The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz

November 30, 2023

The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz is having his first play produced in London's West End theatre district. It's a crime comedy (think Deathtrap) set in a psychiatric hospital. Although it has a good cast and did well outside of London, on opening night, the Times theatre critic pans the play. The next morning, she is stabbed to death at her home. The police arrest Anthony because his fingerprints were on the weapon, a souvenir dagger. After his detective friend Hawthorne bails him out of jail, they have 48 hours to figure out who killed the critic.

This is the fourth book in Horowitz's Hawthorne mystery series, in which the author himself is a character. This one has a definite Agatha Christie vibe: there are interviews with the suspects which reveal a surprising number of people who had a motive, seemingly irrelevant clues and information, and a final grand reveal at the end with all of the suspects gathered together. These are fun literary mysteries with Horowitz playing Watson to Hawthorne's Holmes. Recommended for readers who enjoy clever mysteries.

London's West End theatre district, where much of the action is set

The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

November 9, 2023

The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

On December 26, 1811, a packed house watches a play followed by a pantomime at the Richmond Theatre in Richmond, VA. Sally Campbell and her sister-in-law are watching the entertainment from a crowded third floor box, when someone shouts "the house is on fire!" A stampede to exit the building ensues with men trampling women to escape. When the staircase down from the third floor collapses, the women are trapped.

Based on the true story of the Richmond Theatre fire in 1811. There are four narrators: Sally, a white society lady; Cecily, a slave attending the play with her mistress Maria; Gilbert, a slave who helps rescue people from the theater; and Jack, a stagehand with the theatre company. During the pantomime, a lit chandelier was raised to the ceiling above the stage and the cords holding the fixture caught fire, which spread to the scenery and the hangings. The structure was essentially a large wooden barn and it went up like dry tinder. 72 people died in the fire, with about 2/3 of them being women and girls. Many died when they jumped from the second or third floors. The Richmond Theater fire remains one of the worst fire disasters in U.S. history. Well-researched, will appeal to readers of history as well as historical fiction.

Etching of the Richmond Theatre fire

An Act of Foul Play by T. E. Kinsey

December 18, 2022

An Act of Foul Play by T. E. Kinsey

Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong return for another adventure, this time investigating the murder of an actor in Bristol. Posing as a pair of socialites wanting to open an artsy theater, they go undercover to learn about the members of the company and who might have had a motive for wanting the man dead. They learn that just about everyone did, so they have to sort through the conflicting stories to get at the truth.

Such a fun series with two appealing heroines. This isn't Holmes and Watson - Flo is just as capable at solving a mystery as Lady H. Very enjoyable cozy read, highly recommended.

Bristol, England

The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis

July 6, 2019

The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis

The Chelsea Hotel in New York was always a home for artists and eccentrics.  Meeting on a USO tour during World War II, Hazel and Maxine form a friendship that lasts after they return home.  Maxine goes to Hollywood to try to break into the movies, while Hazel moves into the Chelsea Hotel and works on an idea for a play.  Another Chelsea resident reads the play and hooks Hazel up with some of her theater connections.  Maxine’s movie career has stalled, so she returns to New York and takes a room at the Chelsea. When she hears that Hazel’s play will be performed on Broadway, she is determined to star as the leading lady.  Maxine secures the role, but it results in disaster as both women and many of their friends are swept up in McCarthyism, HUAC, and the communist witch hunts of the 1950s.  I can’t think of another novel that addresses the activities of HUAC and the consequences for artists, actors, and others in the creative fields this well.  The Chelsea Girls would make a great book club book, since there is much to discuss here.

(If you don’t know what HUAC was, it was the House Un-American Activities Committee, originally formed to investigate the possibility of spies sending information to Russia, but quickly descended into a witch hunt focusing on the entertainment industry.  Sort of like a precursor to Homeland Security.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in return for a review.