Death on the Pier: This delightfully theatrical murder mystery is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and, of course, Agatha Christie! (Bertie Carroll Mysteries, #1)

by Jamie West

Renowned murder mystery playwright Bertie Carroll turns real life detective when his leading lady is shot and killed on stage, in full view of an unsuspecting audience.

This theatrical debut is a delightful murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz and, of course, Agatha Christie.

“A proper page-turner.” Ian Moore (Death and Croissants)
“A denouement worthy of Agatha Christie.”Jim Eldridge (Author of the Museum Mysteries series)
“A love letter to a bygone era.” J.M. Hall (A Spoonful of Murder)
“What an incredible debut mystery.” Peter Boon (Who Killed Miss Finch?)
“Escapist fun from start to finish.” Jamie Bernthal (Author - Queering Agatha Christie)

An Amazon Best Seller and Chat Magazine Book of the Month!

The Palace Pier Theatre.
Brighton.
1933.

Renowned murder mystery playwright Bertie Carroll turns real life detective when his leading lady is shot and killed on stage, in full view of an unsuspecting audience.

Once the curtain falls and the applause subsides, the horrible truth begins to dawn on the cast of suspects backstage. But as motives, secrets and old rivalries begin to come to light, the murderer is still waiting in the wings.

With the help of Chief Detective Hugh Chapman, an old friend from school, Bertie must put his amateur sleuthing skills to the test to unravel the ultimate whodunnit. But, is there more to Bertie and Hugh that first appears? Over the course of their investigation, something that is more-than-just-friends seems to be re-kindled.

There is drama on stage and off in this debut novel from Jamie West, set in and around The Palace Pier Theatre in Brighton, a lost theatre, lovingly recreated.

If you enjoyed the theatrical antics in The Appeal or The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett, you'll love this theatre murder mystery. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and The Thursday Murder Club gang and for fans of classic crime like Agatha Christie and her modern counterparts like Anthony Horowitz, Tom Hindle and Robert Thorogood.

Bertie Carroll, our gay murder mystery playwright, has to navigate LGBTQ themes of the era, on top of trying to solve the case with Inspector Hugh Chapman. Their complex friendship has a past, but their future is still to be explored in the future books of this brilliant new murder mystery series.

• ISBN13: 9781739762216
• Publish Date: 10 October 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Brabinger
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Death on the Pier is a delightful theatrical murder mystery by debut author Jamie West. Released 10th Oct 2022 by Brabinger, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. 

It's abundantly clear that the author has intimate background knowledge of the theatre world and the people who call the milieu home. He writes clearly and engagingly and the characters are three dimensional and the whole is a satisfying read. 

I love the subgenre. Golden age is a definite plus for me (this one is set in interwar Brighton, 1933). This book is maybe a little more 'cozy' style than Marsh or Christie, but it was such a lovely read. The settings are well described and the plotting never dragged. I loved that the actual stage itself is the scene-of-the-crime. Although it's not at all derivative, there are such lovely Inspector Alleyn at the theatre vibes; in this case it's playwright Bertie Carroll as sleuth, assisting Hugh, an old school chum, and now serving as an inspector with Scotland Yard. 

This is the first in a series, and there are definite foreshadowings of a more romantic relationship between Hugh and Bertie, but nothing explicit or overwrought. The release date for the second book has not been publicly announced at this point, so presumably late 2023 at the earliest. 

Four and a half stars. Looking forward to what is in store for this series. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.