Marion Halligan — The Apricot Colonel

Allen & Unwin 2006 Paperback, 280pp. Marion Halligan at her lighthearted and wryly humorous best in a tale of mystery and murder, of beauty and yearning, and of a surprising love. A beautiful man, and all she can do is tinker with his prose. For Cassandra, an editor, books are easy. It's real life that's the challenge: it doesn't sit quietly and let itself be fixed. Right now Cassandra's life seems far too heavy on the suspense, while the romance is distinctly unconvincing. But that was before the murders started. And before she suspected that her own name was on the killer's hit list. Murder, match-making and the dark arts of book editing: The Apricot Colonel is Halligan at her light-hearted best. (ISBN: 9781741147667). Good.