Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Northbury Papers
Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Joanne Dobson
Class/Genre: Mystery Woman Main Character
Series: Professor Karen Pelletier # 2
Doubleday, Nov 1998, $21.95, 273 pp.
The English department of New England's Enfield College is divided over what constitutes classic literature. The old guard revere Shakespeare and Chaucer. Austen sometimes gets a nod. The new centurions regard just about anything as literature. This war leaves two year professor Karen Pelletier in the wrong camp as the department chair champions Milton while Karen was hired to teach American Women's Literature, an oxymoron amongst her peers.
To make tenure even more tenuous, Karen is fascinated by the works of nineteenth century writer Serena Northbury, who all her colleagues agree wrote trash. She plans to write a biography on the woman in spite of the objections of the people in her department. During her research, Karen finds an unpublished manuscript in the possession of a descendent of Northbury. However, instead of academia triumph, a murder occurs. Karen realizes that she has more to worry about than just the potential demise of her career as someone wants her out of the way too.
The second Professor Pelletier academic mystery is a brilliant entry that will elate the audience. The characters are sharp and in many ways a satirical look at the ole boys network. The who-done-it is interesting and puzzling enough to charm readers. However, what really makes THE NORTHBURY PAPERS grade out as an A+ is Karen's relationships with various and sundry, including the long-deceased author she is studying. Anyone who enjoys a fun mystery, but especially with a college backdrop, should read Joanne Dobson' latest novel and its predecessor, QUIETER THAN SLEEP, because the author has a 4.0 index while majoring in entertaining, well-written literature.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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