The Corpse in the Trash Room
(writing as Colette Tajemna)
In a college dorm in the late Seventies, seven hallmates hold a funeral for a pet hamster, only to stumble upon a body ...
Startled but not exactly sorrowful at finding their unpopular dorm preceptor slumped atop a garbage can in the trash room, Keith and his friends can't resist investigating, and set to questioning a quirky set of potential witnesses and suspects. Could the killer be a fellow student? A member of the faculty or staff? The provost? Might it even be one of their friends?
Keith and his pals must navigate college politics, unruly druggies, and lesbian separatists in order to uncover the truth.
Reviewers Say...
"Clever, original, and a fun read from start to finish, The Corpse in the Trash Room by author Colette Tajemna showcases her genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of narrative driven 'whodunnit' drama that keeps the reader's total attention from first page to last." --Midwest Book Review
"Witty prose, plenty of suspects, and subtle social commentary make for a winning combination."-- The Prairies Book Review
Early Praise
"When a story opens with a wake for a dead hamster that produces a corpse of the human variety, you suspect you're in for a romp. And that's what Colette Tajemna provides in this witty story that is part farce and every bit a satisfying mystery. I laughed as I puzzled out this masterful whodunit."
—James H Lewis, author of the Chief Novak series
"The two deaths (one hamster, one human) that open The Corpse in the Trash Room immediately engage the reader in the amusing puzzle to discover who could have done in an unpopular university preceptor. Colette Tajemna introduces us to an array of individuals whose quirks and secrets complicate pursuit of the answer. Fans of Sarah Caudwell will especially enjoy this clever mystery with its academic setting and subtle wit."
—Carolyn Korsmeyer, author of Little Follies: A Mystery at the Millennium
Funny, and at times nostalgic, author Colette Tajemna balances the sociological examination of a generation and a time with a good, old-fashioned mystery worthy of Agatha Christie-suspect after suspect pinpointed and then cast aside as the students barrel toward a satisfying denouement, wisecracking along the way.
—Steven Mayfield, author of The Penny Mansions and Treasure of the Blue Whale
"[T]he story unfolds with the charm and humor of a Jane Austen novel, drawing you in deeper with every turn of the page. Prepare to be captivated as the truth behind this gripping mystery reveals itself in a twist you never saw coming."
—Roslyn Reid, author of A Scandal at Crystalline and The Spiricom
Readers Say...
"If you're a fan of wry humor and smart, logical mysteries, you'll be sure to enjoy this one!" -- Amazon Reviewer
"With Petula Clark, Mary Poppins and death all mentioned in the same paragraph, you just know you are in for a joyful ride." --Amazon Reviewer
"Set in the 1970's (the dorm Hall has luminous stars painted on the ceiling) the satirical prose raises it several notches above the usual "cosy" mystery and I found it thoroughly enjoyable." --Amazon Reviewer
"...what really delighted me was how the author captured the mentality of college students who confuse academic achievement for wisdom." --Goodreads Reviewer
"I was impressed by Tajemna's easy style and solid sense of the academic and retro scenes." --Amazon Reviewer
"Although it is written in a lighthearted tone, the novel holds deep emotional currents. Underneath the 'romp,' there are underground rivers of anger, passion, and cries for justice." --Goodreads Reviewer