THE FACE IN THE BESSLEDORF FUNERAL PARLOR

Another mystery/farce involving the idiosyncratic Magruder family (The Bodies in the Bessledorf Hotel, 1986, etc.). The vice-president of a local company has vanished, as has his company's pension fund; and there are suspicious goings-on at the funeral parlor next door to the hotel, complicated by the machinery for the new drive-in viewing facility. Bernie Magruder is determined to catch the thief and discover what's behind the peculiar happenings; after leaping to some wrong conclusions (red herrings abound), he and his pals are in on the capture of the malefactor. The characters' tics are becoming pretty routine; still, this latest in the series is adroitly plotted, and the witty dialogue and broad humor are amusing. Jacket art depicting a "corpse" viewing the frightened kids from within the viewing window is a sure draw—though it hints at the outcome. (Fiction. 8-12)