A wonderful story! This is the first thing I want to say about this book.
It’s a very well written murder mystery with a perfect cast of characters where you never know if they’re acting or being themselves. I’m not normally a big fan of whodunnits as some of them don’t leave any clues as to the culprit and it’s not till the end you have any chance of even making a good guess. In Samantha Goodwin’s tale of murder on the stage, however, there are little clues along the way that keep you guessing until you think you know the answer — only to find out in the end that you were wrong. It’s only then you can sort the real clues from the red herrings and misdirections.
The characters are well developed and we get to know them gradually as they’re all interviewed by Detective Inspector Robson and his partner, Detective Sergeant Zahra. With these two we also get their personalities fed to us little by little. They are flawed and organic just like we all are. Both hide secrets behind a professional mask, although some are not as hidden as the character would like.
The premise of the story is not new, but also not in any way tired and repetitive. The author has a wonderful way of making it feel fresh and undiscovered. As the title suggests, it’s set in a theatre where the cast is rehearsing for opening night. The old curse of Macbeth seems to have cast it shadow once more over a performance of Shakespeare’s tragic tale when a death occurs under unusual circumstances. London’s East End is the backdrop for the story with the play taking place off-off the West End. The cast’s interwoven private lives and new acquaintances will cast you straight into a web of lies, half-truths and confessions.
Find out who knew what through the determined police work and witness interrogations performed by the intrepid Detective duo while they struggle with their own personal lives threatening to overshadow the search for a killer. Alas, dear reader, there’s a killer about.