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Death lies on her like an untimely frost…

As the spring sunshine warms the expansive grounds of Charleton House, ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Ravensbury, love is in the air. Well-respected theatre director Miranda Summerscale is on site, preparing her cast for a production of Romeo and Juliet as part of the Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival, and a handsome, charismatic actor has caught the eye of catering manager and unintentional super-sleuth, Sophie Lockwood.

Alas, in this most tranquil of settings the gloomy shade of death awaits. Looking for her best friend and sidekick, tour guide Mark Boxer, Sophie stumbles instead upon Miranda lying dead, a rope wrapped around her neck. Curious as ever, Sophie soon finds herself looking into the past of the volatile director, uncovering love triangles and professional jealousies, many foes and few friends. But could Miranda really have been as bad as some people say?

While Mark enters into the spirit of the Festival, his incessant quoting of the Bard leading to a hilarious TV appearance, Sophie’s other sidekick, evergreen gift-shop manager Joyce, is enjoying the camaraderie of a budding friendship. Even Sophie is distracted by the hint of romance, wondering just how much her judgement has been impaired when she risks upsetting not only Joyce but also the Duchess, as she narrows the circle of suspects.

With the opening night of Romeo and Juliet drawing ever closer, it looks increasingly likely that at least one person’s newfound happiness is also going to end in tragedy.

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2021

73 people are currently reading
69 people want to read

About the author

Kate P. Adams

14 books90 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
989 reviews
July 25, 2022
I am really enjoying this series so far. Good setting and likeable characters. Good mysteries as well.
2,131 reviews46 followers
May 30, 2021
Charlton House is hosting the opening of the Shakespeare Festival. Sophie has watched the actors prepare for the opening and she has developed a special friendship with one actor. She has heard that Miranda, the director, is difficult and demanding. Sophie knows that Miranda is a perfectionist. Could that be why someone murdered her? Sophie gets involved. After all she found her body. As our heroine asks questions, she changes her opinion of the victim. The victim becomes real. Joyce and Mark are helping with the case. I was intrigued by Sophie's new beau. I've been waiting for her to take a chance on love. Sophie reverse a good man. A Tragic Act is a great mystery that has plenty of surprises. I think that this case made Sophie look at her life and her priorities. She's happy here with her job and friends. I'm anxiously awaiting another Charleston House Mystery. This series keeps getting better.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Merry Chapman.
2,707 reviews28 followers
May 21, 2021
Another terrific adventure in the Charleton House series with our protagonist, Sophie Lockwood. With lots of humor, some crazy characters, among our regular characters in the series and the beauty of Chartleton House, we are treated to a murder mystery with a plethora of suspects. Under the background of a staged production of Romeo and Juliet which is a part of the Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival, we are treated to a whole cast of characters. Well-renowned director, Miranda Sommerscale is directing the production and is also known for her explosive temper. But when Sophie goes looking for tour guide and friend, Mark she stumbles upon the strangled body of Miranda. With everyone disliking Miranda and a major position open for the in house director at the Charleton House Theater being newly renovated. Sophie once again gets involved even through she really doesn't want to jeopardize her incredible position at Charleton House. With her friends, the flamboyant Joyce and Mark they decide to "look into" the murder. With suspects everywhere from the entire case and crew which includes Miranda's ex-husband and his now girlfriend as well as the Girlfriend's father, and the seamstress who knew Miranda from way back. The ending is a surprise much to Sophie's chagrin. With lots of laughs and intrigue we are taken on a ride in this enjoyable mystery. I can't wait to see what Sophie, Mark and Joyce get themselves into next! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
678 reviews16 followers
May 30, 2021
The Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival was kicking off with a celebration at Charleton House. It was also an opportunity to announce the refurbishment of a private theater originally built in the 1820s. There will also be a performance of Romeo and Juliet at Charleton House. The only question remaining is who will direct the productions. There is a fierce competition between Miranda Summerscale and Arianna Mountford. Both are looking forward to the Duchess selecting her for the Director role. Miranda is better known, but is also known to have a terrible temper.

While passing through an area with limited public access, Sophie discovers the body is that of Miranda. She has a rope around her neck and she is quite dead. As Mark started to enter with a tour group, he saw the body and immediately detoured them to a different area before any of the tourists could see what happened.

Who killed Miranda? Why was she killed? Was it a member of the play group? Was it related to her past? Can Sophie figure out the mystery?

Kate Adams has another winner with this fantastic story! Wonderful characters, great history, and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing clear to the end.
Profile Image for Roberta.
1,226 reviews18 followers
May 14, 2021
It’s always a joy to return to Kate P Adam’s Charleton House series. I really enjoy this setting and collection of characters. Joyce is a particular favourite

This time around, things are turning theatrical. After a rehearsal, Sophie comes across the body of the director. She then proceeds to dash around in her usual style, solving another mystery.

