Henrietta Hay's Column

When the stress level is high -- as it is now for us as individuals and for the nation as a whole -- there are several things that help. There is Rocky Road ice cream, and feeding the ducks, and yoga, and running marathons, and various other things. And then there is sitting comfortably in an easy chair and reading a mystery. Of course, some people prefer science fiction, or romances or spy stories, but whatever the preference, reading escape literature is therapeutic. But be sure to turn off the TV.

I have read so many mysteries this past month that I have trouble remembering them. But I did like these.

Perhaps the most interesting, because its theme is so different and I learned so much that I had not known before, was "Corpse de Ballet," by Ellen Pall. Juliet Bodine, a novelist and ex-professor of English literature at Barnard puts aside her latest novel, which was mired in writer's block anyway, to give literary advice to her good friend, choreographer Ruth Renswich, who is creating a ballet based on Dickens "Great Expectations." One of the dancers dies suddenly and the mystery begins, but what amazes me is the intricate way a ballet is put together and the great skill and strength that are required. Football players are strong athletes, but they could take lessons (and sometimes do) from ballet dancers. The dancers are superb athletes, but they are very human, with loves and jealousies and weaknesses of the rest of us. And competitive: they'd kill for a good role. There is a very good story here, but I got so caught up in the ballet that I almost missed it. This is a first novel. I hope there will be a lot more.

A new Ella Clah book is out. "Red Mesa," by Aimé and David Thurlow brings another story of the young Navajo woman who quit the F. B. I. to become a Special Investigator with the Navajo Police in northwest New Mexico. The Navajo ideal is to "walk in beauty," or to have the elements of one's life in balance. Ella is finding that especially difficult now that she is the single mother of an eighteen-month-old toddler. When Ella's cousin is found murdered Ella is considered the prime suspect, but she has reason to think that the whole family is threatened. The cultural conflicts between Anglo and traditional Navajo ways are especially significant now. Ella Clah is definitely in a class with Jim Chee and Molly Bearpaw and Vicky Holden.

Linda Howard's "Mr. Perfect" is just out in paperback and should give you enough laughs to get through the day. Jaine Bright and three friends share dinner one night and come up with a brilliant idea. They create a list of attributes of the perfect man, some logical, some funny and some not to be printed in a family newspaper. The problem is that the list which was supposed to be a private joke among the four of them got leaked to the press and became public knowledge. One man didn't think it was funny, and the lives of the four are in danger. Jaine is a smart, witty heroine and with the help of her hunky next-door neighbor, Sam, solves the mystery, of course. There is a great mix of funny dialogue and suspense.

One paperback I picked up recently is not a great book, but is fun if you are a baseball fan. April Smith's "Be T he One," involves the only female scout in the majors. April heads for the Dominican Republic to try to recruit a young player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Turning a young player with a strong arm but little discipline or background into a ballplayer is hard work, especially when there are villains lurking on the diamond.

If you are too tired to hold a book, I strongly recommend that you tune in to Channel 6 at 10: 30 each morning and watch "Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat." It is a delightful animated version of an Amy Tan children's story. When you combine a Siamese cat family, mother, father, big brother, Sagwa, and a kitten, with ancient China and Amy Tan stories you have a great half hour and I'll bet you won't stop with the first one.