Dead Duck

Hand-carving wooden duck decoys is becoming a lost art. On the shores of Chesapeake Bay (""land of certifiable duck nuts""), the Decoy Jamboree, Santimoke County's annual and only bonanza, brings out the worst in collectors. To Hollis Ball, girl reporter for the local Watertown Gazette, their lust permeates everything ""like cheap cologne."" When notoriously acquisitive Judge Fish is murdered on the very eve of the festival, the biggest worry is that his blood may have damaged the antique snow goose that was used to do him in. With its whimsy, dry humor and snappy dialogue, this makes for a brilliant series debut. Every action seems funny and true, every character (down to the ghost of Hollis's recently deceased ex-husband) seems natural and logical. It doesn't hurt that Chappell (Slow Dancing with the Angel of Death) loads the story with scads of information about decoys, their history, creation and collecting--the kind of thing that Sharyn McCrum did so well in Bimbos of the Death Sun. If Chappell keeps this up, she'll be every bit as successful. (Aug.)