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    MURDER ON THE MAURETANIA by Conrad Allen

    A MYSTERY FEATURING GEORGE PORTER DILLMAN AND GENEVIEVE MASEFIELD

    St. Martin's Minotaur, December 2000

    On the Mauretania's maiden voyage, detectives George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield are not expecting any serious problems. Although the ship carries millions in gold bullion, who would dare steal it and where would they put it. Unfortunately, their hopes are soon dashed. A crime spree breaks out. Someone is stealing things--mostly small but valuable silver, but also mysterious items such as a crow-bar and a waiter's trolley. It is up to Dillman and Masefield to get to the bottom of the mystery before the passengers panic.

    Dillman soon has a pretty good idea of the silver thief--but the man vanishes before Dillman can complete his investigation. When a search turns up nothing, Dillman expects foul play. Genevieve plays the role of a society girl, mingling with the first class passengers. She suspects beautiful American Katherine Wymark of something, but surely not of murder. Gradually the evidence points to a larger conspiracy. Could someone really have the audacity to embark on a mid-seas theft of heavy gold? Dillman and Genevieve cannot discount the possibility.

    Set in the early 1900s, MURDER ON THE MAURETANIA depicts a lost world where class distinctions not only existed, but were rigorously enforced. Dillman and Genevieve float between the stratified societies of first class, second class, and steerage looking for a unifying thread to the thefts and the disappearance.

    Conrad Allen fills MURDER ON THE MAURETANIA with a rich assortment of characters most of whom are involved with something--leaving the reader with an ample supply of red herings. He attempts to personalize Dillman through his relationship with young Alexandra Jarvis, but both Genevieve and especially Dillman remain somewhat distant (perhaps reflecting the formalities of the era Allen is describing). As a result, some of the emotional impact of the story is defused.

    Three Stars

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