MURDER IN MELLINGHAM

Genteel, bullying Beth O'Donnell, on another uninvited visit to her brother and sister-in-law, leaves their party for their guest cottage and promptly gets killed—causing scarcely a ripple on the Mellingham, Massachusetts, social surface. (``It was a lovely night,'' grieving Merrilee O'Donnell recalls. ``Well, except for Beth, of course.'') The general indifference is due in part to Beth's ruthlessly manipulative habits—she's wheedled an income out of her rich, inoffensive brother Howard, virtually ruined old family friend Lee Handel, and threatened novice editor Bob Chamber with the loss of his job—and in part to first- novelist Oleksiw's disinclination to bring any life to this pallid crew's possible motives for murder. Only a brief appearance by a grinning stockbroker shines with malice. Endless talk about where which well-bred suspect was standing at what moment during the crucial party. For those who care.