Peril in Paperback: A Bibliophile Mystery

to be Baccarat. It was an educated guess; I’d seen similar pieces at Guru Bob’s house. In front of every other place setting were pink cabbage roses and pale green hydrangeas compressed together in squat, square, etched-glass vases. The vintage arrangements lent an Old World charm to the table.
    I settled back in my chair and let out a breath. I had tangled with obnoxious people before, but Stephen Fowler had spooked me badly. Maybe because his animosity came out of nowhere, completely unprovoked. He seemed to think I had done something unforgivable, but I hadn’t, of course. It was possible that he was simply unhinged.
    I scanned the room again and realized that Fowler was seated next to Sybil. Now, there was a happy duet.
    Bella sat on the other side of Fowler, and Grace’s brother, Harrison, held court at the far end of the table. Despite being married to the hateful Madge, Harrison seemed like a cheery sort and was presently chuckling at something Bella had said. He was of medium height and portly, and tonight he wore an expensive cashmere V-neck sweater in a bright green shade with a faded purple, tattered polo shirt underneath. I was willing to bet money that his wife hated that garish, motley outfit.But maybe that was precisely why Harrison dressed that way.
    Whether by chance or on purpose, Madge was not seated next to her husband, but halfway down the table opposite Peter and right next to Vinnie. She was a little too close for my comfort. But Madge ignored everyone at the table by busying herself with folding and unfolding her white linen napkin. That was fine with me. I hoped her frosty, unspoken contempt for all of us would continue, because I really didn’t care to be forced into another conversation with the woman.
    By my count, there were three truly unlikable people at the party: Sybil, Madge, and Fowler. An odd party statistic, but it was true. Poor Grace, forced to invite them all—although, to be fair, while she couldn’t have avoided inviting Madge or Sybil, I had no idea why she had invited that schnook Fowler.
    A waiter filled my glass with wine and my mood lightened considerably. I decided it was time to ignore the three party poopers and get to know my immediate companions better. I liked Peter Brinker, found him easy to talk to and generous. And I wanted to find out more about Nathan. He was seated next to Grace, who sat at the head of the table.
    Our dinner conversation was a bit forced at first, but the incredible food and excellent wines quickly loosened our tongues and inhibitions. Who could remain silent after tasting such incredible fare? The first course was a roasted beet salad with tangy goat cheese and caramelized fennel. This was followed by a pasta course of homemade linguini with wild mushrooms in a creamy, buttery, brandy-infused sauce that made me want to cry out in pleasure.
    “I haven’t had one bad meal since I moved here,” Nathan said as he poured a touch more wine into my glass. “Grace’s chef is worth his weight in gold.”
    “This pasta is sensational,” I said as my taste buds moaned and begged for one more bite.
    Grace overheard me. “Chef Tang is a gift from heaven. He’s originally from Thailand but he studied at Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked in France for years before I was able to lure him here.”
    While I stuffed my face—er, enjoyed the fabulous dining experience—I glanced over at Vinnie and Suzie and wondered if I should’ve wangled a seat closer to them. They sat near Marko and Bella, who kept everyone in a good mood with their own banter and their kibitzing with other guests. Every few minutes, I would hear Marko’s high-pitched, boyish giggle and it almost made me laugh.
    Since I was seated with virtual strangers, our conversation was more sedate. I had time to observe at least five interesting things about my companions. First, as he’d mentioned earlier, Nathan had moved into the house two weeks ago and would continue living here while he worked on cataloging Grace’s library.
Not a bad gig,
I thought,
especially if meals are included.
    Second, Grace preferred that her housekeeper, Merrilee Sweet, a pretty blonde in her late twenties, dined with the guests. I didn’t have the slightest problem with that, but I noticed that Madge sniffed derisively when the lovely housekeeper sat down next to her.
    Third, I learned that Grace’s good friend, Ruth Kinsley, who sat on Grace’s right, across the table from Nathan, was actually