Dead Fall [Hardcover]

Joan Lock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

A new Victorian mystery featuring the popular Detective Best A real murder occurs on the stage of the London theatre where Detective 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 theatres' most traditional practices. The evocative array of suspects includes 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Inspector Best is back in another Victorian murder mystery. He and his wife attend a performance of Lights of London, one of the most popular plays to hit the West End in many years. When one of the actors is shot during a crowd scene, the audience at first assumes this is the "reality theater" for which the play has gained such notoriety. But when it becomes apparent that the actor is dead, Best is summoned from the audience to investigate. The scene is a nightmare, with hundreds of audience members and actors milling around, each of them a potential suspect. With the help of his trusty sergeant, John George, Best begins the laborious process of interviewing witnesses and following up leads. Then a young actress goes missing, and another is nearly murdered. Good pacing, solid plotting, intriguing characters, and a realistic setting make this another entertaining entry in a series that compares favorably with Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Monk novels. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Ex-nurse and policewoman, Joan Lock is the author of eight non-fiction police/crime books. She has also written radio plays and documentaries and contributes regularly to Red Herrings, the Crime Writers' Association journal. She is married to a retired police officer and lives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers; 1st World Ed edition (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727862448
• ISBN-13: 978-0727862440
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,660,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)