Dead Fall

Dead Fall, Severn House, 2005
The fifth Best mystery

Large print, Severn House, 2005

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A real life murder occurs on the stage of a London theatre where Inspector Best and his wife are enjoying a night out. Victorian theatre is only just emerging into respectability, which is threatened when another death follows - a murder which could be a reaction against one of the Victorian theatre's most traditional practices.

The evocative array of suspects insludes an all powerful actor manager, the resentful Super and Property Masters, a crusading journalist turned playwright, a disgruntled dresser, the family of a ballerina who died in a theatre fire and, not least, members of the audience who indulge in a curious form of blackmail.

‘Good pacing, solid plotting, intriguing characters, and a realistic setting make this another entertaining entry in a series that compares favourably with Anne Perry’s Charlotte and Thomas Monk novels.’ Booklist (American Library Association)

‘…conjures up the acrid smell, the heat, and the behind the curtains life of the late Victorian theatre . . . An entertaining read.’ Historical Novels Review