Engagement with Death — John Creasey

A scandalous romance takes a violent turn in this classic British mystery featuring detective Patrick Dawlish from the Edgar Awardâ€"winning author.

With his wife, Felicity, on a shopping spree in Paris, intelligence officer Patrick Dawlish finds himself at loose ends. His only attempt at sleuthing is prompted by a note from Felicity herself asking him to confirm a rumor about her father's old friend. There's a story spreading that millionaire bachelor Pop Fairweather is considering marrying the much younger actress Georgette Lee, an opportunistic woman with a string of romances behind her.

Just as Dawlish begins sniffing around, Georgette is found unconscious after her flat is burglarized. Nearly everyone believes the crime was staged by Georgette to get the protective Fairweather to finally pop the question. When the ruse has the opposite effect, causing Fairweather to break off the relationship, Dawlish is happy to report the news to Felicity. But when the old bachelor is discovered nearly beaten to death, Georgette is arrested. After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned -- or does it? Leave it to Dawlish to find out . . .