Death in Purple Prose (1987)

This is the final book in the short Superintendent Perry Trethowan series by Barnard. I have enjoyed them all. In this mystery Perry has accompanied his sister Christobel to Norway where she has been registered to attend a romance writers convention. As in his other books which profile the writing profession Barnard pokes fun at the authors in the trenches who provide the vast amounts of fodder for the reading public.

Also attending the conference are the reigning divas of the American and British romance writers. I call them divas because they really put on acts until one of them is killed and the hunt is on for the killer. The characters are all well drawn and fleshed out and the book was a gem. ( )