This book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the group of extra characters that the cast of the play brought, and I didn’t guess who the murderer was until right near the end. Kate P Adams does an excellent job of balancing the mystery, descriptions, character development, and humour. The result is easy to read, and kept me happily entertained for a few hours. I particularly liked the scene at the end, with everyone gathered round, digging into the cake.

If you’re looking for a relaxing murder mystery, in an interesting setting, then look no further. This book would work well as a standalone, but is even more fun when you’ve read the previous stories.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Short, Sweet and Cozy.
1,546 reviews
May 31, 2021
A Tragic Act is the 6th book in the Charleton House Mysteries and it is a wonderful addition to the cozy mystery series! Charleton House is hosting a Shakespeare Festival and a traveling Shakespeare theater group is putting on Romeo and Juliet. Sophie Lockwood is the Charleton House Catering Manager and oversees the food for the different events taking place. Her friends, Mark who is a tour guide, Joyce who is the gift shop manager, and Joe who is a local police detective are all great characters and add humor and depth to the story. The theater group are an integral part of the story. Miranda is the theater director and Sophie is interested in one of the actors who also grew up nearby. Miranda ends up dead. Even though Sophie is distracted by romance, she and her friends need to figure out what happened to Miranda. Naturally the theater group are suspects.. This book was hard to put down. The ending kept me guessing and it was awesome and well done! Very enjoyable cozy mystery! #ATragicAct #CharletonHouseMysteries #KatePAdams
Profile Image for Roxx Tarantini.
576 reviews4 followers
May 31, 2021
Adams never disappoints, each new episode at Charleton House surpasses the last! Sophie, Mark, and Joyce are in the thick of it again, and Adams knows just how to weave all the threads into a beautifully suspenseful, entertaining tapestry.

A Tragic Act centres on the death of a well-known actress. Is it a love triangle? Professional jealousy? Or was the lovely str perhaps not as "lovely" as she wanted us to believe? Trust Sophie and crew to get to the bottom of it no matter what stones need to be unturned.

Always a well-written read, Adams' books keep the reader on the edge of the seat in hopes of unraveling the mystery. I don't know about you, but I almost never get it right! Sixth in the series, Tragic Act reads well as a stand-alone, but do go back and read the rest, you'll love these characters!

[I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Copy of the book from the author, with no obligation to review. The opinion expressed herein was given freely and is entirely my own.]
Profile Image for Kathy.
1,436 reviews37 followers
June 2, 2021
I really enjoy this series! The mystery is always good. I love reading about the house and grounds. The characters are hilarious! Sophie, Mark and Joyce are quite a trio who act like siblings! I love their banter. It is a real treat to learn about the events that are hosted at Charleton House. I always learn something new. And the food is always interesting. Maybe not exactly mouthwatering all the time but very interesting, to say the least! The history of the food, the paintings, the house, etc. are intriguing. This time they are hosting a Shakespeare event as part to the Shakespeare Festival. The house is also renovating their theatre in the hopes of using it as a venue for next year's Festival. But when the director of the play turns up dead before opening night it puts the saying "The Show Must Go On" to the test. Will Sophie find the killer before they kill again or is the Festival dead in the water?
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
235 reviews
May 21, 2021
Once again Kate P. Adams has produced another really enjoyable book. Sophie just can’t help herself when the director of a play is found with a rope around her neck. She’s treading a fine line now between her job at Charlton House and getting involved in yet another murder. The first few pages had me smiling as the scene was set. The banter between Joyce and Mark Boxer is hilarious as usual and this time we are able to see another side to Joyce as her friendship with Ginger develops. I am always amazed at the knowledge the author has stored up having worked in historical buildings and theatrical situations. It’s what makes this cozy series interesting and fun to read. If this is your introduction to the Charlton House series then I strongly recommend you read the series from the beginning. I always look forward to my ARC because I know I will never be disappointed and will have hours of good reading. Get writing Ms. Adams, we are all waiting for the next in series!
Profile Image for Patt.
468 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2021
Kate P. Adams has done it again. This Charleton House Mystery is well written and really enjoyable to read. The returning characters like Sophie are even more well developed and we read about parts of Charleton House that we have not previously entered.
When a theatre group is preparing a unique presentation, a kind of roving play, the director is found murdered. Of course Sophie is going to investigate, even after being told to stay out of it!
We learn about an earlier disaster in the area, a lethal fire in a small school theatre where the director was possibly present.
With the help of her friends, Sophie is instrumental in getting the police going in the right direction and solving both murders. I LOVE this series. It is amusing, informative, and very readable.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author for an honest review.
88 reviews2 followers
May 30, 2021
Another intriguing look at more rooms and buildings at Charleton House as we solve the mystery. We also learn a few things about William Shakespeare. All are neatly woven into the story line so they never become boring. Was she murdered by a disgruntled cast member? Maybe it was a grudge from 25 years before? Could it be the ex husband or his girlfriend’s father? What about a member of the Conservation Team that is more than tired of her disobeying the rules? There is also a long term rival or her brother to suspect. They all have alibis until Sophia takes a walk at night! Pumpkin is featured in several scenes that all cat lovers can relate and smile. One of the suspects may even become a new regular character in this delightful series. As usual, I can’t wait for the next installment! I read an ARC copy, but the review is honest.
Profile Image for Carlin.
1,792 reviews19 followers
December 3, 2021
Another wonderful book in the Charleton House cozy mystery series

