THE LATE CLARA BEAME

If all the cliches of the genre were combined and warmed up in a stew of old chestnuts, sitting ducks and red herrings, what would you have? A suicide- or murder- of an old husband leaving a young widow and her doctor brother; a blizzard-ound long weekend with another young couple in a semi-haunted house; a much resented legacy; a stranger (he's a forgotten half-brother and an FBI agent); further accidents, or lethal attempts, and some romantic silly-shallying. You've got it- and the only surprise is who did it- euphemistically known as the author credit.