Die Once

Paul Grant weaves in and out of Dido Hares life like a bad penny, but who uses whom when the chips are down? The sixth installment of Marianne MacDonald's series has all the quirks and bends that makes this modern cozy fun to read. A frequent customer bounces a check and plunges to his death. Timothy Curwen, who lives in the apartment house of the deceased sets Dido on a long chase when she arrives to evaluate his estate and discovers only the last purchase, which she takes home with her. Rumors and secrets emerge as Dido discovers she didn't know her customer. A nice addition to this fine series. Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and TRAVELERS.

DIE ONCE was my introduction to Macdonald's Dido Hoare series and made me a fan immediately. The story unfolds at a pace befitting the antiquarian book trade. As Dido tracks down leads to the murder, she goes about the daily business of running a book store and seeing to the care of toddler son Ben. I enjoyed the wonderful relationship between Dido and her father, Barnabas, formerly an Oxford don and now her business partner in the book store. He is by turns attentive grandfather, frequent baby sitter, worrier with a tendency to overprotectiveness, sage advisor, and occasional cohort in the investigation. Macdonald paints a very believable picture of everyday life in rainy London. DIE ONCE is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the book trade.

Single mother and antique book dealer Dido Hoare is supprised when one of her best customers bounces a check. Then she finds that he apparently committed suicide. Financial ruin would explain the bounced check and the suicide, but it wouldn't explain the continued interest the police have in her customer, the law firm that's handling his non-existant estate, or the odd story that turns up in the newspaper writing up the dead man's life. Dido is in to the tune of the two hundred pounds the first edition Dickens is worth and she decides to see if she can get her money back somehow. What she finds is a surprise--none of the expensive books she sold the dead man are anywhere in sight. Author Marianne Macdonald writes an interesting story. Dido and her father, Barnabas, in particular are well developed characters with full lives and curiosity that drives them on even when they know that they are simply getting into trouble. Macdonald's strong writing sustains reader interest even when not much is happening. Toward the final third of the novel, the story seems to meander a bit, as if Macdonald wasn't sure where to take it. The plot line recovers however, with an exciting chase scene to bring things to closure. Fans of this fine series will definitely enjoy DIE ONCE.

Dido Hoare's Antiquarian Books and Prints store is doing well and the associated mail order business and website is increasing profits for the single mother and her son. One of her best customers is Timothy Curwen who usually buys her expensive Victorian books whenever she gets them into stock. Over the last year he has spent thousands of pound in her store so she's very surprised when his two hundred pound check for Charles Dickens THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN bounces.She learns that Tim is dead, so she writes to his solicitors and next of kin for remittance on the book she just sold him. They hire her to appraise Tim's book collection, but she is surprised to find that the books in his home are worthless. She does find her book hidden away and takes it home with her. She learns that Tim was involved in a drug selling operation and that the body was not Tim, but instead a police man "minding" the collector who was going to turn state's evidence. Dido's natural curiosity pushes her into the middle of the investigation.A Dido Hoare mystery is always fun to read and DIE ONCE is no exception. It's always interesting to watch the heroine balance her business, her interfering but concerned father, and her son's needs while she is in the middle of the case that she knows she should stay out of it. This is a delightful amateur sleuth novel that has plenty of action but is not all gory. Marianne MacDonald creates a warm cozy that will have a large fan following.Harriet Klausner