cover image Death's Darkest Face

Death's Darkest Face

Julian Symons. Penguin Books, $5.95 (272pp) ISBN 978-0-14-013263-2

Symons plays a role in his own novel when central character Geoffrey Elder entrusts him with secrets about a poet's murder. ``The president of Britain's Detective Club brings all the experience of his distinguished literary career to the writing of a fine novel, while the `fictional' Symons brings sleuthing skills to bear on the crime, producing a satisfying solution,'' said PW. (Dec.)