DEADLY LEGACY

Mystery writer Melissa Craig lives in a sleepy Cotswold village, but she's hardly a placid, quiet character. Phyllida Nash presents her with just the right mix of vinegar and sugar to make her appealing. It's a pleasure to "overhear" her dealings with her detective boyfriend; her Scottish friend, Bruce, who eggs her on in her adventures; and her neighbor, Iris, whose baby talk to her cat nettles Mel. The mystery is set in the literary and art worlds, giving Nash's stage experience (including Shakespeare) an excellent workout as she presents the snobbish types, along with the everyday people who make up a small-town mystery. S.G.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]