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An Edna Ferber Mystery #5
Final Curtain
Who murdered the handsome young actor? And why?
In 1940, against the chilling backdrop of Hitler’s rise and the specter of another world war, Edna Ferber decides to follow an old dream: to act onstage. Starring in The Royal Family, the comedy she wrote with George S. Kaufman, she travels to Maplewood, New Jersey, for a week of summer stock. But her escape from the troubling daily headlines is short lived. Before opening night, a mysterious understudy is shot to death, and his murder opens up a world of lies, greed, and hypocrisy.
With George Kaufman as the director of the production, the two begin a different kind of collaboration: the discovery of the murderer. As rehearsals evolve, they deal with a cast of characters who are all hiding something from their pasts, particularly days spent in Hollywood: a stage manager, a young ingénue, an American Nazi and his boisterous girlfriend, a stagehand named Dakota who is the son of a famous evangelist, his charismatic preacher-mother, her money-bags husband, and a driven acolyte of the church. Each character, Edna discovers, has some connection with the dead man,
Quiet Maplewood in the summer of 1940—and all these characters maneuvered to be there. As Edna investigates, she realizes that the answer to the murder lies in what happened in Hollywood.
As George wisecracks his way through the story, Edna methodically examines the facts, determined to find the answer. Opening night looms—so does World War Two. Edna, resolute, believes that justice needs to prevail in a world that is falling apart.
In 1940, against the chilling backdrop of Hitler’s rise and the specter of another world war, Edna Ferber decides to follow an old dream: to act onstage. Starring in The Royal Family, the comedy she wrote with George S. Kaufman, she travels to Maplewood, New Jersey, for a week of summer stock. But her escape from the troubling daily headlines is short lived. Before opening night, a mysterious understudy is shot to death, and his murder opens up a world of lies, greed, and hypocrisy.
With George Kaufman as the director of the production, the two begin a different kind of collaboration: the discovery of the murderer. As rehearsals evolve, they deal with a cast of characters who are all hiding something from their pasts, particularly days spent in Hollywood: a stage manager, a young ingénue, an American Nazi and his boisterous girlfriend, a stagehand named Dakota who is the son of a famous evangelist, his charismatic preacher-mother, her money-bags husband, and a driven acolyte of the church. Each character, Edna discovers, has some connection with the dead man,
Quiet Maplewood in the summer of 1940—and all these characters maneuvered to be there. As Edna investigates, she realizes that the answer to the murder lies in what happened in Hollywood.
As George wisecracks his way through the story, Edna methodically examines the facts, determined to find the answer. Opening night looms—so does World War Two. Edna, resolute, believes that justice needs to prevail in a world that is falling apart.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
7 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Ed Ifkovic
41 books15 followersAKA Edward Ifkovic
Ed Ifkovic taught literature and creative writing at a community college in Connecticut for over three decades, and now, retired, devotes himself to writing fiction. His short stories and essays have appeared in such diverse periodicals as the Village Voice, America, Hartford Monthly, and the Journal of Popular Culture. He’s published fiction with small presses, including a novel based on the life of Victorian poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. A longtime devotee of mystery novels, he fondly recalls his boyhood discovery of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason series in a family bookcase, and his immediate obsession with the whodunit world. When he was fourteen, bored on a lazy summer afternoon, his mother handed him a copy of Edna Ferber’s Cimarron—for him, a riveting Western about the settling of Oklahoma and the discovery of oil—and he stayed up until three in the morning, until, bleary-eyed, he finished the novel.
Ed Ifkovic taught literature and creative writing at a community college in Connecticut for over three decades, and now, retired, devotes himself to writing fiction. His short stories and essays have appeared in such diverse periodicals as the Village Voice, America, Hartford Monthly, and the Journal of Popular Culture. He’s published fiction with small presses, including a novel based on the life of Victorian poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. A longtime devotee of mystery novels, he fondly recalls his boyhood discovery of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason series in a family bookcase, and his immediate obsession with the whodunit world. When he was fourteen, bored on a lazy summer afternoon, his mother handed him a copy of Edna Ferber’s Cimarron—for him, a riveting Western about the settling of Oklahoma and the discovery of oil—and he stayed up until three in the morning, until, bleary-eyed, he finished the novel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 2, 2019
God, how much I throughly enjoy this series from Ed Ifkovic. Edna's New Jersey murder mystery provides lots of twists and turns. Set against a backdrop of a summer stock run of one of Edna's plays and the 1940's evangelist mumbo jumbo, the author even manages to include the Fatty Arbuckle scandal into the mix!! Most disturbing was the rise of Nazi synpathizers during the pre war 1940s. In light of recent activities here at home it makes one pause.
