First published in 1984, this is the first in the Ellie Haskell series of mysteries.
The books starts with Ellie, overweight, single, and invited, along with the rest of her extended family, to visit eccentric great Uncle Merlin. Not willing to be the object of her family's nasty comments about her weight, her single status, and anything else they can come up with, Ellie decides to rent a date from an escort service. The owner of the service selects Ben to be her escort, and on the way she decides she really doesn't like him much, but it's only for a weekend.
Shortly thereafter, Uncle Merlin passes away, and his will leaves almost everything to Ellie and Ben, with a few conditions--she has to lose weight, and Ben has to write a non-smutty book and submit it for publication, and they have to live in Merlin's home. If they don't meet these conditions in 6 months, the money goes to the rest of the family.
This, of course, causes a lot of resentment from the rest of the family, and they are eager to make sure Ellie and Ben aren't able to fulfill the conditions. Someone slips a box of chocolates to Ellie, and Ben's almost completed novel is ruined.
Ben and Ellie, with the help of Dorcus, a woman they had hired to be their housekeeper, and Jonas, longtime gardener at the house, try to discover who is pulling these pranks on them. And then the pranks turn more serious. The rope in the dumb-waiter is cut, and when Ellie falls into it, it crashes to the ground. Someone ends up missing, and an animal is drowned.
I found myself very sympathetic to Ben and Ellie, and was surprised at the perpetrator's identity. Looking forward to more in the series.
Part of my Vintage Mystery BINGO Challenge--Silver--I--Woman in Title.
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