Murder in Mellingham ~ Paperback ~ Susan Oleksiw

The sharp sea air and the biting tongue of Beth O'Donnell invigorate the lovely coastal village of Mellingham. Younger sister of one of Mellingham's most prominent residents, Beth arrives uninvited, unexpected, and unwelcome every two years from New York City to renew her shaky relationship with her generous brother and to share her venomous view of life with anyone who will listen. Her current visit will be her last. Surrounded by her brother and sister-in-law's cocktail party guests, Beth insults anyone who catches her interest. She sends a dart to test the thickness of a young editor's skin; she threatens another young man who only wants to do his job; a knowing look at an older woman unaccountably strikes fear into the other woman's heart. Those who have met Beth before move quickly away, eager to escape someone who is as intensely disliked as her brother is loved. Chief of Police Joe Silva has plenty of suspects as he investigates the murder of the perfect victim, a woman whose death brings relief instead of sorrow. A thoughtful, attractive man, Chief Silva had hoped never to encounter another murder when he moved to Mellingham, but he soon recovers his old investigative skills and discovers exceptional depths in the members of his force. He also finds unexpected secrets behind the polished facades of the moneyed families of Mellingham. With a kindly and humorous eye, the author takes us into a world now eclipsed by suburban tracts and shopping malls, a world as refreshing as a cool ocean breeze.Author BiographySusan Oleksiw is the author of the Mellingham series featuring Chief of Police Joe Silva, who was introduced in Murder in Mellingham (1993). Oleksiw introduced Anita Ray, an Indian American photographer, in a series of short stories, including "A Murder Made in India" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, 2003). Anita Ray's first book-length adventure is Under the Eye of Kali (2010). She also appeared in The Wrath of Shiva (2012) and For the Love of Parvati (2014). Also known for her nonfiction work, Oleksiw compiled A Reader's Guide to the Classic British Mystery (1988), the first in a series of Reader's Guides. As consulting editor for The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing (1999), she also contributed several articles. Oleksiw trained as a Sanskritist at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received her PhD in Asian Studies, and has lived and traveled extensively in India.