A mediocre mystery-writer, Ethelred Tressider has even less interest in writing his books than his (dwindling) fan base has in reading them, and his agent, the pesky, nosy, vulgar, chocolate-chomping Elsie, has no interest in them at all. But with a name like Ethelred, things can always get worse, and when Ethelred's dishy ex-wife turns up dead they do. The case of the Dead Dish is the most exciting project Elsie's come across in years, but however much she bullies Ethelred, he refuses to take much interest in the mystery. And that lack of interest raises what might be called some extremely interesting questions.