Death on the Pier, by Jamie West

 

Publication October 11, 2011

Deliciously clever. Delicately woven around theatre (British spelling) customs and production elements, it's a bit like stepping onstage and into the middle of a classic Agatha Christie type mystery for which you neither know the lines nor how the play ends. Nothing seems quite wrong....or right. 

That's the situation successful playwright Bertie Carroll finds himself in as he attends a performance of one of his older productions at Brighton's Palace Pier Theatre. It's the 1930s. The theatre was real, btw, and a quick search reveals it must have been rather resplendent at one time. Sadly, it no longer exists. But, I digress. Bertie is in town to meet with an old friend, Chief Detective Inspector Hugh Chapman who has a reputation for solving impossible cases. Bertie is, well, an unassuming writer and feels out of his element as the investigation into the onstage death of fading star Celia Hamilton begins.

It happened in front of an audience who simply thought it was part of the play, as did Bertie initially, to be honest. It quickly becomes evident that it was no well-played death scene, however. It was the real thing. Celia is dead. The actress who pulled the trigger of the prop gun is the obvious suspect but, well, we all know that things aren't always what they seem. I won't detail the plot/investigation but it's fun watching Bertie gain in confidence as he uses his knowledge of day-to-day theatre customs, whether on casting, production, staging, or dressing the stage, to help solve the crime. You'll learn a great deal about the theatre in the process of solving this mystery. 

So, who did it? Did the butler do it? Was it the young, unknown actress, perhaps hoping to replace the difficult star? Perhaps the stage manager had snapped at one too many caustic criticisms? Or maybe the handsome young actor who seems, well, a tad undisciplined onstage? Breaking the fourth wall is a no-no, you know. Why is this show being produced anyway? It isn't even one of Bertie's hits. And, why is Hugh there in the first place? Do you know what a cigarette card is/was in that time period? He gives one to Bertie. There are subtle hints of their connection but, given the era, they remain shadowy. I rather like that as I liked them both and it makes them human but doesn't distract from the story. But, enough teasers. Read the book. You won't be sorry, especially if you're a fan of classic mysteries and/or the theatre.

Thanks to #NetGalley and BrabingerPublishing for the invite to the show. It was a delight to meet Bertie and Hugh and feel engulfed by the mystic of the theatre. Hope to catch another show with them soon!