THE DREAMING SWIMMER

This has the same narrator as Mrs. Ogilvie's first ""mystery"" (Weep and Know Why--1972), although judging by the price it isn't being featured as such and judging by the plot it's not too different from any of her Maine novels which are full of homemade quiddities from house to garden. Mirabell tells the story of the sale of Darby Homestead to outsider Cory Danderson, dim, suspicious (maybe Mafia?) and reclusive. He occupies all their annoyed attention and is immediately blamed for the shooting of an old lovable dog; but there are other incidents chainstitched together (a fiery cross; an attempted murder; etc.) before the real criminal is isolated. The author doesn't change--nor does her audience--even though there are referrals to Scott Joplin and morning glory seeds, neither for their reactivated current vogue.