Book excerpt: The last open file / by Marcia Muller -- Caribbean clues / by Patricia McGerr -- Justina / by Dorothy Salisbury Davis -- The bottle dungeon / by Antonia Fraser -- Death in small doses / by B.K. Stevens -- Skin deep / by Sara Paretsky -- Solitary journey / by Shizuko Natsuki -- Unacceptable levels / by Ruth Rendell -- A fine set of teeth / by Jan Burke -- The roots of death / by Margaret Maron-- The Maggody files: spiced rhubarb / by Joan Hess -- The last, best chance / by Suzanne Jones -- Accommodation vacant / by Celia Fremlin -- Sic transit Gloria / by Barbara Paul -- Fair and square / by Margaret Yorke-- Once upon a time / by Amanda Cross -- Secondhand Rose / by Joyce Christmas -- Scars / by Kristine Kathryn Rusch -- The man Kali visited / by Janice Law.