A popular brother and sister discover that danger is stalking their drama group. As their fear and anxiety increase with each murder, they race to solve the crimes before the final curtain falls.
Margaret Bingley was born in Sutton, Surrey more years ago than she cares to remember. She was educated at Sutton High School for Girls GPDST and then at Rickard’s Lodge Secretarial College in Wimbledon. This secretarial college no longer exists, a fact for which she refuses to bear any responsibility.
After that she went to work at the BBC in London, and later moved to work for The Heinemann Group of Publishers at Lower Kingswood in Surrey, where she met her future husband, Alan.
In 1974, Margaret and Alan moved to Grantham in Lincolnshire, due to Alan’s work commitments. Margaret found it difficult to find the kind of work that she enjoyed there, and decided that having a child might be more fun.
In 1976 her son, Alex, was born and she discovered that she was wrong. It had actually been more fun working as a secretary in a tyre making machinery company. Because Alex was an active little chap, with a severe case of sleep aversion for his first four years, Margaret became physically exhausted and mentally brain dead.
After reading a particularly boring book, she decided to try and write one herself and eventually, after many trials and tribulations, her first book THE DEVIL’S CHILD was published. Much of the book was based on those early, halcyon days of motherhood. She continued writing steadily from 1983 onwards, and in February 2000 she also started writing a weekly column of 400 words for the local paper, The Grantham Journal, entitled ‘The Way I See It’.
The way she saw it was often not the way the readers saw it, but at least it provided people with a talking point and someone to hate when the weather was bad. She stopped writing the column in July 2005 due to her husband’s ill health.
Over the years, as Margaret has progressed from manual typewriter to electric typewriter to computer, Alan has retired to become a kept man and Alex has been to drama school, where he gained a B.A.(Hons) in acting. He then spent four years as an actor/waiter before deciding to take a Masters Degree in Voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Having gained his Masters, he is now a freelance voice and speech coach. He currently teaches voice at The Drama Centre, The Central School of Speech and Drama, the E15 Drama School and on the Italia Conti B.A.(Hons) acting course. He also teaches private and corporate clients and very kindly gives his mother free vocal assistance before she’s due to give any of her talks. He is also extremely good at giving her relaxation hints. On balance, she feels that having a child turned out to be a wise decision.
Apart from her work, Margaret enjoys reading, opera, dry white wine, Foyle’s War (or anything else with Michael Kitchen in it!) and gardening.
She does not like reality TV shows, ‘alternative’ comedians or Political Correctness.
In the opening pages, you are quickly introduced to around 12 characters, and instantly you are told who fancies who; setting up a teen book. The teens are part of a drama group rehearsing for an upcoming play. Soon a prank occurs, and tensions mount further when part of the scene falls and results in a fatality. The rehearsals still continue and the group try and play detective, trying to connect the events.
The book did well at keeping the suspense and had you trying to put the events together as well. However, the reveal at the end seemed impossible to guess since the events didn't seem to match up with the motive.
Bonne histoire avec une bonne intrigue. Je ne savais pas qui était le meutrier avant la toute fin de l'histoire.
C'est triste mais en même l'écriture est très facile à lire et comprendre. Ce n'est pas un livre policier avec une tonne d'enquêtes mais j'i bien aimé lire ce livre quand même
This was one of the first murder/mystery books I ever read and it’s the reason I’m an epic book nerd now. Loved it when I was 7 and still love it at 33.
Este libro es malo, pero malo con avaricia. Vayamos por partes. Trama: Es absurda se mire por donde se mire. Desequilibrad@ provoca accidentes y mata a sus compañeros, pero oye, la policía, que es tan talentosa como un ficus, se dedica sólo a acusar a los chavales a los que de momento no les ha pasado nada. Estos chavales creen que son Mcgyver y tras una ardua investigación de 5 minutos deciden tender una trampa al asesino obviando las advertencias de la policía, lo cual sale regular. Todo esto aderezado con conversaciones constantes de "A mí me gusta Menganito, Voy a invitar a Fulanita a salir, Zutanito es taaan sexy" las cuales son perfectas para provocarte el vómito en un momento de urgencia si lo necesitas. Además, para rematar, la autora trata de meter una escenita de maltrato doméstico, dejando bien claro que esta señora ni lo ha sufrido ni se ha tomado la más mínima molestia en investigar un poquito, lo cual resulta denigrante a la par que ridículo para los que lo hemos sufrido. El final es ridículo y predecible pero sería spoiler si dijera el porqué. Personajes: La autora, para la caracterización de estos, se ha limitado a poner el nombre de cada uno y un par de palabras definitorias (Ejemplo: Claire - La de la lengua afilada) y las repite constantemente a lo largo del libro. Eso es todo. Por no saber no sabemos ni la edad que tienen, y de algunos, que forman parte del grupo protagonista, sabemos únicamente el nombre. Machismo: En este libro es abrumador. Hay un chaval que es el guaperas, es inteligente, buena persona, actorazo, ayuda a ancianitas a cruzar los pasos de cebra, en fin, un mesías de la vida. En cambio, la chica guapa del grupo es tonta de remate, no sabe hacer nada de nada, no puede ni respirar y caminar a la vez, y se dedica sólo a pasearse mirando coquetamente a los chicos porque es de todos sabido que la belleza femenina es excluyente de la inteligencia. Claro que sí guapi. Además la tipa esta es la actriz protagonista de todas las obras de teatro que hacen aunque no sepa hilar ni dos palabras porque todos los críticos la idolatran por lo guapa que es, da igual que no sepa hacer la o con un canuto, es guapa y con eso le basta. Para Margaret Bingley si eres fea o normalita olvídate de triunfar en la vida, te encierras en tu habitación y punto, porque da igual que seas Einstein en femenino que no vas a servir para nada. Resumen: Bazofia, ni te molestes en leerlo.
He estado tentado de no reseñar esta novela... Porque ha sido un auténtico dolor de muelas, un sufrimiento... Es decir, no ha llegado a lo que sufrí leyendo "50 sombras de Grey"... pero se acerca bastante. No conozco nada más de esta autora, Margaret Bingley (es británica, según me chivan los murciélagos). Creo que, a partir de ahora, haré lo posible por esquivar sus libros. emoción.
🏋️♂️ PUNTOS FUERTES 🏋️♂️ 👉 El único que se me ocurre es... que al fin la he terminado y que, por suerte, no volveré a leerla jamás.
🤷♂️ PUNTOS FLOJOS 🤷♂️ 👉 No me voy a andar con tapujos o delicadezas: nos encontramos ante una narrativa pobre. Personajes planos que apenas se distinguen por el nombre y poco más, sin dejar claro si son universitarios, adolescentes o qué. 👉 La trama está mal construida, a veces no sabes quién habla con quién o qué está pasando realmente. 👉 Los diálogos son una pesadilla y los personajes toman decisiones incomprensibles. No dejaba de repetirme a mí mismo: «Suspensión de la incredulidad, suspensión de la incred... ¡Esto no tiene ni pies ni cabeza!».