The Love Potion Murders in the Museum of Man

Don't miss this one, a sleeping find. "Love Potion Murders" is an exciting story told in prose tight as a drum. Sex, humor, gibes at academic pomposity, wisdom about life delivered with a light touch, portraits of New England characters - "Love Potion Murders" has all this. Norman Ratour is unforgettable as he handles a crazy world. I loved the book. I think Alcorn now establishes his reputation as a novelist of wry humor, suspense, eccentric characters, and beautiful writing.

Sensitive readers should be warned that this contains graphic and realistic descriptions of what happens in university committees. Professor Ratour has a university appointment and is also director of a museum that the university thinks it should control. The museum is in some way part of the university but has a separate board of trustees and its own endowment. It also derives income from renting space to a research institute that is staffed by university faculty and generates substantial money from patents. The university has established an "Oversight Committee" for the museum. The Russian Mob and fundraisers and lawyers are involved. There's poisoning, cannibalism, dismemberment and mutual rape.