Strangled Prose (Claire Malloy Mysteries, No. 1)

Is killing a romance novelist considered a crime of passion?She would have killed for a bestseller--but someone beat her to it...Professor of Passion, the smutty new romance from Mildred Twiller--a.k.a. Azalea Twilight--isn't the kind of book Claire Malloy likes to hock at her bookstore, but Claire agrees to host a book party for her friend's trashy tale. As torrid as the novel is, it's nothing compared to the evening. After the party, poor Mildred is found dead in her home--strangled with a tightly knotted silk scarf. Now it's up to Clair to find Mildred's killer, and it won't be easy--the two-bit author had offended nearly every faculty member she worked with at nearby Faber College. But who could have hated Mildred with such smouldering passion?Find out in Joan Hess' first Claire Malloy mystery novelStrangled Prose.Hess enlivens her mystery with humor and the bumptious doings of narrator Claire Malloy's daughter Caron. A widow, Claire supports herself and 14-year-old Caron by running a college-town bookstore, where Mildred Twiller insists the reception for her new lurid romance be held. Mildred's husband, Prof. Douglas Twiller, revels in the fortune his wife earns under the pen name Azalea Twilight. But when guests at the party hear themselves libeled in excerpts from the novel, Douglas is aghast and Mildred/Azalea goes home in tears. Later she's found strangled, and Douglas endures grilling by detective Pete Rosen, until the professor is strangled too. Rosen then turns the inquisition onto Claire (whose late husband is accused in the novel of philandery) and onto some of the other people in academe. Caron and a friend, wimpy Inez, cause distractions that inhibit the investigation, which ends at last after several developments that strain credibility particularly when Inez vanishes for a long time with no indication that anyone is particularly alarmed....

she Would Have Killed For A Bestseller—but Someone Beat Her Tow It...

professor Of Passion, The Smutty New Romance From Mildred Twiller—a.k.a. Azalea Twilight—isn't The Kind Of Book Claire Mallow Likes To Hock At Her Bookstore, But Claire Agrees To Host A Book Party For Her Friend's Trashy Tale. As Torrid As The Novel Is, It's Nothing Compared To The Evening. After The Party, Poor Mildred Is Found Dead In Her Home—stranged With A Tightly Knotted Silk Scarf. Now It's Up To Clair To Find Mildred's Killer, And It Won't Be Easy—the Two-bit Author Had Offended Nearly Every Faculty Member She Worked With At Nearby Faber College. But Who Could Have Hated Mildred With Such Smoldering Passion?

houston Chronicle

a Cleverly Conceived And Executed Mystery With A Quick Moving Plot And An Exciting Finish...a Fresh Addition To The Murder-on-campus Genre.

She would have killed for a bestseller--but someone beat her to it... Professor of Passion, the smutty new romance from Mildred Twiller--a.k.a. Azalea Twilight--isn't the kind of book Claire Malloy likes to hock at her bookstore, but Claire agrees to host a book party for her friend's trashy tale. As torrid as the novel is, it's nothing compared to the evening. After the party, poor Mildred is found dead in her home--strangled with a tightly knotted silk scarf. Now it's up to Claire to find Mildred's killer, and it won't be easy--the two-bit author had offended nearly every faculty member she worked with at nearby Faber College. But who could have hated Mildred with such smoldering passion? Claire Molloy runs a bookstore called the Book Depot in a small college town. She lets her friend, romance author Azalea Twilight, use the store for a book signing party. But when the town's toughest feminist bursts in and reads from Azalea's book, Claire discovers the smutty romance uses details from her own husband's death. Incensed, Claire is ready to kill Azalea, but someone beats her to it. Azalea is dead, and Claire is a suspect, along with half the faculty at the college, all of whom Azalea offended along the way Claire Malloy's friend has written a trashy novel. Claire agrees to host a book party but at the end of the evening her friend is found strangled. She had admittedly offended many people but who could have hated her with such passion? There is no place for a body in the little office at the back of my bookstore-not even mine.