Book 1

Death on the Pier

by Jamie West

Published 10 October 2022
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.

Book 2

Murder at the Matinee

by Jamie West

Published 5 September 2024
Renowned murder mystery playwright Bertie Carroll returns, this time in London's West End, to solve the mystery of an impossible murder and the newspaper advert that preceded it. 

An unexpected phone call from a rival playwright puts Bertie centre stage in another mystery. Can he help unravel the motive behind a mysterious newspaper advert that boldly declares a murder will take place during a show's third act? There's only one problem, there is no murder in the third act of the play! 

When a victim is discovered and the police are brought in, Bertie and Inspector Hugh Chapman get thrown awkwardly back together as they both work to find the killer.

The spotlight falls on each suspect in turn and, this time, even Bertie is not above suspicion. But can rivalries and differences be put aside to solve this devious murder? 

 Following on from the success of Death on the Pier, Jamie West - the West End's resident murder mystery author - brings you the second book in this golden-age-style whodunnit series, set in the exciting world of theatreland in 1930s London.

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“A wonderfully realised crime novel in the best tradition of the Golden Age” – William Hussey

“So happy to be taken back once again to that poignant lost land of nineteen-thirties theatre. And at the heart of is this perfect, impossible murder!” – J.M. Hall

“A book cosy crime fans and theatre buffs will enjoy from Act One all the way through to the final curtain!” – Fiona Leitch 

“Elegantly crafted and expertly plotted” – Orlando Murrin

“A brilliantly entertaining 1930s whodunnit ” – Greg Mosse

“Another wonderfully clever and satisfying Golden Age-inspired mystery” – Tom Mead

“A stylish, charming murder mystery” – Kitty Murphy