Going Out in Style

Lady Margaret Priam Mystery #9

by Joyce Christmas

DEATH IN THE FAMILY

Rich and stylish Dianne Stark has it all: good looks, wealthy husband, cute baby, Fifth Avenue apartment. So why is she suddenly restless and anxious, hinting at secret troubles?

Lady Margaret Priam suspects her friend is the victim of an overactive imagination. But when Dianne's look-alike sister is murdered, Lady Margaret decides to do some mannerly snooping. As she canvasses her social connections--including Dianne's current men friends--and searches for a shadowy ex-husband, she meets a Dianne she never knew. And exposes a criminal where she least expects it. . . .

181 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 29, 1998

About the author

Joyce Christmas is the author of 11 mysteries published by Fawcett Gold Medal, eight featuring expatriate Brit in Manhattan, Lady Margaret Priam. A ninth Lady Margaret book, Going Out in Style, is scheduled for summer 1998. Her second series stars retired office manager, Betty Trenka, a senior sleuth who's facing the problems of aging, and finding a new life for herself. The most recent, Downsized to Death, was published in November, 1997, for a total of three in the series so far.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Margaret Priam is concerned about her good friend Dianne Stark, the woman who seems to have everything. But Dianne is clearly worried about something, and dissatisfied with her perfect life--which makes Margaret examine her own life with questions, too. When Dianne's visiting sister is murdered, the possible criminals include a mugger, someone who doesn't care for the flirtatious Karen, or someone who mistook her for Dianne. Then Margaret confronts the murderer, and the plot seems to tip even further into implausibility. Not my favorite of the Priam books.

[Eugene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Penultimate entry of the books in this series, which is increasingly “showing its age.” The plot is well nigh gossamer thin, the characters are poorly drawn, and the climax is more the story just grinding to a halt…
When I have finished the last, I believe that when I recall the Lady Margaret Priam Mysteries, I’ll recall the early few fondly and sublimate the rest…