Patrice Umphelby, a history professor and novelist, has killed herself by walking into a lake with stones in her pocket. Unfortunately this occurred on the campus of an East Coast women’s college, which is unhappy about the notoriety ithas caused, and Kate Fansler is recruited to look into this event with an eye toward restoring the school’s reputation. When Kate learns that Patrice was indeed planning to commit suicide, only not just *then*, she decides that something rather more sinister must have been going on…. As usual, this seventh novel in the Kate Fansler series is replete with quotations and pithy moments, especially with regard to the need for women’s colleges, the pros and cons of womens’ studies programs, and the overarching theme of death and perceptions about death. I especially enjoyed the discussions of womens’ studies because so many of the rants against the idea ring so hollow (and did when this book was written in the early 1980s). Kate herself is always engaging and although I’m getting tired of the frequent drinking/smoking scenarios, at least the author acknowledges those by making wry comments about how old-fashioned Kate’s habits are! Quite fun overall; recommended. ( )

Kate Fansler is so appealing as a protagonist. Smart, opinionated, sure. ( )

rabck from Bumma's book distribution; lovely cozy mystery. Clare College Professor Patrice committed suicide - or did she? Almost a year after her death, the college president asks Kate to investigate, under the guise of serving on a task force about offering gender studies at this all girls college. References to lots of literature to explain people's actions (the author was really a college professor), which had me scurrying to Wikipedia - and learning a lot! Was it or wasn't it strings out to the last page, with the who dun it being a surprise. ( )

I don't know what to think of this book now. I enjoyed it at the time, even if I didn't always agree with it, but after the author committed suicide in a manner consistent with some of the views expressed here, I haven't been able to look at this book. ( )

Patrice Umphelby s'est-elle vraiment suicidée ? Bien sûr, elle proférait des théories peu habituelles sur la mort et revendiquait le droit de choisir sa fin, mais de là à passer à l'acte... Universitaire reconnue, romancière à succès, Patrice dérangeait. Son dynamisme, son courage et sa force de vie faisaient de l'ombre aux théoriciens qui mettent la femme d'un certain âge sur une voie de garage. Face aux rumeurs persistantes, l'université de Patrice fait appel à Kate Fansler, femme accomplie et indépendante, professeur de littérature, également connue dans le milieu universitaire pour ses talents de détective.

Avec, en toile de fond, une réflexion novatrice sur la place des femmes dans l'université et dans la société, cette nouvelle enquête de Kate Fansler offre une solide intrigue et une galerie de portraits pour le moins inquiétants.