The Bookfair Murders

Louise E. Allin, a poet and short-story writer, is also an English instructor at Cambrian College.

As the publisher of Key Porter Books, Anna Porter is well acquainted
with the book world. As this mystery opens, the Frankfurt International
Book Fair—an annual meeting of premier agents, publishers, editors,
and authors—is underway. Marsha Hillier, a New York editor, serves as
the reader’s guide to the world of bidding wars, takeovers, and
seven-figure advances.

Unfortunately, the plot, involving the death of a particularly
unscrupulous literary agent, a secret manuscript written by a heinous
world figure, and the quixotic behavior of Marsha’s $20 million
bestselling romance queen, fails to maintain suspense. The German police
detective in charge of the murder investigation is a cardboard figure,
while Marsha’s bedroom byplay with a handy old flame serves little
purpose. Inconsistencies and typographical errors suggest the absence of
a firm editorial hand. Porter is the author of two previous novels in
this series, Mortal Sins and Hidden Agenda.