Death of a Dad: The Nursery School Murders

Fuchs uses a thin mystery structure to house a satire that proves to be more enthusiastic than able as it skewers the egotism of the misbehaving adults of Berkeley, Calif. When assistant teacher Maren arrives late for a parent's meeting at the nursery school where she works, head teacher Judy tells her that Mal O'Boyle, aggressive father of Caleb, is dead on the cornmeal table. All the evidence points to Judy as the murderer--and when there's another murder, even Maren begins to wonder. The book is very funny in places, and much of the humor involves sex. Mal and Celine Livermore made pornographic films, and there is a ribald sketch of Celine at work directing the well-endowed Boffo the clown. Maren and her husband, Aaron, have grown far apart, and the investigating policeman, a former boyfriend, makes a serious pass at Maren. But after a while, the comedy, like the prose, settles into its superficial skin. Ultimately, the satire of Berkeley yuppie parents is tame. As a mystery, the story breaks down, sacrificing suspense and plotting to the necessities of a rather unilluminating social critique. (Apr.)