Muerte en escena

Dr. Basil Willing #5

by Helen McCloy, Raquel García Rojas (Translator)

Primavera de los años cuarenta. En un avión de Washington a Nueva York, el doctor Basil Willing lee una curiosa noticia en el un ladrón irrumpió el día anterior en una tienducha de afilar cuchillos de la 44 Oeste, en pleno Manhattan, y liberó al canario del propietario, un tal Marcus Lazarus, de su jaula. Nada más. Comentándolo después en comisaría con su colega, el inspector Foyle, resulta que la tienducha en cuestión está junto a la entrada de artistas del Royalty Theatre, un imponente edificio un tanto demodé, estilo «pastel con glaseado», donde esa misma noche se estrena por todo lo alto una nueva adaptación de Fedora, el nuevo espectáculo de la famosa actriz Wanda Morley. ¿Podría tratarse de un truco publicitario de la compañía para promocionar la obra? El sagaz doctor Willing tiene ya la mosca detrás de la oreja, y no piensa perderse el gran estreno.

Genres: Mystery, Golden Age Mystery

293 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Helen McCloy, born as Helen Worrell Clarkson McCloy (she also published as Helen Clarkson), was an American mystery writer, whose series character Dr. Basil Willing debuted in Dance of Death (1938). Willing believes that "every criminal leaves psychic fingerprints, and he can't wear gloves to hide them." He appeared in 13 of McCloy's novels and in several of her short stories. McCloy often used the theme of doppelganger, but in the end of the story she showed a psychological or realistic explanation for the seemingly supernatural events.

Reviews

[Puzzle Doctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good example of the lost classic mystery. Full review at classicmystery.wordpress.com

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cue for Murder was selected by Anthony Boucher as one of a series of classic mysteries published by Bantam Books in the sixties. In his introduction he underscores the novel's superb construction wherein "Basil Willing [the detective] and his creator always . . . [remain] conscious that the greatest excitement of the chase can come in that final moment of drawing together all the subtly planted clues that irrefutably point to guilt." Cue for Murder definitely engenders this excitement, and all the evidence cited by Willing at the end will be recalled by the reader.

The characters are well-delineated, but a crucial weakness is the perfunctory nature of the culprit's motive. Leonard Martin seemed too intelligent and mature to murder out of mere jealousy of Wanda Morley, then arrange for her to be suspected of the crime. Perhaps emphasis on his resentment at Morley's ingratitude after he had went to prison for her would have made this more plausible. His motive for freeing the canary, however, was dead on.

All in all, a masterful performance.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The murder mystery at the Royalty Theatre was solved though the agency of a house fly and a canary.’

Opening night at the Royalty Theatre in New York for the play Fedora provides the setting for a very public murder. One of the characters in the play dies in the first scene — as does the character playing him — yet no-one saw who killed him. Dr Basil Willing, present because of the gift of a ticket, becomes involved in solving the case. It should be simple: there were only three people on stage when the actor was stabbed to death. But who murdered him, and why? Each of the three on stage could have a motive. There are a few strange happenings as well as clues that need to be differentiated from red herrings, but with Dr Willing on the case it is surely only a matter of time.

‘You overlooked three main clues ... a clock, a fly and a canary.’

I have read a couple of the Basil Willing mysteries, and this is my favourite (so far). While I identified the importance of two of the clues, I missed the third. A cleverly written murder mystery which held my attention from beginning to end.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley and Agora Books for a review copy.

A theatre production of a melodrama is a comfortable setting for us to follow Dr Basil Willing’s skill in applying his considerable psychological skill to yet another murder - or two. It’s a clever plot with the challenge of a severely limited cast of suspects.

The reader is led to identify with Basil Willing, and, to a lesser extent, Inspector Foyle. The suspects, and other supporting characters were less well established and distinguished, broad brush stroke figures, tending to stereotype. It would be a more satisfying read if they were more rounded to engage the reader, rather than part of an intellectual puzzle. It is this factor that stops me giving it four stars.

As it is, I’d put it around 3.7.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Basil Willing has been given a ticket to attend the opening night of the play Fedora. Where in the first act a character dies, unfortunately so does the actor. He has been stabbed. With so few suspects can Willing determine the motive and therefore the guilty party before they kill again. The clues were there to find.
Another entertaining historical mystery, originally written in 1941. A well-written story with its varied and likeable characters. Another good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[dmayr · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Only three suspects and no clues, no alibis, no fingerprints, no footprints, no motives, no telltale looks or gesture. How can anyone crack a case like that?" The opening of the play Fedora is marred by the death of the actor playing Vladimir, a perplexing case in itself as it is committed on stage in front of everyone with only three possible suspects. However, Dr. Basil Willing looks beyond as to the curious behaviour of a house-fly and to the freeing of a canary to unmask the killer. A solid mystery.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Not sure if I've read anything before by McCloy though I have been gathering them to read. For a 184 page paperback, this was a richly told story. McCloy's descriptive powers and use of language were impressive. The world of theater and the people who populate it were really spot on. While not everyone is like these characters- basically they are all there in one way or another. Also you felt like you were in the spaces the story was taking place.

Here you have three or four people who could have murdered someone; in front of a lot people - basically an entire audience and cast. So who did it? I wasn't really sure who, though I decided to let two people off. Was really difficult, and fun to try and match wits.

Would highly recommend this author. (There are now some reprints on Kindle.)

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: murder onstage during the play Fedora. Dr. Willing uses actual clues and psychological ones to reveal the killer.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my full review click the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.com/2025/...

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Agora Books for a review copy.
Dr Basil Willing, psychologist and sleuth is a new character to me. Normally I prefer British to American crime fiction but I found this novel to be excellent. Set in New York during the World War Two, it follows the investigation of the murder of an actor, on stage in full view of the audience.
Dr Willing reminds me in some ways of Hercule Poirot as he concerns himself primarily with the psychology of the crime though he is a little more athletic than the Belgian super sleuth, climbing a New York fire escape at one point! He is a thoughtful detective and, as he is attached to the District Attorney’s department, he cooperates with the police and has their respect. This works well as the character would not, I think, be suited to an amateur versus professional type story.
The main clues in this story are a canary which is released during a robbery and the antics of a fly on the stage. As Dr Willing kept drawing attention to these seemingly unimportant, even trivial, facts he epitomised the best of the Golden Age Detectives who spotted the key clues and worked to discover their significance.
Although the story is set in New York, which is nicely described in the book and can be easily visualised, it could equally be transposed to any large city. The US setting was well differentiated from a European scenario by the practice blackouts which were taking place in preparation for America entering the war and being attacked by Axis aircraft.
The mystery has a totally fair solution though I would say the reader has to be very thorough to spot all the clues, I certainly didn’t! There is also plenty of sleight of hand by the author which is cleverly executed.
This is not the first in the series of Dr Willing novels but I had no difficulty in understanding the story which leads me to believe that there are few, if any, ongoing story arcs through the novels. I am very glad that I read this book and I will certainly read more of Helen McCloy’s Dr Willing stories. If they are all as enjoyable as this one then I am in for a treat. Highly recommended.

[Roisin Shanahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cue For Murder is a Dr Basil Willing mystery. For those that have not read Helen McCloy’s Dr Willing mysteries before, then this is a good starting point.
The murder takes place on a New York stage on opening night in full view of an audience which includes Dr Willing, a psychiatrist attached to the district attorney’s office. We meet the main suspects Wanda Morley, the leading lady and her two leading men Leonard Martin and Rodney Tait. All three had the opportunity to kill the actor playing the part of the dying man in the play.
Other characters of interest include Pauline, a costume designer and secret fiancée of Rodney (he is also reportedly a paramour of Wanda Morley in all the newspapers). Margaret Ingelow is the widow of the murdered man and Sam Milhau the Broadway producer who is determined that the show must go on even after a murder has taken place. A canary and a fly have bit parts and are the real keys to solving the murder mystery.
At the start of the book, Inspector Foyle and Dr Willing are discussing a case of breaking and entering at a knife shop and the mystery of why someone left the yellow canary out of it’s cage. The shop is around the corner from the theatre and the murder victim dies from a knife wound so we know it is all linked somehow.
When the identity of the corpse is discovered we find several people with motive as well as opportunity. There are plenty of red herrings, atmospheric descriptions of the theatre scene and New York at the beginning of WWII. There is even a blackout at a very opportune time in the story
Without giving away any secrets another murder occurs before Dr Willing figures out who the murderer is. When they are finally unmasked you realise what a good job the author has done by sprinkling clues all through the book but don’t worry if you don’t guess the murderer. Just enjoy the read.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could a Golden Age book be more exquisite? Cue for Murder in the Dr. Basil Willing Mystery series contains everything one could hope for in a mystery...suspense, tension, superb secrets, believable and memorable characters, oodles of atmosphere, wonderful descriptions and a clever ending. Plus Helen McCloy wrote with fresh humour and wit which made me chuckle out loud several times. She also included a list of persons of interest (even these are enshrouded in her magical wit) and objects of interest. Love that.

The backdrop and scene of the crime is the Royal Theatre in bustling New York in 1942. Interestingly, the list of suspects is short but each seems unlikely. Or do they? Dr. Basil Willing draws on his psychiatric background and criminal knowledge to analyze and scrutinize which really elevates this character-driven book. Though the murder was committed in full view, no one saw it happen. The descriptions transported me immediately to the stage and I felt I was a witness to a positively smashing murder without knowing it. And then there's the non-human objects of interest...

Please do not miss this superb book. It is my favourite by this author I have read thus far. Each word was arresting and riveting and had me tied up in knots as I was so eager to finish yet did not want it to end! It had that special je ne sais quois I yearn for in books.

My sincere thank you to Agora Books for reviving this enchanting era. It will always be my favourite to read from and about. Thank you to NetGalley for the privilege of reading this treasure. I could not have possibly enjoyed it more and eagerly await the next!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could a Golden Age book be more exquisite? Cue for Murder in the Dr. Basil Willing Mystery series contains everything one could hope for in a mystery...suspense, tension, superb secrets, believable and memorable characters, oodles of atmosphere, wonderful descriptions and a clever ending. Plus Helen McCloy wrote with fresh humour and wit which made me chuckle out loud several times. She also included a list of persons of interest (even these are enshrouded in her magical wit) and objects of interest. Love that.

The backdrop and scene of the crime is the Royal Theatre in bustling New York in 1942. Interestingly, the list of suspects is short but each seems unlikely. Or do they? Dr. Basil Willing draws on his psychiatric background and criminal knowledge to analyze and scrutinize which really elevates this character-driven book. Though the murder was committed in full view, no one saw it happen. The descriptions transported me immediately to the stage and I felt I was a witness to a positively smashing murder without knowing it. And then there's the non-human objects of interest...

Please do not miss this superb book. It is my favourite by this author I have read thus far. Each word was arresting and riveting and had me tied up in knots as I was so eager to finish yet did not want it to end! It had that special je ne sais quois I yearn for in books.

My sincere thank you to Agora Books for reviving this enchanting era. It will always be my favourite to read from and about. Thank you to NetGalley for the privilege of reading this treasure. I could not have possibly enjoyed it more and eagerly await the next!

[Lilly Hi Way · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cue for Murder revolves around a death occurring during a Broadway performance in the early 1940s. Dr. Basil Willing, a consulting psychiatrist with the district attorney's office, was coincidentally in attendance on opening night. The play was a romantic melodrama performed by four well known actors and a special guest portraying a corpse. Within sight of the live audience, this make believe corpse is murdered and Dr. Willing volunteers his services.

Helen McCloy has Dr. Willing following in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes in solving this mystery, looking for physical clues that identify who might the murderer be as well as his/her likely psychological attributes. She herself follows in the footsteps of Ellery Queen in presenting the mystery. Abundant clues are given from the very beginning of the book and throughout to the end that when fit together clearly identifies who the murderer is. But I myself did not solve the mystery before the end. That was likely because that wasn't a priority for me. Instead I was interested in what New York City was like in the 1940's and the underlying culture of the city in general and the acting community in particular. I gave this book a 4 star rating because I don't read mysteries to see if I can outwit the author and figure out who done it before the end. I'd have liked to have given it 4 and a half stars because if I were an outwit-the-author type reader it would have been a 5 star rating.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII has begun, and Basil Willing is in New York. The Royalty Theatre is showing a revival of the Victorian show Fedora starring the actress Wanda Morley. Wanda's dresser, Pauline, is an old friend of Basil, and she gives him a ticket for opening night. Willing goes a little early, and notices the knife sharpening shop where someone broke in, didn't steal anything, but let the canary out of it's cage. Then, someone drops a copy of the script from the top of the fire escape. It is Wanda's copy, and a crucial line is underlined. It says "He cannot escape now; every hand is against him!" Willing goes to Wanda's dressing room and "returns" the script. However, Wanda tells him she wasn't on the fire escape.

At the end of the First Act, they realize the actor playing Vladimir who is pretending to die as actually died with a knife in his chest. Inspector Foyle arrives, and he and Willing begin interviewing and trying to solve the murder. There are only three actors who have approached Vladimir, so they are the suspects. While they are questioning the suspects, there is a fly in the room which keeps landing on the handle of the knife instead of on the bloody blade. Willing realizes the handle is sticky, but not why at first. When the canary is let out of its cage again, Willing finally realizes the significance of the canary and the fly and solves the case!

[Jack Gardner]

As I reached the final paragraphs of Chapter 1, I began to have a sinking feeling, which never really went away.
During a theatre performance, the actor playing a corpse is killed, and the three other actors on the closed stage become the only suspects.
One stereotype clearly isn’t guilty, and another although unlikely to be the culprit seems to be hiding something.
The solution to the murder is ingenious, and the inference drawn from the fly’s behaviour escapes all but the psychiatrist, and another troupe member who is researching symptoms of diseases for a play he is writing. The latter makes it known he has discovered the culprit, with fatal consequences.
There is unexpectedly little psychology involved, rather the law enforcement expertise and acute observation of the central character.
The central character, previously attached to the New York DA’s office, now has a position in counter-intelligence in wartime Washington DC, but joins the investigation, seemingly slipping into his former role.
I shall give Dr Willing another try, perhaps initially In short story form via back copies of EQMM.
To the folks at Agora, who kindly provided a copy for review purposes, sorry I could not have been more positive.

[Fabio Pucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si inizia con un prologo promettentissimo, che pone sotto i riflettori un evento apparentemente illogico ma dichiaramente connesso con la seguente storia di delitti: qualcuno fa irruzione di notte nello studio di un arrotino e libera il suo canarino dalla gabbia, lasciandolo svolazzare per la stanza. Ciò che segue è un giallo che si inserisce con classe in quel sottofilone ambientato in un contesto teatrale o operistico con diva capricciosa al seguito, imparentandosi con due classici della Christie come "Se morisse mio marito" o il successivo "Assassinio allo specchio". Rispetto ai due citati e più noti lavori, il romanzo della McCloy non sfigura affatto, avvalendosi di uno stile fascinoso, senza cedimenti di ritmo e sempre incisiva nella descrizione dei suoi personaggi, specialmente quelli femminili.
Forse meno psicologicamente profondo di quanto si vorrebbe (le deduzioni effettuate risultano troppo nette, poco sfumate, per quanto verosimili) e con un finale che non delude ma nemmeno stupisce nella sua soluzione (per quanto lo svelamento del mistero del canarino, pur nella sua semplicità, funzioni), ma nel complesso un giallo di buonissimo livello, per quanto non al livello dei capolavori dell'autrice.

***

[Cynthia Granville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen McCloy’s strength is in creating the world where her characters pursue their—usually criminal—activities, whether it’s the home of Long Island socialites, the Catskills, or South America. Here, she shines as she explores murder on a Broadway stage. The backstage routines and the conversations of the personalities who work in front of the footlights and behind the scenes ring true. The gathering clouds of World War II are vividly evoked, painting the picture of a city and country not yet knowing what the war would look like for them, experiencing the first of the “dim-outs” Broadway was subject to as the Army prepared for the possibility that air raids would make blacking out the city a necessity.
Ms. McCloy’s psychiatrist-sleuth Dr. Basil Willing does not have the indelibly eccentric personality of other Golden Age detectives such as Hercule Poirot or Lord Peter Wimsey, but her cast of suspects have unique voices and present the reader with a very entertaining read, probably much more enjoyable than the production of Sardou’s Fedora they memorably and repeatedly fail to bring to its close. This book is part of a series but stands alone.

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to like this author's works more because of their entertainment value than actual scientific facts/investigation. There are times I felt like I should check the possibility of a certain train of thought/psychological pronouncement, but I left it alone in order to enjoy the plotline itself.
This story begins with a troubled setup. Basil Willing has a friend who gets him involved when he runs into her before the showing of a play. The play (or rather the murder) happens in such a manner that it amounts to a closed room mystery. There are random pieces of hints with a canary and a housefly that ultimately falls in place, but I for one could not have guessed how it would go.
Dr Willing is initially an unwilling participant but a chance notice of a newspaper article has him concerned, and rightly so. This provides him with the drive to get to the bottom of things. It is not a long tale, and things keep moving (even if the end result takes its time to arrive).
I would recommend this to fans of reprints of classical mystery fiction!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am unsure why I did not enjoy this book as much as I expected from reading assessments of McCloy's talent.

The story is well-written, literate, allusive, and the mystery plot plays fair with the reader. There are elements and echoes of British Golden Age writers. The detective, Dr Basil Willing, is interesting and has no annoying mannerisms or traits. The characterisation was vivid. And yet...

The perpetrator and motive were easily spotted. This is not necessarily a minus, especially where the cast of suspects is limited. There was a lot of emphasis on timetabled action and timings, again not usually a down point for me. There was a bit of lecturing on medical/psychological matters, but nothing too difficult to swallow.

The parts, in other words were good but the whole was not satisfying. Did it all not just drag out too long? Were the characters just the wrong side of stereotype? Were the motive and perpetrator not just a tad too predictable?

I shall read more, perhaps from the later works.

This was a "near miss" and just shades to 3.5 stars.

[Jean-Luc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published in 1942 this gripping psychological thriller centers around the mysterious murders on stage of 2 minor figurants during the performance and the rehearsal of a revival of Victorien Sardou's Fedora.
Dr Basil Willing, a winsome and talented psychiatrist employed by the District Attorney's office will painstakingly try to untangle the many threads behind the murders but only one out of the four people (all actors) physically present on the stage when the murderous acts were committed could be considered a suspect....

A riveting mystery, superbly written and choreographed around exquisitely drawn characters exhibiting a vast array of human weaknesses.

This novel was a great discovery. I absolutely loved the author's style, its razor sharp edge, its tartness and the unflinching and almost disdainful looks she often casts upon her characters.

I will definitely try to read more novels from Helen McCloy in the near future.

Highly recommended and to be really really enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Agora Books for this terrific ARC

[Angshuman Chatterjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise for "Cue for Murder" was brilliant: a closed-circle mystery centered on a murder onstage during a Broadway revival of Sardou's "Fédora". The writing is engaging enough and the characterization is solid, with both the central and fringe sets fleshed out in appropriate detail. The "detective", i.e. Dr. Basil Willing is an engaging character in himself, and I liked him even better than in McCloy's first novel, "Dance of Death".

However, it's the plotting where McCloy comes up short, and for a mystery novel, that's sort of a deal-breaker for me. The gimmick with the fly was ok for me, but maybe too technical for someone who doesn't have a grounding in chemistry. The other gimmick, i.e. the one with the canary, which McCloy considered important enough to begin the story with, was hogwash, and I honestly laughed out loud at the reveal, before the disappointment hit me.

Rating: 2.8/5, rounded out to 3.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really well written, classic old murder mystery, and I really enjoyed this book up until the ending. Throughout the whole book there were several suspects with motives and opportunity and the author made sure that you could keep suspecting most of the characters up until the end. What I didn’t like was how the they kept pointing out how one of the characters, who had the opportunity to be the murderer, couldn’t be it because he had no motive. It was such a stark difference to how the other characters kept having more and more suspicious cast on them that it kind of made it too obvious that that character was going to be apart of the plot twist at the end.
That said, it was a really well written book. I loved how the murder was solved through the psychological analysis of the released canary and the chemical clue of the fly.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen McCloy was an author ahead of her time. While her contemporary crime writers were content to churn out endless cozy mysteries she used her characters to delve into the psychology of murder. A decade ahead of the great Patricia Highsmith and two decades ahead of the equally acclaimed P.D. James and Ruth Rendell. The importance of her contribution to the genre is only now being recognized through the efforts of Agora Books to revive her novels.
Written in the months following the attack on Pearl Harbour, McCloy's at her most evocative in the climatic scenes as Broadway plunges into blackout. The tension is comparable to Alfred Hitchcock at his very best.
I think this is the best of the early Dr Basil Willing and Inspector Foyle mysteries.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked all the Basil Willing mysteries I read and this the best so far. A page turner I couldn't put down featuring a very complex puzzle, a limited number of suspects and plenty of secrets.
The author did an excellent job in developing a plot that never stops surprising as each twist is unexpected.
The descriptions of the theatre environment and the atmosphere in NY at the beginning of WWII are masterful as the storytelling and the character development.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good who-done-it mystery. The victim is murdered on stage during the opening night of a play. The characterization is excellent and there are some puzzling clues such as a canary released from its cage and a substance on a knife handle. Our sleuth is Dr. Basil Willing, a psychiatrist who works with the District Attorney’s office. Dr. Willing is a bit of a bore with his intermittent lectures on psychology. Though he is psychiatrist, he solves the case based on clues with only a bit of help from psychological insight. The book moves along well and holds the reader's interest.

[Verity Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cue for Murder is a classic New York murder mystery set in the theatre. On the opening night, the actor playing the corpse is found to be actually dead - which of the cast dealt the fatal blow? The clues include a mysteriously released pet canary and a house fly peculiarly interested in the murder weapon.

Can Dr Basil Willing use his psychological skills to deduce the murderer and their motive?

This was an enjoyable mystery with a fun plot and satisfying resolution. A recommended read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like I stated before, I was enraptured by how vividly the scenes were described - "Just as an object that is constantly handled acquires a patina - worn, hard, smooth, glossy and a little soiled - so the surface of Wanda's personality seemed to have been glazed and tarnished by the curious glances that were always sliding over her face and figure wherever she went." Her descriptions, once read, not only create a picture in the mind's eye but you also get the sense of atmosphere and the essence of the characters.
Too, the actual murder was intriguing because it took place on stage in full view of everyone in the audience.
"That's not the only thing that makes a stage murder difficult," replied Basil.
"Hell is there something else?"
"Timing."
"Timing?
"In a play, every line and gesture and bit of action has to be timed so accurately that the performance will last a certain period...I suspect that this murderer knew exactly how long the action of stabbing would take and that he timed that action to fit smoothly into the chronological mosaic of the play."
"This is a streamlined murder!" exploded Foyle. "Only three suspects and no clues, no alibis, no fingerprints, no footprints, no motives, no telltale looks or gestures! How can anyone crack a case like that?"

[Ron Kerrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch golden age mystery, set in the Broadway district of the 1940's. McCloy's Basil Willing is a psychology consultant to the New York police and investigates when murders occurs on stage during a play in front of a full house audience. From the initial puzzle of why someone breaks into a knife-grinder's shop just to let a canary out of its cage to why none of the play's cast recognizes the actor playing a dead man (all too realistically), it's one of those books you'll skim back through to check how you missed the clues.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good GAD mystery... I like McCloy's series character Dr. Basil... although written in the 1940's the prose doesn't feel dated. Enjoyable