Proof of the Pudding — Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Who bashed the girl on the beach?

Half the town--and the state cops--figured it was Asey Mayo, paying off an old grudge. With only hours to solve the crime, Asey set off at a run--and ran smack into such oddities as a square plum pudding--an addle-pated Siamese cat--a mysterious fishing line--and a whole viper's nest of motives for murder!