Another wonderful mystery with our protagonist Sophie finding a murder victim in Charleton House. The victim Miranda has been directing Romeo and Juliet as the kickoff production for the Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival. Miranda is noted for her perfectionism and volatile temper giving many in the cast and community motive to kill her. As Sophie sifts through clues whilst staying on the good side of the local police, Mark and Joyce also put in their two cents (pence!) and add to the enjoyable story set in the stately mansion where they are all employed. There was a twist at the end that I didn't expect with charming and eccentric characters adding to the mix. I can't wait for the next adventure in this great series.
Profile Image for Marie  Reed.
Author 5 books81 followers
May 19, 2021
This was the first book I've read by this author. Of course, I knew starting in the middle of the series would put me a bit behind on character building and such, but there was quite a lot of description, especially of the house, that after a couple of chapters I had a firm grasp on who the continuing characters were and who was added in for this novel.

However, it took me a long time to get into the book. Sophie may have been sleuthing the whole time, but she didn't really learn much of interest, and the mystery was solved all of a sudden in the last chapter, tying everything up in a neat little bow, but it was next to impossible to actually follow the clues. The answer just kind of fell into her lap, which is even mentioned in the book, so maybe this isn't how most of these go.
Profile Image for Irene Sauman.
Author 18 books39 followers
June 7, 2021
Another well done Charleton House mystery where the killer is hidden until the last moments. I love the characters and the banter too. It is reacquainting oneself with the characters that makes us keep reading through a series.
Another attraction is being introduced to a setting the reader isn’t familiar with but the author clearly is. Fiction widens one’s knowledge of the world and provides a better understanding of its inhabitants in an entertaining way. I can picture the author trolling through her Collected Shakespeare to remind herself of various quotes which Mark then squeezed into his conversations, causing eyerolls from Sophie and Joyce. Already looking forward to the next one in the series.
Profile Image for Marcia.
601 reviews3 followers
December 31, 2021
This is a fun series and this was a grand way to end my reading year and meet my goal for said year. Sophie finally meets someone she might want to spend a bit more time with, Unfortunately he is an actor who moves around the country as roles are offered. How will she handle this with her responsibilities as the Catering Manager at Carleton Manor? In this episode we find a Shakespeare Festival going on around the area with Carleton hosting Romeo and Juliet. When the tart-tongued director is found strangled Sophie once again finds herself investigating. Joyce, Mark, even the Duchess gets in the act a bit. Read on to get some answers and learn how Sophie participates in solving this one and how she figures out a way to handle this new relationship.
Profile Image for Suzan.
1,704 reviews18 followers
May 25, 2021
I read and reviewed this book in April but the review has been removed for some reason. So I will review it again. This is book 6 in this great series and I have read them all. I enjoy the characters and how they interact with each other very much. Sophie Lockwood is the main character in all these books and Mark Boxer and Joyce are great sidekicks. I love this book for all the background info on Joyce that the past 5 books just glanced at. I also loved the introduction to a new character Grace. I hope we see more of Grace, she and Joyce are a good fit and fun to read about. Charleton House series is a great find and I look forward to more.
357 reviews4 followers
May 31, 2021
Kate P. Adams is the talented author of the CHARLETON HOUSE MYSTERIES.
BOOK 6. A Tragic Act.

Let the festivities begin, with a festival at Charleton House.
However, we once again have an unexpected murder in the house.

I have read all of the books that Kate has written in this series.
Each book in the series is independent, however there is some characters that are in more than one book.

Kate writes amazing mystery books, with just enough mystery, that I love trying to solve the case, before it is revealed in the book.

Please read the author's introduction blurb for more details on this book.

🇳🇿💜📚


Profile Image for Marissa.
3,605 reviews48 followers
May 30, 2021
Kindle Copy for Review

Love in the air as well as Romeo and Juliet on the grounds of Charleston House.

Sophie finds herself the attention of an attractive actor. But soon death dampens the festivities and Sophie will once again be called to the rescue with the aide of her sidekicks.

