Down in the Dumps

Ted Thring is a book reviewer for the Queen’s University radio
station.

The author of this intriguing mystery lives and works in Muskoka, the
region of south-central Ontario in which the novel is set. Polly Deacon,
a bohemian who resides in a cabin and makes puppets for a living,
discovers the body of a local ne’er-do-well while disposing of trash
at the dump. When the efforts of the two OPP officers assigned to the
case fail to meet with Polly’s approval, she sets out to do some
sleuthing on her own. Her investigation brings her into conflict with
the police and, ultimately, forces a confrontation with the killer. The
Muskoka setting and the heroine’s wry sense of humor add to the appeal
of this clever, fast-moving mystery.