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The Esther & Jack Enright Mysteries #12
The Footlights Murder
The Enrights’ lives are on the line in this latest mystery! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, Andrew Taylor and Laura Shepherd-Robinson.
Death will come when it will come…
1905
When the leading actor in a performance of Julius Caesar is stabbed to death, the Enright family are pulled into the murder.
Lucy Masefield, sister of policeman Jack Enright, is the director of the theatre group and the finger of blame is being pointed at her.
Jack is certain his sister is innocent and along with their uncle, Percy, determines to solve the crime.
But as they start to unravel the mystery, they suspect a much larger conspiracy could be at play.
Jack and his wife Esther decide to disguise themselves as amateur actors to get closer to the truth, but they soon realise they could be putting their own lives in jeopardy…
Is Lucy innocent? Can Jack clear his sister’s name?
Or could he be dragging his family into a web of danger...?
THE FOOTLIGHTS MURDER is the twelfth crime thriller in an exciting historical series, the Esther and Jack Enright Mysteries, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.
“An enduring mystery with a new detective partnership” - Linda Stratmann, author of the Frances Doughty and Mina Scarletti Mystery Series
ESTHER & JACK ENRIGHT MYSTERY SERIES
BOOK The Gaslight Stalker
BOOK The Night Caller
BOOK The Prodigal Sister
BOOK The Slum Reaper
BOOK The Posing Playwright
BOOK The Mercy Killings
BOOK The Jubilee Plot
BOOK The Lost Boys
BOOK The Retirement Murder
BOOK The Long Delayed Revenge
BOOK The Belvedere Scandal
BOOK The Footlights Murder
Death will come when it will come…
1905
When the leading actor in a performance of Julius Caesar is stabbed to death, the Enright family are pulled into the murder.
Lucy Masefield, sister of policeman Jack Enright, is the director of the theatre group and the finger of blame is being pointed at her.
Jack is certain his sister is innocent and along with their uncle, Percy, determines to solve the crime.
But as they start to unravel the mystery, they suspect a much larger conspiracy could be at play.
Jack and his wife Esther decide to disguise themselves as amateur actors to get closer to the truth, but they soon realise they could be putting their own lives in jeopardy…
Is Lucy innocent? Can Jack clear his sister’s name?
Or could he be dragging his family into a web of danger...?
THE FOOTLIGHTS MURDER is the twelfth crime thriller in an exciting historical series, the Esther and Jack Enright Mysteries, a traditional British detective series set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.
“An enduring mystery with a new detective partnership” - Linda Stratmann, author of the Frances Doughty and Mina Scarletti Mystery Series
ESTHER & JACK ENRIGHT MYSTERY SERIES
BOOK The Gaslight Stalker
BOOK The Night Caller
BOOK The Prodigal Sister
BOOK The Slum Reaper
BOOK The Posing Playwright
BOOK The Mercy Killings
BOOK The Jubilee Plot
BOOK The Lost Boys
BOOK The Retirement Murder
BOOK The Long Delayed Revenge
BOOK The Belvedere Scandal
BOOK The Footlights Murder
198 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2025
22 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
David Field
105 books21 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 27, 2025
Always eager to read the latest by David Field in the Jack and Esther Enright series, I rushed to get my hands on this book. It’s 1905 and the theatre is busy with the latest production of Julius Caesar. Lucy Masefield, sister to Chief Inspector Jack Enfield, is directing, when one of her actors is stabbed to death with a prop knife. Jack and his uncle, Percy, are sure of Lucy’s innocence, agreeing to investigate the crime. Their queries lead to the discovery of what could be a much larger conspiracy, though it is tough to piece it all together in a timely manner. Pulling on the assistance of his wife, Esther, Jack has them go undercover in a future production, hoping to have the killer make a new appearance. However, this might lead to putting their own lives in danger. Field delivers another entertaining addition to the series!
David Field has worked hard to keep this series on point over the years. His ideas are poignant and the narrative always flows well, engaging the reader. Decent length chapters provide something to engage the reader with significant detail and character banter. Pulling on history once more, the story keeps things moving along, creating tension and momentum where needed to ensure everything falls into place.
Field’s characters prove vivid, while the ongoing development of the Enrights is sure to impress series fans. There is a true Victorian (now, Edwardian) flavour to the characters, which serves as a great addition to the reading experience and permits the reader to feel in the middle of the action. Jack, Percy, and Esther all offer some great insight and banter to keep the series fresh.
Strong plot points point the story in a good direction, while some surprises balance well with the twists on offer. Using the theatre as a stage for the piece, if you pardon the pun, created something well worth my time and left things up in the air. I have long been a fan of this series and remain so for whatever David Field has to offer.
Kudos Mr. Field, for keeping the series sharp and on point.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
David Field has worked hard to keep this series on point over the years. His ideas are poignant and the narrative always flows well, engaging the reader. Decent length chapters provide something to engage the reader with significant detail and character banter. Pulling on history once more, the story keeps things moving along, creating tension and momentum where needed to ensure everything falls into place.
Field’s characters prove vivid, while the ongoing development of the Enrights is sure to impress series fans. There is a true Victorian (now, Edwardian) flavour to the characters, which serves as a great addition to the reading experience and permits the reader to feel in the middle of the action. Jack, Percy, and Esther all offer some great insight and banter to keep the series fresh.
Strong plot points point the story in a good direction, while some surprises balance well with the twists on offer. Using the theatre as a stage for the piece, if you pardon the pun, created something well worth my time and left things up in the air. I have long been a fan of this series and remain so for whatever David Field has to offer.
Kudos Mr. Field, for keeping the series sharp and on point.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 3, 2026
Great Series
Book 12 of this Series and Once again it is a very interesting well written story. Jack abd Percy are Great Characters and are well supported by Ester and others . Looking forward to the next one
Book 12 of this Series and Once again it is a very interesting well written story. Jack abd Percy are Great Characters and are well supported by Ester and others . Looking forward to the next one
January 7, 2026
1905 when Lucy Masefield, director of the amateur Holburn players, believes she is a suspect for murder as one of the actors, Valentine Primrose was killed by a retracting knife, which didn’t. She asks the help of her uncle Percy Enright and brother Jack.
An enjoyable historical mystery
An enjoyable historical mystery
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews