legal life of a battered
woman. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE represents the latest U.S. paperback
appearance of the acclaimed British novelist Frances Fyfield;
345-38508-X
Paperback, 272 pp.
THE SHADOW MAN by John Katzenbach
The first paperback appearance of the acclaimed (and Edgar Award-nominated)
novel by the author of JUST CAUSE. This thriller
focuses on an elusive, anonymous killer who resurfaces after five
decades of dormancy; 345-38630-2
Paperback, 448 pp.
--Fawcett--
CHESTNUT MARE, BEWARE by Jody Jaffe
_Charlotte Commercial Appeal_ reporter Nattie Gold finds herself
in the thick of things once again when her show-horse circuit
acquaintances receive death threats; 449-90998-0
Hardcover, 288 pp.
"L" IS FOR LAWLESS by Sue Grafton
Kinsey Millhone joins up with a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde in a
romp that takes her halfway across the country and lands her in
some serious trouble before she can solve a mystery that's
decades old; 449-22149-0
Paperback, 336 pp.
THE ROARING BOY by Edward Marston
In the seventh installment of the Elizabethan theater series
starring Nicholas Bracewell, playwright Edmund Hood receives an
anonymous manuscript based on a true mystery; 449-22431-7
Paperback, 304 pp.
MOURNING GLORIA by Joyce Christmas
Lady Margaret Priam makes her eighth appearance in MOURNING
GLORIA, when she is called upon to figure out which of her
society acquaintances is a murderer; 449-14704-5
Paperback, 240 pp.
--Ivy--
HORSE OF A DIFFERENT KILLER by Jody Jaffe
The first mystery featuring Natalie Gold -- a woman who spans the
high-society world of show horses and the high-powered newspaper
world; 8041-1472-2
Paperback, 288 pp.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
October books
--Ballantine--
THE VANISHING SMILE by Erle Emerson
The paperback debut of the Shamus Award-nominated sequel to THE
PORTLAND LAUGHTER. In this Seattle-set thriller, private eye
Thomas Black encounters a network of players -- from ex-cons to
prostitutes to other P.I.'s -- all webbed together by a chilling
common thread; 345-40453-X
Paperback, 320 pp.
THE CASE OF THE HAUNTED HUSBAND by Erle Stanley Gardner
An innocent hitchhiker and a menacing movie mogul are at the
center of this bizarre Perry Mason mystery -- initially published
in 1941; 345-33495-7
Paperback, 208 pp.
ZOMBIES OF THE GENE POOL by Sharyn McCrumb
A formal reissue of an early classic by Sharyn McCrumb -- the
Appalachian-set novel that marks the transition toward the
author's acclaimed "Ballad Series" (extending from IF I EVER
RETURN, PEGGY-O to the current hardcover, THE ROSEWOOD CASKET);
345-37914-4
Paperback, 288 pp.
--Fawcett--
WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE by Anne Perry
In the seventh William Monk novel, the private detective finds
himself in the middle of a sensational courtroom battle. A
charge of murder is answered with a suit for slander, pitting the
exiled Princess Gisela of Germany against her countrywoman,
Countess Zorah Rostova. The results, as always, are shocking;
449-91078-4
Hardcover, 384 pp.
ELECTED FOR DEATH by Valerie Wolzien
When her husband, Jed, decides to run for town council, Susan
Henshaw discovers that getting involved in politics can kill you
-- literally. This is the ninth Susan Henshaw mystery; 449-14959-5
Paperback, 288 pp.
NOBODY'S CHILD by Janet Dawson
A missing person's case turns into a dark, compelling murder
mystery set among Berkeley's homeless as female P.I. Jeri Howard
searches for a lost child of the streets; 449-22356-6
Paperback, 320 pp.
A DEADLY SHADE OF GOLD by John D. MacDonald
When a friend from Travis McGee's past shows up asking for help,
and is killed shortly thereafter, McGee takes off on a wild trek
to catch the killer; 449-45614-5
Paperback, 448 pp.
--Ivy--
SERVICE OF ALL THE DEAD by Colin Dexter
Inspector Morse postpones his Greek vacation to investigate the
fascinating -- and brutal -- murder of a suburban churchwarden;
8041-1485-4
Paperback, 288 pp.
IN OTHERS' WORDS-------------------------------------------------
IF WISHES WERE HORSES... begins a mystery series about a graduate
student and part-time sleuth named Neil Marshall.
Neil, enrolled in the University of Houston's creative
writing program, is a fledgling poet. Graduate student and poet
-- hardly the world's most lucrative endeavors, especially for
someone who has just embarked on a money-draining divorce. To
make ends meet, Neil moonlights as a chef for a high-society
caterer.
Just when Neil's life seems bleakest, his oldest friend is
murdered -- and Neil becomes the prime suspect.
Neil Marshall's creator is Tim Hemlin. Like his
protagonist, Tim Hemlin lives in Houston; he was a student at the
University of Houston; and he has been a chef for a gourmet
catering company in Houston.
We asked Tim Hemlin about his debut novel -- and the
intersection of fact and fiction.
MOI: Aspiring authors are often advised, "Write about what you
know." Since one might say you are intimately acquainted with
the principal settings of IF WISHES WERE HORSES... -- that is,
Houston, the University, and gourmet catering -- is that adage
true for you? Did you purposely set out to "Write what you
know"? And how does your novel otherwise reflect your own
experiences?
TH: "Write what you know" is not only an adage -- it's a battle
cry, especially for aspiring writers. I even remember my father,
a farmer, advising me that fifteen years ago. But "writing what
you know" is not simply for aspiring writers. Look at Hemingway,
for example. He traveled around the world and told us, in some
form, about every step. In my case, I chose familiar settings
because I'm able to draw from my university experiences as well
as from being a gourmet chef. This dual training opened many
interesting doors. Like Neil, I am a poet and had the great
fortune to study under Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Charles Simic.
Simic pulled my writing into the twentieth century and taught me
the value of each word. As for my career as a chef -- in my
second Neil Marshall novel, A WHISPER OF RAGE, I include a scene
where Neil talks about preparing and serving a six-course dinner
for former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Well, that's
something I drew from personal knowledge. And though I omit
client names and change the setting, I record Dr. Kissinger's
responses exactly.
MOI: Beyond the obvious parallels of profession, how is Neil
Marshall similar to you? And how do you and your hero differ?
TH: Outside of profession, the most obvious similarity is that
both Neil and I have suffered through divorces. Neil's, however,
was less amicable. My ex-wife and I actually get along quite
well.
Other than that, my character and I tend to go our own ways.
Neil is in search of love, though he guards his new independence
carefully. In fact, the object of his affection, Keely Cohen, is
very unobtainable.
In contrast, I have ten years on Neil, am happily married,
and have so many kids rampaging through the house you'll have to
read the dedication in my second book to believe it.
MOI: What drew you to the crime fiction form?
TH: Raymond Chandler. Dashiell Hammett. Alfred Hitchcock.
Ellery Queen. Jim Rockford, as embodied by James Garner. I grew
up under these influences. Then in college I fell under the
spell of Robert Parker.
A tremendous amount of credit has to go to my wife, Valerie,
who is also a writer. When I first met her, she was working on a
Western and I was just starting to dabble in prose. Valerie's
talent for creating vivid scenes and characters moved me to a
deeper appreciation of novels. Well, the only genre writing for
me was crime fiction. I subsequently wrote a partial first draft
of A WHISPER OF RAGE that ended up in the "brood box" -- a place
of mine where, over time, either diamonds in the rough or ashes
develop. It wasn't until Valerie and I had been married for
almost two years that she read the draft and ruled it a diamond
in the rough. She encouraged me to complete the manuscript,
tighten it, and send the baby off. Fortunately, it landed in the
lap of Ballantine Associate Publisher Joe Blades.
MOI: Why did you decide to write about an amateur sleuth, rather
than a private eye? From your standpoint, what are the
advantages (and disadvantages) of a protagonist who is an amateur
investigator?
TH: For me, this relates back to the experience factor. I know
there are many writers of police procedurals who have never
served in law enforcement. I say more power to them. I just
didn't feel comfortable with that approach.
As homework background for my novels, I have taken courses
at the Houston Police Department through their citizens' academy
program -- the shoot/don't shoot exercise was particularly
exhilarating -- and I have friends in law enforcement so I'm able
to tap reliable resources. However, I like the idea of an
Everyman -- Jimmy Stewart's Hitchcock roles come immediately to
mind -- in murderously unusual circumstances.
I shied away from the traditional private investigator
roles, too, because you can't get much better than Rockford and
Spenser.
MOI: IF WISHES WERE HORSES... is your first published novel. How
long was the writing process? How difficult was it getting the
novel published?
TH: I've been writing for twenty years -- it took me that long to
find the right combination. Getting published these days is very
difficult and I give tons of thanks to Joe Blades for taking a
chance on me. IF WISHES WERE HORSES... was actually written
after A WHISPER OF RAGE. Joe read the original manuscript of A
WHISPER OF RAGE and liked its basic premise and characters but
wanted a novel before it in order to strenghthen and develop the
characters. Thus, IF WISHES WERE HORSES... was born. I wrote
that novel over the summer of 1995 and I'm very proud of the way
it turned out. IF WISHES WERE HORSES... not only captures Neil,
the university, and the catering firm as I desired, but also it
presents Texas (especially Houston) from my perspective.
MOI: Without divulging too much about the mystery element of your
novel, do you care to address the pertinence of the title?
TH: Beyond the general fact that the victim is a man who began a
horse-breeding ranch, the title comes from something my mother
used to tell me when I was a child. If there was ever anything I
wanted that she wouldn't, or couldn't, provide for me, she'd say
"If wishes were horses then beggars could ride." She was a
schoolteacher, as I am now, and she had a maxim for every
occasion. Some, like this one, stuck with me. Hated it then.
Guess I owe her now.
MOI: You've mentioned that Neil Marshall will appear again in a
sequel -- A WHISPER OF RAGE (which Ballantine will publish early
in 1997). Does Neil figure into books after that?
TH: Yes, Neil will be in the next book, and the next and the
next.... We're bonded, and though I move on to middle age, he's
just riding out of his twenties with a great future. At the
moment I'm writing the third novel about Neil -- and I hope to be
able to chronicle his adventures for a long time to come.
SIGNINGS, READINGS, AND SO ON------------------------------------
(Please note that times are subject to change)
Joyce Burditt, BUCK NAKED, Ballantine, 345-40136-0
Corte Madera, CA Sat 7/20 BOOK PASSAGE, tba
Tim Hemlin, IF WISHES WERE HORSES..., Ballantine, 345-40318-5
Beaumont, TX Sat 7/13 BOOK RACK, 1:00
Houston, TX Sat 7/20 MURDER BY THE BOOK, 1:00
Julie Smith, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, Ballantine, 449-90937-9
New Orleans, LA Thu 7/11 GARDEN DISTRICT BOOKS, 5:00
Jackson, MS Sat 7/20 LEMURIA, 2:00
Denver, CO Mon 7/22 MURDER BY THE BOOK, 6:30
Boulder, CO Tue 7/23 RUE MORGUE, 7:00
Mt. Vernon, WA Wed 7/24 SCOTT'S BOOKSTORE, 7:00
Seattle, WA Thu 7/25 SEATTLE MYSTERY BOOKSHOP, 12:00
Seattle, WA Thu 7/25 KILLING TIME MYSTERIES, 7:00
South Pasadena, CA Fri 7/26 BOOK EM MYSTERIES, 1:00
Thousand Oaks, CA Fri 7/26 MYSTERIES TO DIE FOR, 3:30
Venice, CA Fri 7/26 SMALL WORLD BOOKS, 6:00
Westminster, CA Sat 7/27 COFFEE, TEA & MYSTERY, 11:00
Los Angeles, CA Sat 7/27 MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP, 2:00
Oakland, CA Sun 7/28 CROWN BOOKS, 1:00
Corte Madera, CA Sun 7/28 BOOK PASSAGE, 4:00
San Francisco, CA Mon 7/29 A CLEAN WELL-LIGHTED PLACE FOR
BOOKS, 7:30
SPOTLIGHT ON: CAROLYN BANKS--------------------------------------
Carolyn Banks has loved horses all her life. She has been a
foxhunter and has competed in local dressage competitions. So
it's no surprise that Robin Vaughan -- the amateur sleuth of her
mystery series -- is an equestrienne, and the plots focus on the
wonderful world of horses. Though Robin rides, her food critic
husband Jeet doesn't -- but she manages to pull him into the
arena when there's murder afoot.
The latest entry in this blue ribbon series is DEATH ON THE
DIAGONAL. Robin finds deadly doings in a small Texas backwater
town when the editor of the local paper falls victim to a fatal
hit-and-run accident. While Jeet settles in to take his friend's
place at the weekly press, Robin gallops around town trying to
find a killer.
When she's not writing or pursuing her interest in horses,
Carolyn Banks helps out at her husband's small newspaper in
Bastrop, Texas.
The Robin Vaughan mysteries in series order are:
DEATH BY DRESSAGE, paperback (449-14843-2, 11/93)
GROOMED FOR DEATH, paperback (449-14913-7, 2/95)
MURDER WELL-BRED, paperback (449-14914-5, 12/95)
DEATH ON THE DIAGONAL, paperback (449-14968-4, 7/96)
A HORSE TO DIE FOR, paperback (449-14969-2, 12/96)
THE LAST WORD: A SHRED OF EVIDENCE by Jill McGown----------------
Jill McGown is the creator of an acclaimed British mystery duo --
partners in law and love, Inspector Lloyd and Judy Hill. Their
books have been hailed by reviewers who have called McGown a
modern Agatha Christie: lively, classic, and oh-so-English. Each
book is an engrossing maze through a host of normal-seeming
people who play at murder.
In A SHRED OF EVIDENCE, the latest book in the series,
Inspectors Lloyd and Hill investigate the savage murder of a
teenage Lolita who was having an affair with one of her teachers.
The following excerpt finds the police officers at the scene of
the brutal crime....
Tom squatted down and shone his torch into the concrete pipe
where the top half of the body lay, and sniffed. He could still
smell it. Something not right, something that didn't belong. He
shook his head, and stood up. He knew that smell, but he
couldn't place it. A perfume of some sort, but it didn't seem
right.
On one level, he was as shocked as the next man, as shocked
as Mrs. Cochrane, even, at the brutality, the horror of it all.
On another, he was a little like the dog, who sat beside his
disheveled mistress, tail wagging, tongue out, pleased that his
discovery had produced all this activity. Finding people was a
bloodhound's job, he was saying joyously, and that's what he had
just done.
Finding their killers was a policeman's job, and Tom's tail
was wagging too. The duty inspector had got two teams doing
house-to-house along Ash Road before it got too late; they had
arranged for scene-of-crime officers to come, set the wheels in
motion. Now, they needed something to go on.
"What's the score, Tom?"
He turned to see acting Chief Inspector Hill coming towards
him along the lines of ribbon.
"Lights will be here any minute," said Tom. "If it means
anything, I think a car came out of the service road going very
fast," he said. "I think someone might have had to skid to avoid
him."
