Customer Reviews

Death at the Table

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This book is an excellent example of good story marred by the many grammatical, syntactical mistakes which should have been corrected, if not by the author, by the editorial staff of either Macmillan, its English publisher, or St. Martin's Press in this country. Wading through the zillion run-on sentences, as well as the same number of comma splices became so distracting, due to the fact that so many sentences and paragraphs had to be reread, that I ceased to care just "who done it" and turned to the book's final pages. This is too bad, since her last work of fiction (Cannaletto and the Westminster Bridge) was quite good indeed.

I was immediately repelled by the first pages of this book, in which the soon-to-be mother-in-law of the heroine, Darina, endlessly denigrates her exciting excursion into a TV cooking show. Is it just me, or do authors choose to place far too many female lead characters in modern fiction in toxic family situations in which they are abused or mistreated(emotionally or physically)? In the mystery genre, I think of Mary Daheim's Judith McGonigle Flynn series in which the mother regularly refers to the heroine as an "idiot" or "stupid", etc. or any number of other series in which the mother/mother-in-law/ husband/children/whoever treat the woman and her goals and thoughts with contempt. Aside from the fact that I don't find it enjoyable or cathartic to read this type of conversational narrative, I find the personality type that would accept this behavior to be antithetical to the personality type that would solve mysteries. After all, deductive reasoning requires confidence and solving mysteries requires aggressive thought and action. Someone willing to accept regular denigration is a more passive personality to start and over time being treated with disrespect diminishes one's confidence. While the Diane Mott Davidson series is in part about a former battered wife's reemergence as a confident woman and sleuth, too many series expect us to accept the contradictory personality. Death at the Table was also full of other flaws, including the fact that it was replete with British and Australian slang that was not full of local flavor, but rather just made the reader want to skip to the end, as did the poor editing job. Also, is Britain so far behind the U.S. when it comes to the "battle of the sexes" (to deliberately use an out-of-date term)? Isn't the time past when being called "girl" in a professional capacity and having male colleagues constantly refer to sexual matters is the norm? Although the ending is a sop to modern mores, if the book is an accurate portrayal of gender relations in the UK, I'll stay here. Finally, the unveiling of the murderer (STOP reading here if you don't want any hints) as a frustrated lesbian was so "retro" as a murder motive that I could only laugh. This book, in my opinion, is appropriate for those who want a blast from the past, when women knew their place and it wasn't solving mysteries.

English cookbook author Darina Lisle is extremely excited over being invited to be one of the star presenters of a new London TV food series, Table For Four. Joining Darina on the panel is egotistical wine connoisseur, Bruce Bennett, who manages to charm all the ladies associated with the show, including Darina. Of course, all the men hate the Australian narcissist. The show is a monster hit with the viewing audience until Bruce dies (literally) on TV. Without the charismatic Bruce, most of the TV industry believes that the show is doomed to fail. ....... When a second person also dies, Darina, an amateur detective, begins to suspect a murderer is on the show. In spite of the warnings from her fiance, Detective William Pigram, Darina starts to investigate the two deaths. However, as she gets closer to the truth and the identity of the assailant, Darina has to wonder if she has placed herself in jeopardy of becoming the next victim? ........ Fans of gourmet mysteries will dine on this tasty morsel from Janet Laurence. The story line of DEATH AT THE TABLE is fast-paced, exciting, and filled with unexpected twists, while Darina is an intriguing amateur female detective. Readers who enjoy a culinary who-done-it will relish this delectable novel. .......Harriet Klausner