Discussion: Rena reported on Dupe by Liza Cody. Biographical information on the author was non-existent beyond that on the book jacket. She grew up in London, studied painting at the city and Guilds of London Art School and at the Royal Academy Schools. She has worked as a painter, furniture maker, photographer and graphic designer.
Dupe, her first book, won the John Creasey Award for best first crime novel of 1980, and was nominated for an Edgar Award in the USA. Under Contract was short-listed for the Gold Dagger Award and in 1992, she won the Crime Writer's Association Silver Dagger Award for Bucket Nut.
Cody has two series, one featuring Ann Lee, the other Eve Wylie. In addition to Dupe, the Anna Lee series includes Back Land, Bad Company, Stalker, Head Case, and Under Contract. The Wylie books are Basket Nut, and Monkey Wrench. Cody has written one other novel, Rift. This overall list is complete only through 1993 for Lee. The source of the information was dated April 1998.
There was a general consensus among those present that the book was "literate" but "fuzzy". The solution was in some ways unclear and not althogether satisfactory.
The plot hinged on the death of a young woman in an apparent automobile accident. Her parents were unable to accept this, as she was an expert driver. They hired the private investigation firm employing Anna Lee to undertake further inquiries. As Anna pursues the investigation she uncovers various facets of Deirdre's life as well as criminal activity regarding pirated films. It turns out that Dierdre's death was indeed not accidental as reported, but stemmed from her involvement with people in the pirated film business. However, the actual details of her death remain murky. Was she deliberately killed to keep her quiet, or was she accidentally killed in a confrontation and an attempt made to cover it up by crashing the car? These questions, and the agreement that her character was not fully realized in the writing, led to the group's conclusion that the book contained good writing and good characterization of a number of individuals, but was unsatisfactory in elements of the plot.