Mrs. Pargeter's Pound of Flesh (Crime, Penguin) - Softcover

The late Mr. Pargeter left his widow pots of money and his address book, "a compendium of contacts which could procure a surprising range of unconventional services." When a young friend wants a slimmer self with which to welcome her husband (a former employee of the late Mr. Pargeter) home from jail, Mrs. P. uses her new sources not only to get them a free sojourn at a health spa, but also to assist in her investigation of some peculiar corpses she encounters there. Brett makes the most of the milieu, serving up delicious descriptions of "Dead Sea Mud Bath" treatments and "Mind Over Fatty Matter" products. There's even an attempted murder using a passive exercise machine. Although Brett's Charles Paris mysteries offer superior characterization, this third to feature Mrs. Pargeter (after Mrs. Presumed Dead ) is consistently witty and convincing. Readers will gobble it up, especially its six happy resolutions.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Plump Mrs. Pargeter accompanies her friend to a "fat farm" but with no intentions of losing weight. Instead, she enjoys the attentions of its owner, not to mention the full talents of the resort's gourmet chef. Quite accidentally, she stumbles upon the corpse of a young woman who seemingly died of anorexia. The ever-curious Mrs. Pargeter sets out to discover the facts surrounding the suspicious death. Enlisting the help of her dead husband's associates from the underworld, she winds her way through charlatans and impostors and toward a dangerous confrontation. Author Brett's background in radio serves well in his narration of his novel. Richly drawn characters, fine tension, and unbeatable humor are delightfully enriched with his reading. For all mystery collections.
Susan B. Lamphier, Somerville P.L., Mass.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.