Death by Dissertation
Dean James
Silver Dagger, May 2004, $9.95
ISBN: 1570722668

Texas student Andy Carpenter believes that graduate school has to be the "lowest circle of Hell in the Inferno". Attending this hell is tough enough, but two months ago Rob Hayward became a history PHD candidate too. Andy has had a mixed relationship with Rob since they met in childhood and though he tries to ignore the handsome allure of this hunk, he fears his hormones disagree as the attraction remains strong.

Andy finds the corpse of Rob's roommate Charlie Harper in the university library. The police suspect Rob killed his fellow grad student out of a gay lover dispute. Andy knows that Rob is a slick charmer, but he would never commit murder. Deciding to help him, Andy recruits his best friend at school, Maggie McLendon (return engagement from CRUEL AS THE GRAVE) to investigate what happened to Charlie. A second homicide also points towards Rob with Andy realizing he could be on the short list of potential victims.

Though there is a slight adjustment needed to accept amateur sleuth Andy investigating the homicide, fans of gay or academic mysteries will appreciate this delightful who-done-it. The story line is action-packed, but uses the foibles of the intelligent, over-worked modern day indentured servant classified as a graduate student to provide comic relief. Readers will enjoy the exploits of Andy as he narrates his struggles with his mixed feelings towards the prime suspect, not realizing what he has fallen into with his inquiries. Dean James (apt name for an academic mystery writer) furbishes a fabulous tale due to Andy and his detective sidekick Maggie.

Harriet Klausner