A Stage Set For Murder
(Sarah Vane Mysteries Book 7 )
by Alice Castle

 

A hush descends across the theatre. All eyes are on the leading actor, standing in the spotlight as he delivers his final lines… But will this killer performance be his last?

Sarah Vane is happily working on the costumes for the Merstairs production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the local theatre. But when star of the show and well-known local electrician Gavin Scott is crushed by a lighting rig during dress rehearsals, the play turns deadly.

Everyone thinks the disaster was a tragic accident, but when Sarah finds a knife and traces of pink lipstick at the scene, she suspects foul play.

The discovery of a confidential letter, hidden inside a well-thumbed copy of the play, puts Gavin’s ex-wife firmly in the frame, but maybe the spurned stage manager had a score to settle? And just who is plaguing the players with a series of mischievous pranks?

With opening night fast approaching, the show must go on. But before anyone can say ‘break a leg’, a second member of the company breaks their neck. Sarah is taking every cue to keep the rest of the cast and crew safe. Can she uncover the killer before the final curtain falls?

A totally charming and utterly gripping English murder mystery, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis and Agatha Christie.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

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I would say that heads will roll, but unfortunately they won’t. There’s a recruitment freeze and sometimes a warm body is better than nothing at all, however lacking the brain is within it.

Griselda especially was striding around looking important, with an expression on her face that suggested she was practicing her acceptance speech for the Oscars.

Francesca is well, Francesca – always very smart, about as relaxed as a tightrope and as much fun as a root canal.

At first, Daphne didn’t appear to be listening. Instead, she danced from foot to foot, both hands over her mouth, and an expression of the utmost horror on her face. ‘Daphne… can you hear me?’ Daphne took a hand away from her mouth. ‘Yes. But I don’t want to.’

Francesca was fixing her with a beam of concentrated disapproval. If looks could have killed, Sarah would have been the next victim on the spot.

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My Review:

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I vastly enjoy Ms. Castle’s stealthy, wry sense of humor; it is sneaky and clever, and I imagine Ms. Castle being much the same. She crafts well-contrived, unpredictable cozy murder mysteries that keep me blissfully entertained and equally baffled. I formulated and discarded multiple theories throughout perusal, but I would never have guessed this culprit, and I don’t feel the least bit bad about that, as Dr. Vane didn’t suspect them either.