Death in the Stars by Frances Brody (Kate Shackleton #9) ★★★1/2
Published: 5th October 2017
Format: Paperback
Genre: Mystery, Historical
I was sent a copy of this novel by the publisher Piatkus. All opinions are honest and my own.
Yorkshire, 1927. Eclipse fever grips the nation, and when beloved theatre star Selina Fellini approaches trusted sleuth Kate Shackleton to accompany her to a viewing party at Giggleswick School Chapel, Kate suspects an ulterior motive.
During the eclipse, Selina’s friend and co-star Billy Moffatt disappears and is later found dead in the chapel grounds. Kate can’t help but dig deeper and soon learns that two other members of the theatre troupe died in similarly mysterious circumstances in the past year. With the help of Jim Sykes and Mrs Sugden, Kate sets about investigating the deaths – and whether there is a murderer in the company.
When Selina’s elusive husband Jarrod, injured in the war and subject to violent mood swings, comes back on the scene, Kate begins to imagine something far deadlier at play, and wonders just who will be next to pay the ultimate price for fame . . .
I was so pleased to be invited on this blog tour after enjoying Death at the Seaside last year.
I’ll start off by saying if you haven’t ready any other books in the Kate Shackleton series don’t worry, you can definitely jump straight in with any book in the series.
This is a cosy crime novel set amongst a theatre troupe in the late 1920s. I love how Frances Brody has really helped this novel stand out from its predecessor. Often mystery series can end up kind of merging together but I don’t see this series in any danger of falling into that trap. I would have liked to see the theatre aspect of the story played up a little more, but that’s just personal preference.
We have a great cast of different characters, plenty of red herrings, and the essential great resolution. Overall the components came together really well.
I can’t wait to see what happens to Kate next!
Death in the Stars will be published 5th October
Check out the other bloggers taking part in the tour:
Frances Brody is the author of the Kate Shackleton mysteries, as well as many stories and plays for BBC Radio, scripts for television and four sagas, one of which won the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin Award. Her stage plays have been toured by several theatre companies and produced at Manchester Library Theatre, the Gate and Nottingham Playhouse, and Jehad was nominated for a Time Out Award.
Follow her on Twitter @FrancesBrody
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