With Shakespeare on the stage, there’s danger waiting in the wings for super-sleuth Libby Sarjeant
. . .
Libby Sarjeant is proudly hosting an original production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Oast Theatre, which features a daring twist on the classic play. But an old acquaintance of Libby’s –
irascible director Constance Matthews – is outraged by the show, stirring strong feelings throughout Steeple Martin.
When a body is subsequently found in the woodlands of a grand estate, the community is shocked by the prospect of murder. But the case is far from straightforward, with dark secrets lurking beneath the surface.
With the help of friends and family, can amateur detective Libby – and her friend Fran – unravel a truly perplexing puzzle?
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Lesley Cookman is a former actor, model and journalist. She lives on the Kent coast in south east England with her two cats and the occasional returning offspring. In her past, she has been Editor of such diverse publications as The Call Boy – official magazine of the British Music Hall
Society – and Poultry Farmer’s Weekly. She has written for the stage, and her pantomimes were at one time performed all over the country – she even wrote a book on how to do it. She writes the
Libby Sarjeant Mystery series, of which there are currently 24 and three novellas and The Alexandrians, an Edwardian mystery series about a seaside concert party. She has four children, all musicians (one also a writer) and two grandchilden.
My thoughts: I haven’t been to the theatre since before the pandemic and my little theatre kid heart is sad, so a book set during the run of a play will go a long way, throw in the fact that it’s a murder mystery and a Shakespeare production – was this written just for me?
It’s really good too, with lots of twists and turns and plenty of potential suspects, as the victim is a horrible person, who bought up people’s homes and evicted the tenants, or tried to, they also tried to buy more properties with threats and coercion. I don’t like greedy landlords at the best of times, but this person really does sound awful. Maybe I did it?
They’re also a bully, and totally mean-spirited. The production of Much Ado has an incredible actor, and a wonderful twist on the old performance, which I won’t spoil, even though this misery guts does. There’s a point where even Libby wonders why she’s bothering to investigate.
But a lot of people wanting someone dead doesn’t mean they deserve a horrid death, and so Libby and Fran, and their pals, dig into the victim’s life and try to work out who could have bumped them off, and why. All while running the theatre and also campaigning against holiday lets taking over the town and forcing locals out. A busy life indeed.
Tremendous fun, looking at social issues, the arts and of course, a murder in a picturesque setting. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 