The Players Come Again

There has always been a rumor that the books of Emmanuel Foxx were more than inspired by his wife Gabrielle. A publisher offers Kate Fansler a large advance to write her biography. With the help of her granddaughter and her two friends Gabrielle's papers offer much more tan she bargained for.This is a much less bloody mystery than the average Fansler. It is just as interesting however. I found myself really getting into the characters and their stories. Very good mystery.

The overt mystery in "The Players Come Again" is trying to understand Gabrielle Foxx's life. The story is more complicated than that but this book is an examination of people's lives rather than of crime. It is a wonderful book that not only had me caring about the characters but thinking about what their lives had to say to me. As well as being interested in what Amanda Cross has to say, I really enjoy the way she puts her words together

Amanda Cross writes 'literary' mysteries. There are no shoot-em-ups or violence. The mysteries are not to mysterious, either, that is to be admitted. Nevertheless if you like the character of Kate Fansler and her husband Reed, (and I do) you'll like the books, and the background of this one is intriguing. A man has written a famous book on the female experience, called Ariadne (after the Greek character) - turns out his wife has 'rewritten' the book from a woman's point of view... This book is best enjoyed if you are familiar with the series. Everyone should start at the beginning and read on from there!

Writing a biography, manuscripts, journals, literary detecting, and Virginia Woolf: "Wander no more, I say; this is the end. The oblong has been set upon square; the spiral is on top. We have been hauled over the shingle, down to the sea. The players come again." An Imperfect Spy (1995) The challenge of white male power in a Law School. Citations from John LeCarre. And A. N. Wilson's words: "Where mediocrity is the norm, it is not long before mediocrity becomes the ideal." And John Le Carre: "I invested my life in institutions - he thought without rancor - and all I am left with is myself." Amanda Cross: The Collected Stories (1997) What a remarkable collection of Kate Fansler short stories