August 3, 2016
Here we go again. Another book re-imagining the life of a real person. I am not a fan although this mystery featuring famous writer Edna Ferber is gracefully executed.
When Net Galley offered me a review copy, I was tempted because the mystery takes place in Maplewood, New Jersey where Edna has agreed to take part in a professional summer stock production of her play (written with George S. Kaufman) The Royal Family. Edna is a charming amateur sleuth.
Set in 1940, the author adds interesting historical facts and creates fascinating characters. The four other books in the series each feature a different time period and famous person. Final Curtain goes on sale June 3, 2014.
If you enjoy mysteries featuring literary figures as crime-solvers, try this cozy series.
When Net Galley offered me a review copy, I was tempted because the mystery takes place in Maplewood, New Jersey where Edna has agreed to take part in a professional summer stock production of her play (written with George S. Kaufman) The Royal Family. Edna is a charming amateur sleuth.
Set in 1940, the author adds interesting historical facts and creates fascinating characters. The four other books in the series each feature a different time period and famous person. Final Curtain goes on sale June 3, 2014.
If you enjoy mysteries featuring literary figures as crime-solvers, try this cozy series.
July 6, 2014
I love a good mystery! I discovered a new author I like...very enjoyable reading. It's also good to know that there are more books with this same main character, Edna Ferber. I like the setting of the theater, a lot of fun details about the day and how they did shows. Also, very interesting mystery, which keeps me guessing all the way to the end about who did the murdering. Very good development of characters and their relationships...fascinating group of people. I definitely recommend this book...and thanks to Goodreads and the author for providing a free copy of Final Curtain for an honest review.
November 11, 2014
Although she's preoccupied by the war clouds gathering over Europe, famed author Edna Ferber has decided she'll appear in one of her own plays--she's always been a frustrated actress. But she will just do a week in the role in summer stock in Maplewood, NJ, to limit the damage if, indeed, she's a flop. She meets a famous evangelist, Clorinda Roberts Tyler, who has her church and house nearby, all financed by her wealthy husband. When an understudy in the cast is murdered, Clorinda's son Dakota comes under suspicion. Both Edna and Clorinda are sure that the young man is innocent, but see different paths ahead for him.
August 10, 2014
This is apparently the 5th book in the Edna Ferber mystery series. It is a cute idea to use actual literary persons such as Edna Ferber in a novel. The mystery is full, complex and believable. Unfortunately, the author took too many pages to tell the story. It is overwritten, with a strange emphasis on the rise of the Nazi party in Europe, and the coming WW II has nothing to do with the mystery. There were descriptions of meaningless dialogue, an overabundance of name dropping, and just too many words. I did read every page. I received an advance copy from Goodreads.
July 19, 2014
Got this as a goodreads giveaway book. Wonderful old-style mystery. I pictured Edna Ferber looking a lot like Angela Landsbury in "Murder She Wrote." I really enjoyed the reading and didn't solve the mystery until Edna did. A mix of unusual characters and witty dialog that kept me from putting the book down until the last page. Set in the 1940's the author did a great job of recreating that time frame and making you feel like you were there. I highly recommend it.
March 30, 2017
I've enjoyed all of Ed Ifkovic's Edna Ferber mysteries. And this newest one might just be the best of the series. The voice of Edna is as witty and biting as usual, and I really enjoyed the banter between she and George S. Kaufman. The mystery element almost takes a back seat to Edna's wonderful quips. It's rather sad that a literary figure that was once known the world over, is now largely forgotten. Glad that Mr.Ifkovic has brought her name and legacy out of the shadows.
July 21, 2014
A great cozy with some very accurate historical facts. I loved the development and the flow of this book. Easy to get absorbed into the time period and I would definitely read another from the series as well as recommend this author to any mystery fan. I received a free copy of this book via Goodreads First Reads.
June 22, 2014
I loved this book, I love the time period 1940's, the characters and the setting.
This book was a great who done it and I will be reading the rest of Ed Ifkovic's books
This book was a great who done it and I will be reading the rest of Ed Ifkovic's books
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews