Who Killed Me?

 Who Killed Me? (1979) by Joan Allan

Valerie Lambert is an account executive for an advertising agency that is producing commercials for a new perfume named for Meri Milton, film star. Setting up filming schedules for ten one-minute commercials shot at various London landmarks was a feat in and of itself, but dealing with the bickering between Meri and the film's director, Hans Richmond, and the hostility between Meri and Nelson Bishop, the rising star executive for Associated Cosmetics (home of the new perfume), and the resentment between Hans and Nelson was enough to drive Valerie to distraction. And just when she's successfully smoothed the ruffled feathers of the movie star and her director, two policemen show up at her hotel room at one o-clock in the morning and ask her to come with them. At the end of their journey is the dead body of Nelson Bishop--a knife in his chest and a note pinned to his suit jacket that says:

WHO KILLED ME? ASK VALERIE LAMBERT. 836-4343

It follows that Inspector Haverstock is curious to know why Valerie's name is on the note. She gives him all the background info she can and, once the time of death is established, is cleared of suspicion. So, of course, she wants to lend a hand in the investigation. 

She and Haverstock will have to sift through the suspects. There are the obvious ones--Meri and Hans. But were their disagreements with the executive deep enough to result in murder? There is also the head of Associated Cosmetics, Perry Nash, who may have found that his anticipated successor had a few too many skeletons in the closet--or had too great an interest in Nash's daughter Adrienne. Which brings us to Adrienne--she and Bishop had a fling but then she transferred her affections to an older actor by the name of Clifford Frampton. Maybe Bishop didn't want to take no for an answer? As our two detectives keep digging, they discover that Bishop had a little side-line of blackmail going on. Maybe he pushed one of his victims just a little too far?

This another of a series of Zebra Mystery Puzzler Books that I got in an assortment for Christmas a couple of years. As indicated on the cover, the set-up for these books is that all the clues necessary for the reader to solve the mystery before the final reveal are given in the cover photo, various illustrations within the story, and, as with good mysteries clues given in the text. I obtained and read one of this series a very long time ago (over 30 years) and enjoyed it (thus the request for my hubby to order up the Zebra books on Ebay). Since then I've read three of the lot of fifteen or so with mixed results. 

In general, this series consists of pretty solid but somewhat lightweight mysteries. And even when I thought the clues given in the pictures weren't especially necessary to solve the mystery(because there weren't enough red herring suspects or whatever) at least the clues were there in case you needed them. However--for this mystery, nearly all of the clues make sense only after the solution is revealed. I didn't pick up a single one before the reveal and I can't for the life of me figure out what the extra clue is on the cover. Everything you see--from the knife to the message--is explained in the text. 

I also find it really difficult to believe that Haverstock would allow some random American to flit about in his Scotland Yard investigation AND that she would have better ideas about tracking down the knife and the pen used for the note than an experienced police detective. He acts like her discoveries are just brilliant and who would have thought? Yes, there are all sorts of amateurs barging into official investigations in detective fiction and I happily go along with most of them--when there's a good mystery plot payoff. Unfortunately, I'm not buying it this time. ★ and 1/2 (I almost gave it two, but I don't think it's as good as another Zebra Puzzler that I did give two stars, so...)

First line: Valerie Lambert's knife sliced through a pâté of fresh duck livers, truffles, and pistachio nuts.

Last line: Whoever was calling Valerie Lambert was going to have to wait.
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Deaths = 2 (one stabbed; one drowned)