THE BODY IN THE CASKET

By Katherine Hall Page

Amateur sleuth Faith Sibley Fairchild returns once again in the delightful series by the oh-so-talented Katherine Hall Page. Ever since her marriage several years ago to her clergyman husband, Tom, the transplanted New Yorker and proprietor of Have Faith in Your Kitchen catering has called the sleepy town of Aleford home. It’s been quite an adjustment for Faith, but she’s managed it with grace and nary a misstep, largely thanks to the friendship of the Fairchilds’ next door neighbor, Pix Miller, and her family.

But even Pix is surprised when Have Faith is called upon to cater a weekend birthday celebration in the secluded enclave of Havencrest for legendary Broadway producer Max Dane. Neither Havencrest, itself, nor Rowan House, Dane’s mansion, can be found on GPS, but that turns out to be the least of the surprises waiting for Faith when she accepts the job. Dane has received a death threat in the form of a casket, sent as an early present. The only thing in the casket is a twenty-year-old Playbill from Dane’s final, and only failed, production, Heaven or Hell. Fearing for his life, Dane has hired Faith to do double duty as live-in caterer and sleuth, and figure out which of his guests, all of whom were part of the failed production, is out to kill him.

It’s clear that the weekend is doomed. Two of the invited guests are unable to attend because they’ve just died. And the guests who show up aren’t there to celebrate the birthday of the man they blame for bringing a premature end to their theatrical careers. With so much squabbling inside the mansion, plus an ice storm swirling outside which temporarily cuts off power, it’s clear that Faith has a lot more to deal with than she ever expected.

“The Body in the Casket,” like the others in this series, is an intelligent, well-plotted mystery with believable, likeable characters and a satisfying, logical ending. Bravo!