The Murders of Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Beale

In this latest Inspector Lloyd/Inspector Judy Hill case (after Murder Movie ) the single exciting character is Lennie Austin, a gifted, free-spirited artist. Unfortunately, her head is bashed in early on and the reader is left with duller folk--the cohabiting inspectors, their detective sergeants, one big-time crook, one small-time ex-con, an engineer, his pregnant wife, an additional homicide victim, and Lennie's husband, a wealthy Conservative Party candidate for Parliament. An excellent, intricate plot goes down the drain here because multiple viewpoints and rapid scene shifts are unnecessarily confusing, especially in the beginning, when characters not only lie a lot but also think evasive, ambiguous thoughts. Interest does quicken as the investigation unfolds, but by then many readers may have jumped ship. (Sept.)