Elizabeth Peters 1989 – 4th and final book of the Jacqueline Kirby Mysteries
Of the four volumes in the Jacqueline Kirby series, this one is probably the best-developed: Jacqueline, in an unlikely career change, has written a couple of romance novels, become a bestselling author full time, quit her libarian job, and moved to New York City. Just like that.
After being selected to write the sequel to author Kathleen Darcy’s Naked in the Ice, a bestselling novel a la Clan of the Cave Bear, Jacqueline takes up residence in the tiny Ozark town where Kathleen lived -and maybe where she died – to be close to her subject matter, namely Kathleen’s research papers.
Then things start happening; Jacqueline is a near-victim of many “accidents,” just as Kathleen Darby was before her disappearance. She does some digging and solves more than one mystery.
Much like the two preceding Jacqueline Kirby books, Naked Once More has a clever setting and puzzle/plot that keeps us engaged to find out the answer to one question. This reader kept reading to see if her guess was right – and, obvious and improbable as the guess was, it was the right guess.
Grace Conlon narrates well, as always.