TREASURE IN OXFORD

by David Williams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 10, 1988

Merchant banker, sometime sleuth Mark Treasure is involved this time in questionable doings at Oxford--where he's on the governing board of the Moneybuckle, an endowment for the upkeep of an architectural library. Members are buzzing about the discovery of three drawings, probably by John Constable, in an old Bible purchased by local book-dealer Ernest Cormit. A small fortune has supposedly been offered for them by a London dealer, but rich American board-member Armin Ostracher is prepared to up the ante--on the advice of art-expert Julian Barners and publisher Bryan Gavon. Meanwhile, Norman Westerly, Custodian of the Moneybuckle, has other things on his mind--but everyone seems stunned when Cormit is murdered in the apartment over his bookstore, and Megan Rees, his live-in girl friend, is arrested and jailed. The drawings, likeliest motive for the murder, were left undisturbed, and Treasure, sure of Megan's innocence, sets out to find the true culprit. He succeeds, of course--with lots of fine-tuning of alibis, exposing of various kinds of chicanery, and some offbeat personal involvements along the way. A fond evocation of the university and some amusingly eccentric characters enliven a typical Treasure outing (Wedding Treasure, etc.). No surprises or disappointments for his fans; literate, rather stolid fare for others.

Pub Date: Jan. 10, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1988

Categories: FICTION