<P><B>* ''Ever since reading <I>R in the Month</I> as a teenager, I''ve been a Nancy Spain fan. I love her juxtaposition of seedy, atmospheric settings with humour and showbiz glamour. There''s still no one quite like her'' ELLY GRIFFITHS</B><br><br>The oyster party had the kiss of death upon it - even though there were two ''R''s in the month. Miriam Birdseye - famed revue star and sleuth - could have told you that from the start. She isn''t a bit surprised to learn that her fiance''s mother died in the night.<br><br>But who at the seedy Sussex hotel would have poisoned the bivalves? Could it be the hotel proprietor - a handsome, drunken bankrupt? His put-upon wife? Miriam''s impressively moustachioed fianc¿Or the menacing, unsavoury chef?<br><br>Can Miriam track down the killer before anyone else is murdered by mollusc?<br><br><B>* ''Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase'' SANDI TOKSVIG</B></P>