Much Ado About Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan

"Much Ado About Murder", the third book in the Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series, provides an interesting look behind the scenes of a theater production. Full of drama, conflict, injury, and murder, it is a fun light read. This is the first book I have read in this series, and I had no trouble diving right in with the characters and setting. The theater company is left in the lurch when their director abruptly leaves. The board wants Wade Radcliffe to take over, but their guest star actress Audrey Ashley’s contract allows her to have final director approval, and she wants up-and-coming Englishman Edmund Albright. However, Albright’s ideas about the production are not met with enthusiasm. Soon costume designer Charlotte Fairfax finds the controversial director on his sofa, apparently dead of a self inflicted gunshot wound. But Charlotte does not believe that Albright would have killed himself and takes it upon herself to investigate. There are plenty of suspects, including a wronged member of the cast, the passed-over director, the star of the show, her sister/manager who would do anything to ensure her sister’s success, and a quasi-stalker. I know you should not judge a book by its cover, but "Much Ado About Murder" captured my attention from the get-go with the adorable Welsh Pembroke Corgi featured on its colorful dust jacket. The story itself is well-paced and engaging, especially for readers interested in the workings of the theater. I appreciate that the theater production is central to the story and not simply a backdrop. Duncan gives the reader a number of viable suspects, each of whom has a valid motive. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was wrong. I like the protagonist Charlotte. She is intelligent, observant, and intuitive. So often in cozy mysteries, the sleuth can jump to conclusions, but here Charlotte is almost too cautious by not sharing her thoughts with her boyfriend, the chief of police, until it is almost too late. We have about one hundred pages to get to know the victim before his untimely death, and I found myself impatient for the murder to occur. The supporting characters are varied and realistically drawn, but, at times, the dialogue is choppy. Overall, I enjoyed "Much Ado About Murder" and recommend it to any cozy reader.