"We can appeal for the drivers to come forward," said Judy,
making a note. "At least eliminate them if nothing else."
"And the doctor's on his way to confirm death. She's in
there." He nodded towards the big section of concrete pipe that
sat half embedded in the grass, part of the adventure playground.
Only the girl's legs were visible in the dim light from the
street-lamps.
Judy went over and bent down. "Can't see a damn thing," she
said, and took his torch, shining it into the pipe. She
straightened up, swallowing a little, looking, it had to be said,
even less happy than she usually did about dead bodies. "Do we
know her name?" she asked.
"Not yet," said Tom, and frowned. This body was having a
hell of an effect on everyone; it was bad, but he'd seen worse,
and so had she. Maybe he was missing something. "Are you all
right?" he asked.
"I think she was on my bus tonight," said Judy. "She's
younger than she looks, Tom. The others called her Nat."
That would be a bit hard to take, thought Tom. It was
difficult to know what to say, really. You could hardly offer
your condolences, but he knew how she must feel. "Are you sure?"
he said. After all, she had just glimpsed someone on a bus.
Teenage girls were much of a muchness, really.
"Yes, I'm sure. Sure enough to get the head teacher here,
if possible." She got brisk and efficient again. "Have we found
her underwear?" she asked. "Or her shoes?"
"Not yet," said Tom. "She's got her tights round her neck,
though," he added, with a sudden surge of outrage, now that the
body had a name, an identity, however vague, and now that he knew
she was little more than a child. "We've not found anything
else." He glanced over to where Mrs. Cochrane sat. "That's the
lady who found her," he said. "Beside the smug bloodhound. I
haven't been able to get any sense out of her so far -- she was
too shocked."
"Right -- let's go and talk to her now," Judy said, as the
police surgeon arrived and disappeared into the concrete pipe.
Mrs. Cochrane was calm now; she apologized for breaking
down, after Tom had introduced Judy.
"Nothing to apologize for," said Tom. "It must have been a
very nasty shock. Do you want the doctor to have a look at your
leg?"
"Oh, no -- it's just a scratch." She examined the graze
through her torn and laddered tights. "I didn't know if she was
dead," she told Judy. "Sherry found her, and I couldn't see into
the pipe. I was going to ring for an ambulance. I fell when I
went up there. I should have used the road, but all I could
think of was getting to the phone box as fast as I could."
"If you're sure you're all right," said Judy. "I'm afraid
we have to ask you some questions."
"Yes, of course," she said.
"Did you see a car, Mrs. Cochrane?" Tom asked. "Or hear
one, maybe?"
"A car?" She shook her head. "No," she said firmly.
Pity. But it added up. Joyriders, kids watching the fun
and games, getting themselves all hyped up. Car goes, crowd
goes. Just the girl and some youth left, out of his mind on
drugs or booze or both.
"But the thing is..." she said, "I saw a girl just before."
She looked at Tom, her face drawn. "It can't be her," she said.
"It can't be. I saw her not twenty minutes before Sherlock --"
she broke off.
"Can you describe the girl you saw?"
"I know her, sort of. She goes to Oakland School. I can't
remember her name -- it's Russian, I think. She has long blonde
hair, and she was wearing --"
She broke off again as Tom glanced at Judy.
"It is her, isn't it?" she said, dully. "I thought...the
skirt. It looked the same. I don't believe it. I don't believe
it."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Susan Randol
Senior Editor
Ballantine Publishing Group
srandol@randomhouse.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to automatically receive MURDER ON THE INTERNET
each month, just send an email message asking to be added to the
subscription list to srandol@randomhouse.com. You will receive
the next issue as soon as it's available.
MURDER ON THE INTERNET: Mystery News from the Ballantine
Publishing Group is copyright 1996 by the Ballantine Publishing
Group. MURDER ON THE INTERNET may be reproduced only in its
entirety, and not for profit.