THE CATACOMB CONSPIRACY: A Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower Mystery

Penny Spring's Rome vacation is seriously disrupted with two murders, a kidnapping, and odd noises and goings-on in and around their holiday villa, perched above an unexcavated catacomb.

Vacationing at a friend's Roman villa, anthropologist Penny Spring and her archaeologist friend, Sir Toby, become caught up in the murder of the villa's caretaker.

Pesky American anthropologist Penny Spring and her crusty, antisocial best friend, British archaeologist Sir Tobias Glendower, while vacationing in a Roman villa, encounter two murders, a kidnapping, a disappearance, and Inspector Cicco--who wishes they'd stop nosing around and just go home. First, their womanizing gardener is stabbed to death; next, publicity-hungry movie star Margo Demerest, in residence at the adjacent villa, hears odd goings-on in the night, then is found floating in the Tiber (meanwhile, Margo's maid has disappeared, and her landlord, snobby Count Scorsi, ensconced in his palazzo with his mistress and his estate manager, refuses to let Penny and Toby reconnoiter the villa and its catacombs); furthermore, there are rumors that terrorists will attack the upcoming Conference of the Federation of European States. Improbabilities and implausibilities abound, including a frogman rescue-operation mounted by Penny's son and Margo's movie director, before this silly tale wraps up. This long-running (nine titles), lackluster series, with its idiosyncratic detective team, stodgy dialogue, and everything-but- the-kitchen-sink plotting, will draw no new admirers with this outing, but loyalists will find it on a par with The Menehune Murders (1989). -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Sophisticated writing and stirrings of international intrigue have marked the previous exploits of American anthropologist Penelope Spring and British archeologist Sir Toby Glendower. In their ninth adventure (following Toby's Folly ) they take off for a Roman vacation in a borrowed villa--possibly the site of an unexcavated catacomb-- on the elegant and ancient Appia Antica. The murder of their womanizing caretaker puts them briefly in the news and embroils them in the affairs of movie star Margo Demerest, who is living in the villa next door while making a film. After Margo disappears, Sir Toby finds the catacomb and evidence that terrorists may have been using it. The police who at first think Margo's disappearance is a publicity stunt, belatedly become concerned because of the imminence of a critical international conference on united Europe. Then the sleuths are menaced and encouraged to leave town. Arnold paints a realistic picture of modern Rome and international politics in this well-paced, highly readable mixture of espionage and murder.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Arnold's well-established sleuthing pair, American anthropologist Penny Spring and Welsh archaeologist Sir Tobias Glendover, both published globetrotters, take up residence in an ancient Roman villa during Spring's sabbatical. The stabbing death of their cook's husband and reports by a formerly flamboyant movie star of strange events in the neighboring villa immediately disturb their stay. They excitedly begin to exchange theories, suspecting some connection to the unexcavated catacomb lying beneath both villas. A quick succession of small dramas, tidy character sketches, and slightly exotic surrounds enliven this ninth series title.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.