The curtain’s about to rise on the Saxford St Peter pantomime… but the stage is set for murder. Eve Mallow must find a killer so the play can go on!
The Saxford Players are on tour, performing Cinderella at a nationwide competition. But the drama isn’t only on stage. There’s conflict at the dress rehearsal, peacock feathers hidden in the scenery, and a good luck card sent to the theatre – to the superstitious actors, it’s clear someone’s cursing the play. And when director Cally Walcott breaks more than a leg, it’s time for Eve Mallow to swap amateur dramatics for detection…
There’s no shortage of suspects in her death. Cally didn’t suffer fools gladly, and both her assistant and her former brother-in-law had reasons to resent her. But Eve is sure there are answers to be found among the cast as well. Why was the Ugly Sister flirting with Prince Charming? And who stole Cinderella’s glass slipper?
When the police make an arrest, everyone is sure that the murderer has made their final bow. Eve’s not convinced. She’s on her way to investigate the latest lead when she hears a scream… and finds Cinderella dead. Time is running out to give this case a happy ever after. Can Eve unmask the real killer, or will she become the next victim?
A completely charming cozy mystery that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, and the Marlow Murder Club.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
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Eve secretly wished she was laid-back like Viv, but after fifty-six faintly uptight years, there didn’t seem much hope now. She’d just have to rise above it.
To have so much of your happiness invested in one person felt dangerous.
‘Palmer’s such a turnip.’ They paused for a companionable moment of joint resentment.
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My Review:
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This tale was a rather complicated one that had my gray matter firing from one theory to the next. I fervently hoped one of the suspected characters was innocent and was vastly surprised when another was eliminated. This clever scribe had me fooled and confounded yet again. I always enjoy reading Ms. Chase’s tales, even if the little pea in my brain is far and away from solving any of the unusual mysteries she conjures. And I always find it delightful that Eve can always count on her friend Viv and her precious Gus for amusing antics and comic relief between the murders she stumbles across.
Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. She aims to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.
Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.
Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.
As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.
