Dead Fall

Inspector Best #5

by Joan Lock

A new Victorian mystery featuring the popular Detective Best. A real murder occurs on the stage of the London theatre where Detective Inspector Best and his wife are enjoying a night out. Victorian theatre is only just emerging into respectability, which is threatened when another death follows a murder which could be a reaction against one of the Victorian theatres' most traditional practices. The evocative array of suspects includes an all powerful actor-manager; the resentful Super and Property Masters; a crusading journalist turned playwright, a disgruntled dresser, the family of a ballerina who died in a theatre fire and, not least, members of the audience, who indulge in a curious form of blackmail.

Genres: Historical Mystery

200 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Ex-policewoman JOAN LOCK is the author of non-fiction books and crime novels. She has been a regular contributor to the police press and the journal of the Crime Writers' Association. She has also written short stories, radio plays and radio documentaries. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Dead Fall is the fifth instalment in the Inspector Best Historical Mysteries Series by Joan Lock.
I was really looking forward to this series, but unfortunately, I just couldn't find my groove. Maybe I will revisit this series again at a later date just to see if I was just having an 'off-reading-day' this time around.
-Historical Mysteries
-Victorian era
-crime and investigation
-intrigue
-Based on fact

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1880s. During a play st the Princess's Theatre one of the extras is murdered. In the audience is Inspector Best who takes charge of the investigation. But there are more deaths to reveal.
An entertaining Victorian mystery

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was certainly less political than some in this series. And had a somewhat surprising killer (at least to me).