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I must begin with a disclaimer. I dislike circuses, and I hate clowns. Nonetheless I found DEATH IS A BARGAIN an enjoyable read. Kate Kennedy (a widow in her 60s) has persuaded her sister-in-law (also a widow) to rid herself of what Kate regards as clutter and Marlene sees as treasure. Marlene leases a table at a flea market associated with the Cunningham Circus, whose main figure is clown Sean Cunningham. Marlene's table previously belonged to Whitey Ford (nicknamed for the baseball player), who was murdered in his bathtub. Kate and Marlene become enmeshed in the life of the flea market, where there is a dealer in Nazi memorabilia (subsequently murdered); an elephant trainer, who suffers an accident when a smoke bomb is set off in the tent and who asks Kate to take over the care of her five-year-old son; a mother-daughter team who sell jewelry; and an amateur photographer/used comic book dealer, who is also the victim of foul play. It seems that, at one time or another, every female either had or wanted to have an affair with Whitey. In Kate's view all are suspects in the series of murders. Kate is by turns endearing and irritating. She jumps to hasty conclusions about people she's just met (an instant dislike to Sean Cunningham, the circus owner), most of which prove accurate. Marlene is an amiable sidekick, just right for bouncing ideas off. Kate falls afoul of the police, who tell her to mind her own business. (Do I smell a cliche here?) Always in the background is the issue of abuse of circus animals. Are the murders somehow connected with the abuse of elephants? Was someone in the circus trying to alert the Humane Society to animal abuse? Kate ultimately solves the mystery, with the motive for the murder being more human than humane.
Reviewed by Mary Elizabeth Devine, October 2005
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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