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Charles Paris #2
So Much Blood
Charles Paris returns again, in a fringe show at the Edinburgh Festival, with another nubile girl to provoke him, and his accommodating wife to console him, and a gory murder to challenge him in So Much Blood.
Edinburgh and the Festival are both background and foreground with Charles, flitting between a re-visualized Midsummer Night's Dream, a mixed-media satire, a late-night revue, and his own one-man show on Thomas Hood—and with a fading pop star as the first victim, a bomb scare in Holyrood Palace, and a suicide leap from the top of the Rock. Charles copes splendidly with the Festival, with his affair with the girl with the navy eyes, and with a most complex murder investigation.
196 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
63 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Simon Brett
330 books545 followersSimon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 22, 2019
This novel is exponentially better than the début, even though three stars sound like a small step-up. “So Much Blood” is set in Edinburgh! The vibrancy of a Scottish fringe festival is brighter, than narrating about how poor Charles was in his London bedsit. Secondly, we watch Charles as a professional actor! Plots build around preparation for a one-man play he wrote and will perform. This novel is named after it.
He is drawn plausibly into solving a murder, after it occurs in front of all who were in a rehearsal space. I further applaud the abundance of suspects, which ensures we can’t hastily identify a killer. We follow a particularly bitter university student a lot of the time but explosive personalities abound among young, untried theatre rats! I am not an actress but I enjoyed the milieu and it transfers to readers tactilely. A musician from a recently disbanded, famous rock group is the victim; with an estranged wife, a few former girlfriends, admiring cast members, and a house recently bought from the man renting them the dormitory, office, and rehearsal spaces. Charles befriends and bounces murder theories off of him in his upstairs suite.
Charles’s ex-wife, whom he loves enough to keep away from his promiscuity, attends his show. They take a trip to picturesque river country, suggested by a theatre matron. A whole other tone of intrigue occurs in that atmosphere. The denouement is unrelated to the other plots. I would have found it enthralling, were it not tossed into the finale. Too careful about spoiling it; Simon Brett carved no opportunity to build-up and let simmer that exciting tack. Four unmatched plots were hammered together. However, this is a massive improvement on the first mystery and I will read the third, when I acquire a copy.
He is drawn plausibly into solving a murder, after it occurs in front of all who were in a rehearsal space. I further applaud the abundance of suspects, which ensures we can’t hastily identify a killer. We follow a particularly bitter university student a lot of the time but explosive personalities abound among young, untried theatre rats! I am not an actress but I enjoyed the milieu and it transfers to readers tactilely. A musician from a recently disbanded, famous rock group is the victim; with an estranged wife, a few former girlfriends, admiring cast members, and a house recently bought from the man renting them the dormitory, office, and rehearsal spaces. Charles befriends and bounces murder theories off of him in his upstairs suite.
Charles’s ex-wife, whom he loves enough to keep away from his promiscuity, attends his show. They take a trip to picturesque river country, suggested by a theatre matron. A whole other tone of intrigue occurs in that atmosphere. The denouement is unrelated to the other plots. I would have found it enthralling, were it not tossed into the finale. Too careful about spoiling it; Simon Brett carved no opportunity to build-up and let simmer that exciting tack. Four unmatched plots were hammered together. However, this is a massive improvement on the first mystery and I will read the third, when I acquire a copy.
January 24, 2021
So Much Blood is the 2nd book in Simon Brett mystery series featuring struggling actor Charles Paris. I've enjoyed a few of the books in this series already but have determined to work through them in order from now on.
Paris takes a job at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when an opening comes up. He decides to perform his one man show featuring the works of English poet / humorist Thomas Hood. He is staying with the Derby University Dramatic Society (yup, DUDS) who are also performing in the same theater.
While practicing their play Mary Queen of Sots, one of the actors is killed when one of the fake knives turns out to be a real knife. Paris thinks that, in fact, it might not have been an accident and for some reason that Willy Mariello was murdered. Thus begins a somewhat half-hearted investigation by Paris, trying to determine if Mariello was murdered, by whom and for what reason. Along the way he is assisted by the owner of the building where the DUDS are residing, one Laird James Milne and also his lawyer friend Gerald Venables (a crime enthusiast). James also has an affair with beautiful young actress, Anna. (Let it be known that Charles is still married to France but in an on again / off again relationship)
The story follows Paris's investigation. He has a couple of suspects but can find nothing specific to solve the case. Even Anna comes under his scrutiny. What is also interesting is Paris's preparation and performance of his one man play. It adds a nice quality to the story, making it more than just a murder mystery.
Paris is an interesting character; middle-aged, disappointed in his acting career, a bit of a drunk and womanizer, but thoughtful and creative. It's a wandering story and mild, but still entertaining and a well-crafted mystery. Most enjoyable. Brett has created 3 excellent mystery series; Charles Paris, Fethering Mysteries and Mrs. Pargeter, each different and unique. He's well worth checking out (3.5 stars)
Paris takes a job at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when an opening comes up. He decides to perform his one man show featuring the works of English poet / humorist Thomas Hood. He is staying with the Derby University Dramatic Society (yup, DUDS) who are also performing in the same theater.
While practicing their play Mary Queen of Sots, one of the actors is killed when one of the fake knives turns out to be a real knife. Paris thinks that, in fact, it might not have been an accident and for some reason that Willy Mariello was murdered. Thus begins a somewhat half-hearted investigation by Paris, trying to determine if Mariello was murdered, by whom and for what reason. Along the way he is assisted by the owner of the building where the DUDS are residing, one Laird James Milne and also his lawyer friend Gerald Venables (a crime enthusiast). James also has an affair with beautiful young actress, Anna. (Let it be known that Charles is still married to France but in an on again / off again relationship)
The story follows Paris's investigation. He has a couple of suspects but can find nothing specific to solve the case. Even Anna comes under his scrutiny. What is also interesting is Paris's preparation and performance of his one man play. It adds a nice quality to the story, making it more than just a murder mystery.
Paris is an interesting character; middle-aged, disappointed in his acting career, a bit of a drunk and womanizer, but thoughtful and creative. It's a wandering story and mild, but still entertaining and a well-crafted mystery. Most enjoyable. Brett has created 3 excellent mystery series; Charles Paris, Fethering Mysteries and Mrs. Pargeter, each different and unique. He's well worth checking out (3.5 stars)
September 8, 2021
I stumbled across the 1985 BBC full-cast adaptation of this book and was charmed by parts 1-2 (so much so that I listened to them twice), let down by 3 and 4, charmed again by 5 and 6. Plus it had Hugh Laurie in it.
May 24, 2017
Listened to in audio format.
I understand that So Much Blood was the second title in the Charles Paris series.
Actor/part time sleuth Charles Paris is appearing in his one man show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. During a improvisation exercise the actors are playing with plastic knives. However one of the plastic knives is swapped for a real one and one of the actors is stabbed to death.
I read a lot of dark books so this was a nice cosy whodunnit. My previous Charles Paris books were BBC adaptations, which I preferred. Those mysteries are quite humorous and he is close to ex wife Frances.
In this book he is estranged from Frances and Charles himself was a predatory womanizer. I have awarded three stars for a nice whodunit despite Charles being in it.
I understand that So Much Blood was the second title in the Charles Paris series.
Actor/part time sleuth Charles Paris is appearing in his one man show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. During a improvisation exercise the actors are playing with plastic knives. However one of the plastic knives is swapped for a real one and one of the actors is stabbed to death.
I read a lot of dark books so this was a nice cosy whodunnit. My previous Charles Paris books were BBC adaptations, which I preferred. Those mysteries are quite humorous and he is close to ex wife Frances.
In this book he is estranged from Frances and Charles himself was a predatory womanizer. I have awarded three stars for a nice whodunit despite Charles being in it.
Want to read
February 3, 2019Synopsis: Edinburgh and the Festival are in the background as Charles deals with the murder of a fading pop star, a bomb scare and suicide.
June 26, 2022
Definitely a mystery written in the 70's. Not what I was looking for and slower moving then epected. Not a steller recommendation from me.
April 13, 2020
Tedious and outdated. Charles Paris is a creep. Going after extremely young women and expecting that all are in for his 48 year old charm... Seriously?
PS: Besides that the Whodunit could a bit more straight forward. Nobody cares for Charles's sex life. I love the later books that Charles appears as a wash-out actor without much luck.
PS: Besides that the Whodunit could a bit more straight forward. Nobody cares for Charles's sex life. I love the later books that Charles appears as a wash-out actor without much luck.
February 2, 2020
As always, Brett's characters are more interesting than his plots. Charles Paris is an amiable chap to spend several hours with and supporting characters are cleverly drawn. The plot starts out cleverly enough, but didn't wasn't worked out in a way that engaged my curiousity. Still, when I'm in need of a few hours of relaxing entertainment, I turn to one of Brett's books. They are well written and engaging. This one featured quotations from Thomas Hobbs, who had a successful career writing clever, popular poems in the early 19c. century, often featuring puns. Each chapter begins with one of these short poems, and more than one made me laugh out loud.
March 10, 2013
This is the second of the umpteen Charles Paris books. Like the first it works really well as a mystery and if all you want out of a whodunnit book is some interesting situations, enough characters and possibilities to keep you guessing then this has all that.
Personally I like the character of Paris, and I appreciate how it doesn't out-stay its welcome but I'd like a little more from it. Also feels a bit dated now.
Personally I like the character of Paris, and I appreciate how it doesn't out-stay its welcome but I'd like a little more from it. Also feels a bit dated now.
August 29, 2018
2.9 stars.
Better than the first in the series, but still not as good as the later ones. Given that I know very little about the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as would someone who is highly familiar with the details of her life. The mystery is a bit convoluted, but the villain stood out for me quickly. It was the “why?” that kept me hooked til the end. Some interesting psychology here as well. On to book three...
Better than the first in the series, but still not as good as the later ones. Given that I know very little about the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as would someone who is highly familiar with the details of her life. The mystery is a bit convoluted, but the villain stood out for me quickly. It was the “why?” that kept me hooked til the end. Some interesting psychology here as well. On to book three...
January 21, 2020
This one really hasn't aged well at all. Our 'hero' just comes across as a sad creep with a predilection for much younger women. Give it a miss.
November 16, 2018
( Format : Audiobook )
"Not stage struck - more stage battered. "
1974, and Maurice, his agent, still not having provided suitable employment, actor Charles Paris accepts an invitation to take his one man show about Thomas Hood to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In barracks like digs smelling of perpetual cabbage dinners and surrounded by, mostly, students, the 47 years old actor finds himself witness to an unfortunate death by stabbing in one of the rehearsals. Deemed an accident by most, including, it seemed, the police, Paris was not so sure. Something in the terrified eyes of the victim earlier convinced him this was murder. Time for another Charles Paris investigation.
These humorous theatrical murder mysteries are great fun. Charles himself, a little pathetic but charming, long separated but not divorced from his wife, has a definite way with the ladies, a long, if not overly successful, career as a profession actor and a propensity for finding himself in uncomfortable situations. Many of the books have been cleverly adapted as plays for BBC radio with Bill Nighy playing the lead role superbly. This edition is the unabridged novel, read by the author, Simon Brett. Although skillfully performed with the numerous characters voiced distinctly and individually, and the text clear and we'll intoned, frequent very audible intakes of breath during sentence narration is annoying. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable, lightweight but intriguing mystery filled with the background of amateur theatre and some marvellous characters.
Each chapter is headed by a quote from one of Thomas Hood's mostly terrible punning poems, echoing Charles' surprisingly successful one man show.
Recommended.
"Not stage struck - more stage battered. "
1974, and Maurice, his agent, still not having provided suitable employment, actor Charles Paris accepts an invitation to take his one man show about Thomas Hood to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In barracks like digs smelling of perpetual cabbage dinners and surrounded by, mostly, students, the 47 years old actor finds himself witness to an unfortunate death by stabbing in one of the rehearsals. Deemed an accident by most, including, it seemed, the police, Paris was not so sure. Something in the terrified eyes of the victim earlier convinced him this was murder. Time for another Charles Paris investigation.
These humorous theatrical murder mysteries are great fun. Charles himself, a little pathetic but charming, long separated but not divorced from his wife, has a definite way with the ladies, a long, if not overly successful, career as a profession actor and a propensity for finding himself in uncomfortable situations. Many of the books have been cleverly adapted as plays for BBC radio with Bill Nighy playing the lead role superbly. This edition is the unabridged novel, read by the author, Simon Brett. Although skillfully performed with the numerous characters voiced distinctly and individually, and the text clear and we'll intoned, frequent very audible intakes of breath during sentence narration is annoying. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable, lightweight but intriguing mystery filled with the background of amateur theatre and some marvellous characters.
Each chapter is headed by a quote from one of Thomas Hood's mostly terrible punning poems, echoing Charles' surprisingly successful one man show.
Recommended.
October 29, 2025
Charles Paris is excited to be asked to fill in at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival when a planned theatrical event has to be scrapped; he has long worked on a one-man play featuring the poetry of Thomas Hood, and spending a week in Edinburgh presenting it to small audiences seems like a good use of his time. Once there, he falls in with a group of amateur actors who are putting on a satire called Mary Queen of Sots, which is meant to show up all sorts of social malfeasance in modern-day (1970s) Britain, but things are thrown into disarray when at a rehearsal one of the young actors is accidentally killed - meant to be stabbed with a set of prop knives, the poor young man is stabbed with a real one. Charles, however, is of the opinion that this was not an unfortunate mistake, but rather was a cleverly disguised murder, and he sets out to prove his theory, much to the detriment of his own health and safety…. This second novel in the Charles Paris series is less jarring than the first, largely because the reader already knows the time period in which it is set and the rather seedy character of Charles Paris himself - a womanizer, near-alcoholic, moderately successful actor who’s now middle-aged and a bit tired of his lifestyle. As such, it was easy to fall into the search for the truth, complete with various red herrings thrown in along the way. In other words, a satisfying if slight classic mystery featuring an amateur detective for whom the reader can root; mildly recommended.
March 30, 2023
Some reviewers have commented on "period attitudes" from the early 70s. Current psychological theories so often feature in mysteries from the 20s on and probably earlier. What interests me about psychological theories is that they are not chronological - I mean they do not evolve and develop as psychologists make scientific discoveries. Pretty much any theory might belong to any era. Here a troubled young man turns out to be "schizophrenic", which turns out to mean he dresses up as other characters, is confused about "who he really is" and at one point dresses as a woman.
I need to read the first book in the series now. This is a good one. Charles drinks too much, which is tedious, and sleeps around. But he's an intelligent man who loves solving puzzles if they're only the Times crossword. His show about Victorian punster Thomas Hood sounds worth seeing.
Some say that series improve as they progress - and come nearer the present day. I'm not so sure. They may broaden and coarsen. Sometimes the early books are the best - and are valuable for the light they shed on their times. There are some serious moments here that I wouldn't expect to find in the later books.
I love the satire about the theatre - here the fringe gets the treatment. All too true!
I need to read the first book in the series now. This is a good one. Charles drinks too much, which is tedious, and sleeps around. But he's an intelligent man who loves solving puzzles if they're only the Times crossword. His show about Victorian punster Thomas Hood sounds worth seeing.
Some say that series improve as they progress - and come nearer the present day. I'm not so sure. They may broaden and coarsen. Sometimes the early books are the best - and are valuable for the light they shed on their times. There are some serious moments here that I wouldn't expect to find in the later books.
I love the satire about the theatre - here the fringe gets the treatment. All too true!
September 13, 2017
Charles Paris is an actor in England. He has moderate success - has been on stage and screen. He also is an amateur sleuth. In this book Charles is going to do a one-man show at a festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. When one of the actors is "accidentally" stabbed during a rehearsal, Charles can't help himself. He doesn't believe the death was a tragic accident, so he becomes somewhat of a Holmes character, trying to decide who would have the motive to kill the unlikable young man. He becomes entangled with a young actress much younger than him. But he can't rule her out as a suspect. It is an okay book. Charles is a sympathetic character.
October 3, 2025
I enjoyed this book more than the first one. While the main character still drinks a lot and sleeps around a bit, it's not quite as in your face in this one. He came across much more as a serious and talented actor who simply struggles to find work than in the first book where he really came across more as someone who wanted to act but maybe wasn't that talented. I pretty much guessed the murderer, but the motive was not clear to me until the reveal. Definitely looking forward to the next one.
January 19, 2023
I appreciated the chapter headings from the Piet Thomas Hood and the discussions about Mary, Queen of Scott’s.
I also enjoyed the tour of Edinburg.
I liked the middle aged detective and actor Charles Paris although his attain with 23 year old gold digger served him right. The book was written in the 70’s and times have changed, I guess.
The several different plots running together kept the main suspects in the fore.
I also enjoyed the tour of Edinburg.
I liked the middle aged detective and actor Charles Paris although his attain with 23 year old gold digger served him right. The book was written in the 70’s and times have changed, I guess.
The several different plots running together kept the main suspects in the fore.
May 20, 2025
The period charm has worn off this, the second outing for jobbing actor, and would-be gentleman sleuth, Charles Paris. Simon Brett clearly knows (and loves) the Edinburgh of the Fringe very well, but the local colour, but this doesn't help enliven a mystery that seems to consist of Paris working his way though every single character in the book before (finally) lighting on the one who was obvious from the start.
February 10, 2019
I'm quite familiar with the Charles Paris series of books as a result of the Radio 4 adaptations, but so far have only read the first two, and I must say that I enjoyed this more than the first.
It's possible that my mental picture of Bill Nighy as Charles increases my enjoyment of these books, but this is a very easy-to-read whodunnit, set against the backdrop of the Edinburgh Fringe, at which Charles (not yet the rather faded actor he becomes) revives his one man show based on the poems of Thomas Hood. He's filling a gap in the programme of the Derby University Dramatic Society (DUDS), and witnesses the not-as-accidental-as-it-seemed stabbing of one of the cast, which reignites his amateur sleuthing tendencies.
I guessed the murderer early on, though I didn't quite guess the motive (such as it was).
Overall, a light read with some very amusing moments.
It's possible that my mental picture of Bill Nighy as Charles increases my enjoyment of these books, but this is a very easy-to-read whodunnit, set against the backdrop of the Edinburgh Fringe, at which Charles (not yet the rather faded actor he becomes) revives his one man show based on the poems of Thomas Hood. He's filling a gap in the programme of the Derby University Dramatic Society (DUDS), and witnesses the not-as-accidental-as-it-seemed stabbing of one of the cast, which reignites his amateur sleuthing tendencies.
I guessed the murderer early on, though I didn't quite guess the motive (such as it was).
Overall, a light read with some very amusing moments.
September 27, 2020
A brilliant read. Especially if you like vintage humour!
I did not enjoy this as much as the first novel as it seemed lacking in the previous books amount of humour. It was however brilliantly written, the characters always brilliant and Edinburgh visualized to perfection.
I realise I've given it less stars but I am confident the 3rd will be fantastic!
I did not enjoy this as much as the first novel as it seemed lacking in the previous books amount of humour. It was however brilliantly written, the characters always brilliant and Edinburgh visualized to perfection.
I realise I've given it less stars but I am confident the 3rd will be fantastic!
November 29, 2020
Entertaining mystery reading
A will written romantic thriller mystery in the Charles Paris Mystery Series with interesting will developed characters. The story line is complicated with lots of twist and turns leading to the conclusion. I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a quick read. Enjoy reading 2020
A will written romantic thriller mystery in the Charles Paris Mystery Series with interesting will developed characters. The story line is complicated with lots of twist and turns leading to the conclusion. I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a quick read. Enjoy reading 2020
January 31, 2026
Theatrical chaos, murder, chaos, repeat
A complicated mystery plot threads among many literary references and aspirant suspects, as Charles Paris barks up every wrong tree at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He gets his crim in the end (the person I suspected—yay!), and readers get a proper introduction to his wife Francis.
A complicated mystery plot threads among many literary references and aspirant suspects, as Charles Paris barks up every wrong tree at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He gets his crim in the end (the person I suspected—yay!), and readers get a proper introduction to his wife Francis.
March 22, 2021
A not so witty Charles Paris mystery, but still enjoyable, even though a tiny bit less so than the first in the series. I loved the Edinburgh setting very much, and the lively festival mood came across just perfect.
November 4, 2024
Charles Paris is amusing as he goes about solving a murder in a somewhat lackadaisical manner. The Edinburgh Fringe theater setting is interesting, and although I guessed the murderer quite early on, the plot was not bad.
December 29, 2017
One of the better Paris books that I’ve read so far. Full review at classicmystery.wordpress.com
August 22, 2018
I worked out whodunit! I just couldn't figure out why! Glad it was fully explained!
April 9, 2021
Better than the first. Light, frothy mystery with our amiable narrator to keep us company along the way, though I think true mystery fans will figure it out before Charles does!
Read
February 16, 2022A good ‘whodunit’, with likeable characters and well read.
June 23, 2022
Enjoyable
Read
July 31, 2022Audio
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews