THE ANATHEMA STONE

London's Chief Superintendent Kenworthy (Some Run Crooked, 1978) is vacationing with wife Elspeth in Spentlow, a remote Derbyshire village that comes equipped with two prominent feuding families, a commune even more squalid than most, dreadful October weather, and an intellectual vicar. The vicar, in fact, is producing a local drama-group play, and Kenworthy is somehow pushed into undertaking a major role. But before our hero has scarcely had time to study the script, his leading lady--Davina Stott, a very pretty, very mixed-up adolescent already old in the ways of mischief-making--is found dead on the doorstep of Jesse Allsop's farmhouse. Kenworthy must solve the crime, of course--especially since he comes under suspicion himself, thanks to his gossipy cleaning lady. Village rumor and rancor, nicely juicy characters, a fine surprise solution--a very safe bet for fans of the literate English-village genre.