There will be secrets to be discovered and jealousies that will come to life. Was the victim as bad as everyone claimed that she was? Who really wanted her dead?

A short delightful historical novella.
895 reviews13 followers
June 4, 2021
It is always wonderful to be able to return to Charleton House. This time there are actors around rehearsing Romeo and Juliet for the Shakespeare Festival. When Sophie almost trips over a dead body she finds there are many possible suspects. She can’t help but become involved. We meet some new characters in this story as well as catch up with our old friends. A great addition to this series!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
100 reviews
September 9, 2021
An English manor house murder mystery and a Shakespeare play.What's not to like?

Well, I haven't worked on a real murder mystery, but I did sit as part of a jury that said, "Not guilty!" . Go see a real English manor house, to

a Shakespearean play, and get to work in a local, regional theatre. Been there and done that in college and the local theater in Summit, NJ, then with our son in Summit, and with him at Radio City for the Christmas show! (Take the whole family!)Now following all of the stories. And I did figure out who dunnit here! Enjoy!
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,879 reviews24 followers
May 15, 2021
I love Joyce’s new friend and I hope she shows up in other books. I knew who the murderer was pretty early in and the why, but the how was a complete surprise! That was so clever. And I like it when every so often the protagonist gets reminded they have a whole other job to do. So this was really great as the #6 book in the series. There are some great touches that make it more realistic and the solution is really clever.
1,077 reviews9 followers
May 22, 2021
The Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival is the background of this story. Once again Charleston House is being used this time by a group of actors & a very bossy unpleasant director. One of the actors seems to rather like Sophie. Sadly, as Sophie is going to the theatre in Charleston House which is being renovated she comes across this director, dead! Wheels within wheels of course & Sophie with help from her friends works it all out.
4,676 reviews39 followers
May 30, 2021
A Tragic Act is another exciting mystery with Sophie and her unusual friends and coworkers who are always entertaining. Romeo and Juliet is being staged at Charleton House. Sophie finds the producer has been murdered. Once again sucked into the investigation, Sophie attempts to find the murderer. There are many suspects and possible motives to keep the reader interested. I love this series and could not put the book down.
1,320 reviews16 followers
May 30, 2021
Looks like Sophie may have a love interest in this engaging, impressive, and charming story. Ms. Adams always has fascinating information in her novels and, this time, we are treated to fun facts about Shakespeare and his works. Love this series and the delightful characters central to every book. Kate has hit it out of the ballpark once again. Outstanding and Very Highly Recommended.
9 reviews
June 6, 2021
These keep getting better and better!!

I'm so sad I've already finished this latest Charlton House mystery; can't wait for the next one! Adams deftly blends wit, suspense, and charm with just the right amount of history in well-plotted, skillfully written mysteries that always include some unexpected twists. Her characters are quirky and fun and her descriptions quite lovely. She clearly does her research and obviously knows her stuff!
Profile Image for Carole-Ann.
2,740 reviews89 followers
July 24, 2021
Another gentle murder-mystery with Sophie Lockwood, head of catering, Mark, the tour guide, and Joyce, the gift-shop manager all from Charleton House where a Shakespeare Festival Event is being held.
Miranda Summerscale, a bit of an OTT director of Drama, who is leading the play/actors in rehearsals, is murdered.
An easy, non-taxing read and a simple solution, even though we're almost at the end before the hint is given. Not bad, and easily enjoyable.

I have an epub copy of this book.
392 reviews3 followers
February 25, 2022
When the director of a play at the historic estate is killed, the MC and her friends must uncover who is acting in character and who is concealing a rage that resulted in murder. I was quite surprised by the unmasking of the killer and thought the author did a masterful job of both concealing and revealing clues. Highly recommended!

Although it was my pleasure to receive this free book from the author, it was completely my choice to share my honest review.
Profile Image for Loretta.
386 reviews
May 2, 2021
This is an ARC Book - .Charleton House was chosen for a reception that marked the commencement of the Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival. Sophie, head of catering and the cafe's in the house finds Meranda the director of the play dead and starts checking around as to who would murder her. Sophie seems to find trouble while investigating as usual with the help of her friends.
Profile Image for Naticia.
812 reviews17 followers
May 30, 2021
A very exciting cozy mystery with lots of drama. I always enjoy hanging out with Sophie and her friends, but this story was packed with action and kept me guessing to the end. And as usual, I loved the historical references and attention to detail - I feel like I learn something in each of these books. Already counting down the days to the next one!
1,463 reviews5 followers
May 30, 2021
We return to Charleton House during the Shakespeare Festival. Sophie finds the director of the upcoming play dead. Sophie is joined by her standard group of characters in addition to the actors and a few extras. Joyce makes a new friend who I hope stays around.

These are excellent mysteries with wonderful characters. I would love to work with these people in such an estate. Excellent book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews