Death Stage Left

Mike Atwell Mysteries, Book 4

When the curtain falls, so does the body....

In the picturesque village of Ashbury, Kent, the local amateur dramatics group is ready to bring *Hamlet* to the stage. But the performance takes a deadly turn when one of their own is found stabbed behind the arras, just like Polonius. Veteran actor and former Hollywood heartthrob, Gerald Temple, now fights for his life in a very different type of theatre—the operating theatre!

But who would want him dead? It’s not long before rumours of sabotage, secrets, and spite take centre stage.

Mike Atwell steps into the world of stage lights and scripted lines, to defend the stage manager, Lulu, who has been caught literally red-handed. Lulu also happens to be Mike’s ex-wife Sharon’s cousin—what could go wrong?

Everyone is playing a part, but someone is hiding a killer role. As Mike navigates feuding actors and hidden rivalries, he must unravel the truth before the final act leads to another deadly encore.

In this thrilling cosy mystery, where Shakespearean drama meets small-town secrets, nothing is as it seems. Can Mike catch the real murderer or is it curtain’s up for Lulu?

©2025 Steve Higgs and Penelope Cress (P)2026 W. F. Howes Ltd