Sleep of Death

Tessa Crichton #17

by Anne Morice

Actress-detective Tessa Crichton investigates a bizarre, near-perfect murder backstage at a theater in the West End of London

Genres: Mystery

154 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Birth name: Felicity Shaw

Reviews

[Susan]

Tessa Crichton is worried about her new play, whose rehearsals have been dogged by problems. Now the already doddering star, Sir Philip, is getting threatening anonymous letters. His wife is more concerned than Sir Philip, but then she's a more businesslike person. When an unexpected body is found, Tessa's friend Clarissa's new suitor is the main suspect--but Tessa digs deeper.

[Eugene]

A series that has definitely paled on me. What at first seemed a light and airy, almost Carnaby Street atmosphere now feels glib and facile but without anything of intrigue to keep one’s interest. Our heroine Tessa Crichton once again solves the crime, but once again does so by talking her way through it (and we the trapped listeners) with no plot development or red herrings or character input - indeed, Tessa’s husband Scotland Yard detective Robin Price once again is merely a listener, as are we, to Tessa’s totally unsupported deductions leading to the solution; both Robin and Tessa’s cousin Toby (another recurring character) have become pasteboard cutouts put in place merely to support the stage setting. I’ve only one more of the books in this series I’d accumulated while still in the glow of fresh romance, but after that I see no reason the pursue copies of the others…