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Deadly #12
Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery
Behind the spotlights and glamour lurk secrets and murder.
Amid the grim realities of wartime Britain, inside during the blackout hidden from the tatters left by the Blitz, glitz and glamour live onstage in the West End. But at one theater, The Regent, a malevolent force is causing escalating problems. Sabotage, damage and injury feed mistrust among the cast and crew.
Then during opening night, the hated director drops dead from poison, and Olivia Redmond's colorful, kindly editor is arrested for murder. Determined to investigate, Olivia finds secrets piling up among the bodies. But which secret leads to a crafty killer who won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way, including Olivia.
Deadly Performance is the exciting twelfth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like intrepid heroines, research-based history, and clean reads, then you'll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker's page turning mystery.
Amid the grim realities of wartime Britain, inside during the blackout hidden from the tatters left by the Blitz, glitz and glamour live onstage in the West End. But at one theater, The Regent, a malevolent force is causing escalating problems. Sabotage, damage and injury feed mistrust among the cast and crew.
Then during opening night, the hated director drops dead from poison, and Olivia Redmond's colorful, kindly editor is arrested for murder. Determined to investigate, Olivia finds secrets piling up among the bodies. But which secret leads to a crafty killer who won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way, including Olivia.
Deadly Performance is the exciting twelfth book in the World War II mystery Deadly Series. If you like intrepid heroines, research-based history, and clean reads, then you'll love USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Parker's page turning mystery.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2024
137 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Kate Parker
46 books43 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 8, 2025
Deadly Performance is the 12th book in the Deadly Series by Kate Parker, but it can be read as a standalone. This series is set during World War II and stars Olivia Redmond.
In Deadly Performance, rather than travelling somewhere in Europe for a special assignment, Olivia is staying in London. As a favor to a friend, Olivia’s superior at the paper sends her to work for a small newspaper that covers theater performances. While covering a play at The Regent, she discovers that someone has been sabotaging things around backstage. However, things take a sinister turn on opening night when the director dies as a result of poison! Olivia gets involved when the editor of the paper she’s covering is accused of the murder. She knows he wouldn’t kill anyone and is determined to discover what really happened.
Though I love travelling with Olivia throughout wartime Europe, experiencing war torn London was just as interesting. I cannot imagine what the people in London went through during the Blitz. The fear, the deaths, the blackouts, and the aftermath surely took its toll on Londoners. Don’t forget that rationing was happening during this time, so food was scarce and not very appealing. Therefore, for those who could afford it, the theater provided a way of escape for just a little while.
Olivia is staying with her father now that her flat has been leveled by a bomb. If you’re a long time reader of the series, you know that she and her father don’t have a good relationship, so things are very strained. Her husband is on active duty, so he’s only able to visit occasionally. Olivia’s dad has a great relationship with her husband, so things are tolerable when he’s visiting. Otherwise, the house is practically silent since her father doesn’t say much to her. Having this assignment is a God send for Olivia since it gets her out of the house!
I love the characters in this series! Parker has a flair for writing characters. By the time I’m partway into one of her books, I feel as if the characters are real people! I’m always happy to reconnect with Olivia and some regular side characters, and I love meeting the new characters in each book.
The mystery in Deadly Performance is an excellent one! Trying to piece the clues together to find the murderer was very entertaining. Then Parker throws another mystery into the mix, and that makes it even moreso! There are plenty of red herrings to throw you off track, but in the end, I was finally able to nail down the killer and solve the mystery!
I highly recommend Deadly Performance for its WWII London setting, well-paced plot, excellently written characters, and twisty mystery! 5 huge stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
In Deadly Performance, rather than travelling somewhere in Europe for a special assignment, Olivia is staying in London. As a favor to a friend, Olivia’s superior at the paper sends her to work for a small newspaper that covers theater performances. While covering a play at The Regent, she discovers that someone has been sabotaging things around backstage. However, things take a sinister turn on opening night when the director dies as a result of poison! Olivia gets involved when the editor of the paper she’s covering is accused of the murder. She knows he wouldn’t kill anyone and is determined to discover what really happened.
Though I love travelling with Olivia throughout wartime Europe, experiencing war torn London was just as interesting. I cannot imagine what the people in London went through during the Blitz. The fear, the deaths, the blackouts, and the aftermath surely took its toll on Londoners. Don’t forget that rationing was happening during this time, so food was scarce and not very appealing. Therefore, for those who could afford it, the theater provided a way of escape for just a little while.
Olivia is staying with her father now that her flat has been leveled by a bomb. If you’re a long time reader of the series, you know that she and her father don’t have a good relationship, so things are very strained. Her husband is on active duty, so he’s only able to visit occasionally. Olivia’s dad has a great relationship with her husband, so things are tolerable when he’s visiting. Otherwise, the house is practically silent since her father doesn’t say much to her. Having this assignment is a God send for Olivia since it gets her out of the house!
I love the characters in this series! Parker has a flair for writing characters. By the time I’m partway into one of her books, I feel as if the characters are real people! I’m always happy to reconnect with Olivia and some regular side characters, and I love meeting the new characters in each book.
The mystery in Deadly Performance is an excellent one! Trying to piece the clues together to find the murderer was very entertaining. Then Parker throws another mystery into the mix, and that makes it even moreso! There are plenty of red herrings to throw you off track, but in the end, I was finally able to nail down the killer and solve the mystery!
I highly recommend Deadly Performance for its WWII London setting, well-paced plot, excellently written characters, and twisty mystery! 5 huge stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
January 11, 2025
DEADLY PERFORMANCE by Kate Parker
The Twelfth Deadly Mystery
June 1941 finds Olivia Redmond hot, short tempered, and generally out of sorts. After her apartment is bombed by the Nazis she's forced to move in with her father. Her husband, Adam, has resumed his duties in the army and his visits are few and far between. In an attempt to perk Livvy up Sir Henry loans her services to The Stage, an entertainment newspaper run by his old friend Si. When Livvy learns of trouble on the set of Have You Seen My Mother-in-Law her interest is definitely piqued. When the dastardly director drops dead in front of her Olivia thinks her story may be more suited to the Daily Premier rather than the The Stage!
DEADLY PERFORMANCE gives a behind the scenes look at theatre during WWII. I found it interesting what performances were chosen to be staged during this time-comedies and revues, as well as the fact that tours were common, so people all over the country were able to attend performances. As with every Deadly mystery the characterization is everything. No part is too small as all characters are well rounded people with needs, desires, and great back stories...even if we don't know what those stories are! Livvy's relationship with her father has appeared to regressed and we don't get to see much of Adam, but Livvy's other friendships stand her well as she deals with a group of new, well fleshed out characters. The mystery was absorbing and various happenings made me wonder if events were connected.
Secrets, historic detail, and a finely tuned mystery make DEADLY PERFORMANCE a delightfully captivating story in one of my favorite series!
The Twelfth Deadly Mystery
June 1941 finds Olivia Redmond hot, short tempered, and generally out of sorts. After her apartment is bombed by the Nazis she's forced to move in with her father. Her husband, Adam, has resumed his duties in the army and his visits are few and far between. In an attempt to perk Livvy up Sir Henry loans her services to The Stage, an entertainment newspaper run by his old friend Si. When Livvy learns of trouble on the set of Have You Seen My Mother-in-Law her interest is definitely piqued. When the dastardly director drops dead in front of her Olivia thinks her story may be more suited to the Daily Premier rather than the The Stage!
DEADLY PERFORMANCE gives a behind the scenes look at theatre during WWII. I found it interesting what performances were chosen to be staged during this time-comedies and revues, as well as the fact that tours were common, so people all over the country were able to attend performances. As with every Deadly mystery the characterization is everything. No part is too small as all characters are well rounded people with needs, desires, and great back stories...even if we don't know what those stories are! Livvy's relationship with her father has appeared to regressed and we don't get to see much of Adam, but Livvy's other friendships stand her well as she deals with a group of new, well fleshed out characters. The mystery was absorbing and various happenings made me wonder if events were connected.
Secrets, historic detail, and a finely tuned mystery make DEADLY PERFORMANCE a delightfully captivating story in one of my favorite series!
January 19, 2025
This was an interesting storyline set in the backdrop of the live theatre in Londin during WW II or just after where the place was in ruins. And there was a murder or two for no apparent reason.
I must confess that this is the first of the Deadly series by Kate Parker that I have read so maybe that detracted a little because I did not have the background to the key players.
For me, I found the narrative dragged on a bit and could have been condensed a little in the middle stages and not detracted from the overall outcome. The ending was very good and the book picked up toward the end to a good ending and possibly an unpredictable one.
I particularly liked the expose of life during the war years that was very well researched.
I must confess that this is the first of the Deadly series by Kate Parker that I have read so maybe that detracted a little because I did not have the background to the key players.
For me, I found the narrative dragged on a bit and could have been condensed a little in the middle stages and not detracted from the overall outcome. The ending was very good and the book picked up toward the end to a good ending and possibly an unpredictable one.
I particularly liked the expose of life during the war years that was very well researched.
January 1, 2025
Libby father is horrible. I don't know how Adam can be so tolerant of him given how he treats Liv. It's also disappointing that their relationship is so awful given there was a brief period in the earlier books where they seemed to have been moving towards, if not a good relationship, at least acknowledging they cared & being more accepting of each other.
December 20, 2024
Livvy has been sent by Sir Henry as a fill in to a small theatre review newspaper. Inevitability, she ends up investigating a murder, all while trying to deal with much upheaval in her personal life after her flat was bombed and she had to move in with her father.
October 26, 2025
Very entertaining
The smell of grease paint, costumes and murder! Olivia is assigned to write reviews on the current plays playing in the East End when murder intrudes. With so many suspects and a victim that everyone hated, Livie has her work cut out for her.
The smell of grease paint, costumes and murder! Olivia is assigned to write reviews on the current plays playing in the East End when murder intrudes. With so many suspects and a victim that everyone hated, Livie has her work cut out for her.
December 17, 2024
Great book series
This book was wonderful lots of back and forth with Livvy. I have loved all these books and can't wait for the next one.
This book was wonderful lots of back and forth with Livvy. I have loved all these books and can't wait for the next one.
December 30, 2024
Deadly Performance is, sadly, deadly dull. The story is ridiculous, the characters are wooden, and the writing is dull and stodgy. Don't bother.
January 5, 2025
Another fantastic read from Kate Parker! I really enjoyed this book.
January 12, 2025
A great book, but still a lot of American-isms in it, for a book that is set in London, with English characters. Please don't take as a criticism, just an observation.
January 19, 2025
Too confusing
January 20, 2025
I didn't find this as thrilling as some of the earlier mysteries in this series, but I enjoyed the mystery with its WWII backdrop and I like the characters.
February 6, 2025
Easy to read Whodunit. I enjoyed this story in a single afternoon. I hope to read more of the series this year.
May 2, 2025
Looking forward to next book in series! Great read!
August 12, 2025
The London theatre setting and the non-war related mystery was an unexpected change.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews