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A Play to Kill: Can she find the killer before the curtains fall?
From the No. 1 internationally bestselling author, Lars Kepler, comes another twisty murder mystery. ________________________
Private Detective Julia Stark is hired to solve an impossible a deceased previous lover is haunting a theatre, determined to kill.
Famous actress, Bianca Salo, is convinced her dead fiancé is stalking her. Just the night before, she tells Julia, she'd woken to find him standing over her bed, and a short while ago, he had broken into her dressing room and set fire to her dress.
It's been three years since Bianca was told of her fiancé's sudden passing in a hotel room in Helsinki. She was in Stockholm at the time, playing the female lead in Macbeth, and collapsed on stage in her grief. The entire run was cancelled just a week after the premiere. Now, the ensemble and director have a second chance to perform the ill-fated tragedy. Julia accompanies Bianca to the rehearsals, to watch over her but to also survey the rest of the cast. Almost none of the actors have alibis for the incidents, and each of them have their own reasons to want to harm Bianca.
Julia asks her ex-husband, Sid, to help investigate, and together, they try to solve the strange happenings. Then, things shift and it seems the stalker has entered the final, active phase of his pursuit, which Julia knows often ends in violence and death.
Will she be able to find him before it's curtains for Bianca...?
Private Detective Julia Stark is hired to solve an impossible a deceased previous lover is haunting a theatre, determined to kill.
Famous actress, Bianca Salo, is convinced her dead fiancé is stalking her. Just the night before, she tells Julia, she'd woken to find him standing over her bed, and a short while ago, he had broken into her dressing room and set fire to her dress.
It's been three years since Bianca was told of her fiancé's sudden passing in a hotel room in Helsinki. She was in Stockholm at the time, playing the female lead in Macbeth, and collapsed on stage in her grief. The entire run was cancelled just a week after the premiere. Now, the ensemble and director have a second chance to perform the ill-fated tragedy. Julia accompanies Bianca to the rehearsals, to watch over her but to also survey the rest of the cast. Almost none of the actors have alibis for the incidents, and each of them have their own reasons to want to harm Bianca.
Julia asks her ex-husband, Sid, to help investigate, and together, they try to solve the strange happenings. Then, things shift and it seems the stalker has entered the final, active phase of his pursuit, which Julia knows often ends in violence and death.
Will she be able to find him before it's curtains for Bianca...?
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2026
19 people want to read
About the author
Alex Ahndoril
8 books38 followersThe pseudonym Alex Ahndoril is a new collaboration between Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril, the authors behind Lars Kepler.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 18, 2025
“Can she find the killer before the curtains fall?”
In A Play to Kill, Alex Ahndoril delivers a hauntingly theatrical mystery that blurs the line between grief and menace, illusion and truth. Set against the velvet-draped backdrop of a Stockholm theatre, this novel is a masterclass in suspense, where every spotlight casts a shadow and every actor harbours secrets.
Private detective Julia Stark is a compelling lead—sharp, intuitive, and quietly haunted herself. When she’s drawn into the eerie world of Bianca Salo, a celebrated actress convinced her dead fiancé is stalking her, the narrative unfurls with the elegance of a stage curtain and the tension of a final act. The ghostly premise—an impossible haunting, a fire in a dressing room, a cast full of suspects—evokes the gothic glamour of classic whodunnits, yet Ahndoril’s prose feels fresh, cinematic, and emotionally astute.
The novel’s brilliance lies in its layered atmosphere: the echo of Macbeth’s curse, the claustrophobia of backstage rivalries, and the slow, deliberate pacing of a thriller that knows exactly when to quicken the pulse. Julia’s partnership with her ex-husband Sid adds a touch of warmth and complexity, grounding the story in human connection even as the danger escalates.
With its theatrical setting, psychological depth, and a mystery that tightens like a noose, A Play to Kill is a chilling, elegant performance in its own right. The final scenes are as satisfying as a standing ovation—dark, dramatic, and utterly unforgettable.
My thanks to Alex Ahndoril, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
In A Play to Kill, Alex Ahndoril delivers a hauntingly theatrical mystery that blurs the line between grief and menace, illusion and truth. Set against the velvet-draped backdrop of a Stockholm theatre, this novel is a masterclass in suspense, where every spotlight casts a shadow and every actor harbours secrets.
Private detective Julia Stark is a compelling lead—sharp, intuitive, and quietly haunted herself. When she’s drawn into the eerie world of Bianca Salo, a celebrated actress convinced her dead fiancé is stalking her, the narrative unfurls with the elegance of a stage curtain and the tension of a final act. The ghostly premise—an impossible haunting, a fire in a dressing room, a cast full of suspects—evokes the gothic glamour of classic whodunnits, yet Ahndoril’s prose feels fresh, cinematic, and emotionally astute.
The novel’s brilliance lies in its layered atmosphere: the echo of Macbeth’s curse, the claustrophobia of backstage rivalries, and the slow, deliberate pacing of a thriller that knows exactly when to quicken the pulse. Julia’s partnership with her ex-husband Sid adds a touch of warmth and complexity, grounding the story in human connection even as the danger escalates.
With its theatrical setting, psychological depth, and a mystery that tightens like a noose, A Play to Kill is a chilling, elegant performance in its own right. The final scenes are as satisfying as a standing ovation—dark, dramatic, and utterly unforgettable.
My thanks to Alex Ahndoril, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.
December 6, 2025
The second book I’ve read featuring Julia Stark. Welcome to Stockholm and the world of Private Investigator Julia Stark and her ex husband and DI Sidney Mendelson. Julia is the sole survivor of a plane crash in Romania which killed her parents and two sisters. Although scarred, needing a cane to walk, she is pretty good at her job.
Briefly, Julia receives a call from a stage actress wanting help. Bianca Salo claims she is being stalked by her former lover even though he died years before in Helsinki. She was playing the female lead in Macbeth when she leaned of his death and the run closed early. She is now reprising the role and Julia joins her at the theatre where she encounters the strangest group of actors, all seeming to have grudges against Julia.
Excellent read with shrewd use of the Macbeth play. Julia is a great character. I really like her. Yes she’s damaged, but who wouldn’t be after what she went through but she is intelligent and driven and you just feel you can trust her. I also liked her relationship with Sidney. There are a number of secrets revealed as the book progresses and the setting gave a slightly golden age/gothic feel to the story. I enjoyed this theatrical detective drama with its rather creepy narrative and I suspect there is more to come from the Julia Stark Agency.
Briefly, Julia receives a call from a stage actress wanting help. Bianca Salo claims she is being stalked by her former lover even though he died years before in Helsinki. She was playing the female lead in Macbeth when she leaned of his death and the run closed early. She is now reprising the role and Julia joins her at the theatre where she encounters the strangest group of actors, all seeming to have grudges against Julia.
Excellent read with shrewd use of the Macbeth play. Julia is a great character. I really like her. Yes she’s damaged, but who wouldn’t be after what she went through but she is intelligent and driven and you just feel you can trust her. I also liked her relationship with Sidney. There are a number of secrets revealed as the book progresses and the setting gave a slightly golden age/gothic feel to the story. I enjoyed this theatrical detective drama with its rather creepy narrative and I suspect there is more to come from the Julia Stark Agency.
January 8, 2026
Imagine you're a world-class private detective a famous actor has asked you for your help because …
She has a STALKER 😱
The plot thickens...
Can they figure out who it is before the curtain call
If you're a fan of easy reads and mystery murder books or thrillers this one is for you
This is a book to help you beat the January blues and kick off your reading goals
She has a STALKER 😱
The plot thickens...
Can they figure out who it is before the curtain call
If you're a fan of easy reads and mystery murder books or thrillers this one is for you
This is a book to help you beat the January blues and kick off your reading goals
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews