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Stage Door #2
Playing Dead
In the theater, everyone plays a role, everyone has a secret.
When Adam’s friends dare him to spend a night alone in a haunted theater they joke that he might not make it through the night. “Don’t let the ghost of old Tom Stilton get you,” they laugh and lock the door.
The following morning, Adam is dead.
Kath Cherry has trouble on her hands. The leading man in the Goose Meadow Bay Players’ next production has been murdered leaving the show without a romantic lead. The theater ghost is the prime suspect until Kath notices a drop of blood in the depths of the orchestra pit. Of course, there’s no knowing what musicians get up to down there, but Kath has her suspicions.
In this cozy mystery set in the mad, crazy world of community theater, Kath not only needs to find out who has murdered the show’s main love interest, but calm the nerves of the rest of the cast, keep the theater ghost under control, take the helm when the director jumps ship, and find a new leading man.
Can Kath discover the killer, or is the murderer rewriting the script for her too?
When Adam’s friends dare him to spend a night alone in a haunted theater they joke that he might not make it through the night. “Don’t let the ghost of old Tom Stilton get you,” they laugh and lock the door.
The following morning, Adam is dead.
Kath Cherry has trouble on her hands. The leading man in the Goose Meadow Bay Players’ next production has been murdered leaving the show without a romantic lead. The theater ghost is the prime suspect until Kath notices a drop of blood in the depths of the orchestra pit. Of course, there’s no knowing what musicians get up to down there, but Kath has her suspicions.
In this cozy mystery set in the mad, crazy world of community theater, Kath not only needs to find out who has murdered the show’s main love interest, but calm the nerves of the rest of the cast, keep the theater ghost under control, take the helm when the director jumps ship, and find a new leading man.
Can Kath discover the killer, or is the murderer rewriting the script for her too?
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2015
7 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 7, 2015
This is a sold cozy mystery, well-written, with lots of fun elements, and a beautiful small town setting that rings true.
The most unique part of the book, and the series, is the setting in an amateur theatre group, a community theatre. All those parts rings true, too, and had me recalling with pleasure the Canadian TV series "Slings and Arrows". If they had had to deal with a murder, it might have been something like this book! Lots of humor, drama, mayhem and heart.
The series books will vary between romances and mysteries, giving the reader an interesting variation. The author is Australian but sets the story in Maine in the States, so American readers may notice a few Aussie-isms, but I suggest you just turn a blind eye to them, or enjoy them for fun. The story is solid and the writing is very entertaining, sticking to genre. I received a review-copy.
The protagonist grows slowly for the reader, from a solitary wallflower who bursts out with energy that surprises even her. She grows through the course of the book, and learns much about herself. This is very refreshing in a cozy, many of which too often take the Jessica Fletcher route and have the protagonist stay exactly the same from book to book.
There is a strong supporting cast of unique characters each with their own stories. Being a book about theatre and actors and musical theatre actors, it is not surprising there are gay characters in the book. They are portrayed in many variations, all reflecting bits of reality, and none portrayed with malice, for which I commend the author.
Besides the inside look at a small theatre group, which will surly be a lot of fun for anyone who has had anything to do with theatre groups, we are also let into the mind of an artist, a painter, the protagonist. We get to see the world through her eyes, which is very different from how non-painters see the world. The author even treats us to some lovely meditations on art and life.
The most unique part of the book, and the series, is the setting in an amateur theatre group, a community theatre. All those parts rings true, too, and had me recalling with pleasure the Canadian TV series "Slings and Arrows". If they had had to deal with a murder, it might have been something like this book! Lots of humor, drama, mayhem and heart.
The series books will vary between romances and mysteries, giving the reader an interesting variation. The author is Australian but sets the story in Maine in the States, so American readers may notice a few Aussie-isms, but I suggest you just turn a blind eye to them, or enjoy them for fun. The story is solid and the writing is very entertaining, sticking to genre. I received a review-copy.
The protagonist grows slowly for the reader, from a solitary wallflower who bursts out with energy that surprises even her. She grows through the course of the book, and learns much about herself. This is very refreshing in a cozy, many of which too often take the Jessica Fletcher route and have the protagonist stay exactly the same from book to book.
There is a strong supporting cast of unique characters each with their own stories. Being a book about theatre and actors and musical theatre actors, it is not surprising there are gay characters in the book. They are portrayed in many variations, all reflecting bits of reality, and none portrayed with malice, for which I commend the author.
Besides the inside look at a small theatre group, which will surly be a lot of fun for anyone who has had anything to do with theatre groups, we are also let into the mind of an artist, a painter, the protagonist. We get to see the world through her eyes, which is very different from how non-painters see the world. The author even treats us to some lovely meditations on art and life.
December 31, 2017
4 star
Leagues above the last few cozies I've read. Not that that was most difficult but no highlights is rare. Liked MC although she jumped to conclusions quickly. Would definitely read more.
Leagues above the last few cozies I've read. Not that that was most difficult but no highlights is rare. Liked MC although she jumped to conclusions quickly. Would definitely read more.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews