Hatboxes are In. So is Murder. It was a relief! Stacey wasn't the only person carrying a hatbox on the flight to London. Now she wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb, and no one could possibly guess that instead of a hat she was actually transporting a one-of-a-kind double tiara of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and fire opals. No one could guess, that is, until the jeweled headdress disappeared. By then Stacey was in London—in the company of two impish children and an out-of-work actor—and the tiara was God knows where. Could it be that the oil baron's wife had switched her hatbnox for Stacey's? What about the efficient stewardess, or the beautiful but beguiling cover girl, or the two men handcuffed together? Racing all over London and environs, Stacey was determined to hunt the jewelry down. What she found were lots of empty hatboxes—and murder. . .
Author
Marian Babson, a pseudonym for Ruth Stenstreem, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, but lived in London for the greater part of her life. She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles. A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar. She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel. The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs. She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order. Gerry Wolstenholme September 2010
