Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series) by Kate Parker. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series)
by Kate Parker
Deadly Performance: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery
12th in Series
Setting -West End of London, Summer, 1941
Publisher : JDP Press (December 9, 2024)
Print length : 303 pages
Behind the spotlights and glamour lurk secrets and murder.
Amid the grim realities of wartime Britain, inside during the blackout hidden from the tatters left by the Blitz, glitz and glamour live onstage in the West End. But at one theater, The Regent, a malevolent force is causing escalating problems. Sabotage, damage and injury feed mistrust among the cast and crew.
Then during opening night, the hated director drops dead from poison, and Olivia Redmond’s colorful, kindly editor is arrested for murder. Determined to investigate, Olivia finds secrets piling up among the bodies. But which secret leads to a crafty killer who won’t hesitate to remove anyone in their way, including Olivia.
Character Guest Post
For the eyes of Sir Henry Benton, editor and publisher of the Daily Premier, only, by Olivia Redmond, reporter.
Probably the best-known theater and movie comedienne in Britain in World War II was Gracie Fields. Marnie Keller, the star of the West End comedy “Have You Seen My Mother-in-Law?” was popular, but she didn’t have Gracie Fields’ star power and she never made a movie. Otherwise, they were contemporaries and fellow actresses whose paths crossed many times, but today, we will study the life and times of Marnie Keller.
Born Harriet Girtbottom, Marnie was a rising young star in the British theater before World War I until at the beginning of the war, she disappeared for a year after starring in a play directed by Marshall Lowe. After firing Marnie, Lowe followed this by a year of blocking every attempt of hers to return to the stage. Then, a powerful producer hired her and Marnie has never been out of work again.
Since Marshall Lowe was a leading director of comedies, Marnie has worked with him several times over the years since their famous “spat” that led to her firing. It is now known that Marnie and Lowe were married, but Lowe divorced her in the early days of World War I after he fired her. In those days, before the liberalization of divorce laws in the 1930s, Lowe had a much easier time of divorcing Marnie than she would have had in divorcing him. Was this a mutual desire? Since they were public figures and divorce in those days was scandalous, the news was kept hushed up.
Marnie was known to have a good singing voice, but in the show she worked on immediately before she worked with Lowe on “Have You Seen My Mother-in-Law?” Lowe criticized her voice. When it came time to sign a contract to star in another play directed by Lowe, Marnie refused to sign until it was specified that she wouldn’t have to sing.
Anyone who has worked with Marnie for any length of time in the West End or on a tour around Britain says she is helpful and kind. This reporter has experienced her generosity of spirit from our very first contact. There are no airs put on by Marnie, whether she’s talking to the show’s producer or the lowliest stagehand. She truly believes the old adage that the best way to succeed is to succeed together.
And in a profession where there often aren’t a lot of “old friends,” Marnie has two old friends, at least, who would do anything for her. Nora, her dresser, and Si Chapell, the editor of The Stage weekly newspaper and as you know, Sir Henry, a bit part actor from a long time ago.
I suspect, Sir Henry, you know a whole lot more about this than I do, so why did you assign me this report on Marnie? What is her big secret? I know she has one.
Deadly Performance by Kate Parker is the twelfth story in the Deadly Series of historical mysteries. It can be found in e-book and print at all your favorite online retailers.
My review of Deadly Performance
Deadly Performance is the 12th book in the Deadly Series by Kate Parker, but it can be read as a standalone. This series is set during World War II and stars Olivia Redmond.
In Deadly Performance, rather than travelling somewhere in Europe for a special assignment, Olivia is staying in London. As a favor to a friend, Olivia’s superior at the paper sends her to work for a small newspaper that covers theater performances. While covering a play at The Regent, she discovers that someone has been sabotaging things around backstage. However, things take a sinister turn on opening night when the director dies as a result of poison! Olivia gets involved when the editor of the paper she’s covering is accused of the murder. She knows he wouldn’t kill anyone and is determined to discover what really happened.
Though I love travelling with Olivia throughout wartime Europe, experiencing war torn London was just as interesting. I cannot imagine what the people in London went through during the Blitz. The fear, the deaths, the blackouts, and the aftermath surely took its toll on Londoners. Don’t forget that rationing was happening during this time, so food was scarce and not very appealing. Therefore, for those who could afford it, the theater provided a way of escape for just a little while.
Olivia is staying with her father now that her flat has been leveled by a bomb. If you’re a long time reader of the series, you know that she and her father don’t have a good relationship, so things are very strained. Her husband is on active duty, so he’s only able to visit occasionally. Olivia’s dad has a great relationship with her husband, so things are tolerable when he’s visiting. Otherwise, the house is practically silent since her father doesn’t say much to her. Having this assignment is a God send for Olivia since it gets her out of the house!
I love the characters in this series! Parker has a flair for writing characters. By the time I’m partway into one of her books, I feel as if the characters are real people! I’m always happy to reconnect with Olivia and some regular side characters, and I love meeting the new characters in each book.
The mystery in Deadly Performance is an excellent one! Trying to piece the clues together to find the murderer was very entertaining. Then Parker throws another mystery into the mix, and that makes it even moreso! There are plenty of red herrings to throw you off track, but in the end, I was finally able to nail down the killer and solve the mystery!
I highly recommend Deadly Performance for its WWII London setting, well-paced plot, excellently written characters, and twisty mystery! 5 huge stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
About Kate Parker
Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she’s fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.
Author Links
Website – http://www.kateparkerbooks.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/Author.Kate.Parker
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Apple – Kobo
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Deadly Performance TOUR PARTICIPANTS
January 6 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
January 6 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR GUEST POST
January 7 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
January 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 8 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
January 9 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
January 9 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
January 10 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW
January 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
January 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
January 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
January 12 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
January 13 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
January 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 15 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST
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Thanks for the lovely review, Christy. I’m glad you enjoyed your time with Olivia on her newest adventure.
You’re welcome! I can’t wait for the next one!
Thank you for the review.
This seems like a really enjoyable mystery with fun characters. The World War II setting sounds interesting!