C.A.T. CAPER

by Margaret Logan ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 27, 1990

Amiable satirist Logan (A Killing in Venture Capital, Deathampton Summer) here tackles student/teacher antipathies, fervent religiosity, and demagoguery, all played out during the once-yearly grading of the College Aptitude Test (C.A.T.) essay question. Cloistered at the genteely shabby Beasley Center, the teachers read and grade papers during the day and bicker with and lust after each other at night. Then much-hated Grading Supervisor Marilyn Milledge is found dead. Whodunit? Student Jason Armbuster, found exiting her room with a cake box in his hand? The beauteous Di, who stomped on Marilyn's foot during the sing-along? Or. . .? Asked to come to the rescue by the Center's aging owner and his money-hungry grandson Tank, teacher Dodge Hackett discovers that the dead woman taunted students with sarcastic postcards; that young Jason received one of those postcards (as well as a perfect 800 math score) and believes God will save him (again); and that co-grader Staci is his heart's desire. Dodge then wraps up the case in a flurry of explanations, shoves, pushes, illicit kisses, and professorial witticisms. Amusing skewering of academic pretensions, juvenile adult behavior, and cerebral one-upmanship games. A very funny read, even if the murder's little more than anecdotal.

Pub Date: July 27, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION