The Strangling on the Stage

December 16, 2013
The world of amateur dramatics provides the backdrop for British author Brett’s witty and intelligent 15th Fethering mystery (after 2012’s The Corpse on the Court). During a rehearsal of George Bernard Shaw’s The Devil’s Disciple, the body of actor Ritchie Good is found dangling from the gallows on stage at Fethering’s St. Mary’s Hall, after someone substituted a real noose for the Velcro one designed for the production. Could Ritchie have committed suicide? Was his death somehow an accident? Once the police lose interest in the case, the victim’s wife asks Carole Seddon and Jude Nichol to investigate. The two amateur detectives discover that members of the acting company, all engaged in petty intrigues, had good reason for wanting Ritchie dead. Amid a series of skillfully placed red herrings, the action builds to a resolution that will catch most readers by surprise. The motive when finally revealed is hilarious.