debian package 2.8.0-1

This package was installed on a linux mint 16 (petra) system.
Unfortunately it only partially works. 

Launching from a terminal (not backgrounded)
will open and function for a while.
However upon returning after a while (which may include screen blanking)
to exmh the window is there but blank. 
ordinary kill will not but kill -9 will kill it.
Apparently it is busy but not in touch with the display.

Is anybody successfully using this package?

I tried to replace this by an older exmh 2.7.2 but
expectk no longer exists.

I have not tried the source deb which shows 2.8.0-4 but is marked unstable.

Any suggestions for getting exmh working?

Dale