SCRIPT FOR MURDER

TITLE: SCRIPT FOR MURDER
AUTHOR: JOAN M. MOULES

Pages: 307
Date: 05/04/2010
Grade: 4-
Details: Large Print
Library

A mystery set in 1955 in Fairbourne, a seaside town. It is spring and in the Victoriana theatre a group of actors is starting the summer season.
Not to long after the start of the season, one of the actors is shot and killed. Inspector Carding and Sergeant George Burns investigate the murder and soon discover that the victim was almost universally disliked. They discover that he was blackmailing at least a few of his fellow cast members, was having an affair with one of the actresses, despite both of them being married, and that his wife who was more famous than him, was afraid of him and had a lover of her own.
Sure that the murderer has to be one of the cast, but not finding a real motive or any clues, the investigation is a frustrating one for our policemen. But when another cast member nearly dies, it becomes even more important to get to the truth.
This was a nice story, and the quick and easy read I needed right now. However, it was not a very good mystery. The police was too quick to accept less than solid alibies, didn't look too hard for the missing gun or other evidence and stumbled across the solution by accident more than solid detecting.
If this book were part of a series I probably wouldn't be looking for any other books in it. But, as a stand-alone mystery it was pleasant enough to read.