Sicken and So Die

Charles Paris #16

by Simon Brett

Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He's moved back in with his wife, Frances, and although he's not yet a permanent fixture in her bed, he has hopes. What's more, he's got a proper part in a proper play: Sir Toby Belch in a festival production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Charles himself is a good old-fashioned actor, who wants to play Sir Toby in a traditional way. And it looks as if he'll be able to do just that, until Gavin succumbs to a mysterious case of food poisoning and an avant-garde Romanian director steps in to take over the production.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Mystery Thriller

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

Simon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.

He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.

He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.

After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.

He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

From BBC radio 4 Extra:
A case for Simon Brett's thespian sleuth, dramatized by Jeremy Front, starring Bill Nighy.

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of Brett's short books featuring Charles Paris, a B grade actor with a drinking problem who always seems to get involved in murder and mayhem. He is appearing in a Shakespeare festival when some of the cast members fall seriously ill and one succumbs to what appears to be food poisoning. Charles becomes suspicious when he finds that his private stash of scotch contains mercuric chloride and he begins his investigation to find the culprit.

The Paris series are quick reads and usually quite enjoyable. This entry in the series doesn't have much meat on the bone and is just a bit far-fetched. That doesn't mean that one should take a pass on it.......just pick another in the series.

[John Biddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK mystery, competent plotting, characters, etc, I just couldn't get into it. The theatre milieu the story takes place in was interesting; I know little to nothing about it and this was really the only interesting thing in the book.

I see from other reviews that this wasn't one of Brett's better efforts, and that certainly could be true, I've have only read this one. But the main character, Charles Paris, wasn't particularly likeable or interesting, he's an alcoholic who cheats on his wife. When a series featuring him has 20 books in it I expect much more of the central character.

[Kristen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery itself wasn't the best I have ever read, but the way the author describes the world of acting and the frustrations thereof was SPOT ON. Every actor who has ever done Shakespeare or worked with a director you'd gladly see poisoned, would enjoy reading this!

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whoa....I thought listening to the BBC productions of Simon Brett's Charles Paris series of mysteries was pretty much the same as listening to an audio book version. How wrong I was! The actual novel, this one at least, lacks all of the humor and wit of the Bill Nighy take on the Charles Paris character. I don't even see how someone read this book and thought that they could make it into a funny mystery series with a lovable, scoundrel of a main character. This was so dry and so disappointing. Maybe it would've been more ok if I never listened to the Bill Nighy version, but I would say absolutely skip this book series and just listen to the BBC production (a bunch of episodes of the various novels) - it is so much better and so much FUN. Charles Paris in the book version is just a jerk - nothing very lovable about him.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly standard Simon Brett, which is not a bad thing--made a five-hour drive pass quickly, and the reader, Simon Prebble, was excellent.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are enjoyable, but the main character does the same bloody things over and over. Yes, we know he drinks excessively and screws up his relationships. That said, the theatrical insider angle is appealing, and it's also appealing when the "detective" gets things wrong.

Enjoyable but repetitive.

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sicken and So Die is a rather late entry in Simon Brett's Charles Paris Mystery Series. Although not one of my favorites, I did enjoy this book. It is light summer reading at its best, and certainly well-worth your time.

[Cognatious Thunk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simon Brett so accurately depicted alcoholism that what could have been a charming character quirk swiftly became a sordid habit. While I give him high marks for the inherent honesty in his depiction of that affliction, vicarious benders aren't what I seek in my mystery novels.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy these Charles Paris mysteries but I do want to smack him sometimes. He really is his own worst enemy

[Eyejaybee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Brett's series of novels featuring down at heel actor Charles Paris have all been entertaining, and I think that this might be the best one of all

As the novel opens things seem to be going unusually well for Charles Paris. Not only has he landed the desirable role of Sir Toby Belch in a new production of Twelfth Night, but he also thinks he may be well on the way towards a lasting rapprochement with his former wife, Frances, from whom he had been separated for several years, principally because of his drinking and philandering.

Always a committed fan of Shakespeare's canon, Charles has longed to play the part of Toby Belch, and is looking forward to delivering a traditional performance straight out of the old school. Obviously, this is all too good to last, and things start to go awry almost immediately after rehearsals begin, when Gavin Scholes, the benign but almost constitutionally unimaginative director, is taken ill. When it emerges that Scholes’s ailment is serious, the production company replaces him with the radical, Romanian enfant terrible, Alexandru Radulescu.

Radulescu is no respecter of theatrical sacred cows, and immediately sets about transforming the production into an avant-garde extravaganza, much to Charles's disgust. However, even Charles has grudgingly to concede that some of Radulescu's ideas, bizarre as they seem, do produce startling effects. Soon, however, more mishaps start to happen, culminating in the sudden death of one member of the cast.

Brett has sustained a highly successful career as a novelist and writer of comedy series for both television and radio, and this novel shows him at his best. The wry humour never detracts from his tightly constructed plots, and his depiction of the thespian peccadilloes of the cast amuse the reader but never reduce the story to farce. He clearly knows his Shakespeare, too, and the novel offers intriguing insights into the various relationships between characters in the play. All in all, a highly entertaining and informative jaunt through the theatrical world.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Charles. Always finding himself surrounded by mysterious goings-on. In this case, it's a series of tummy troubles by various members of his Twelfth Night cast. I enjoyed the inner workings on a touring troupe of actors and what goes into putting on a show, especially an outdoors one (the portapotties MUST be ordered). I thought the resolution was Christie-esque, with various suspects being possible. Unfortunately, the actual killer, Benzo Ritter, was underwhelming and his motive for killing Sally Luther (who was ultimately the real target, not Charles) seemed thin. (He was Sally's stalker years ago but realized that to "earn her respect," he needed to be her equal. but Sally laughed at him when he confessed his feelings to her, so she had to die.)

Also Charles was living with Frances but once things got bad, he went back to his Bell's and late nights and she kicked him out. She's going to America for a teacher exchange!

[Alonzo Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

A middling series mystery -- much depends upon a lovingly depicted setting and familiarity with the previous books. If you don't have that, some of the supporting characters will seem under characterized. Those coming from the Bill Nighy BBC series will see a toned down Paris here, and very little of the ex-wife and the useless manager. There are funny moments, but this is hardly a non-stop comedy riot.

The virtue of this one is that Brett knows and loves the world of the somewhat successful actor and lunatic interpretations of Shakespeare. The somewhat who-cares mystery, and shaggy dog story pacing makes it no more than a pleasant read. When you pick up a mystery, and the murder does not happen until 2/3rds of the way through, the investigation is going to be cursory, and the plotting up to the point of murder is going to follow a pretty standard pattern.

[mstenma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't a book good enough to be called with a thrilling or an unexpected twist of plots but it was still an enjoyable read.I was able to get through the story ,however, I completely disliked the main character.The concept of favoring or liking someone are different for each of us therefore I chose to not state my reason since it may or mayn't be understood.It's worth the recommendations if you'd only want a nice way to pass the time because the book's concept of mystery isn't really something that would captivate the eagerness of your mind to think.

[Anna McCormack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelfth Night was never like this

Charles looks forward to a pleasant 5 months on tour with Twelfth Night, but all goes amiss, and stays amiss, when a series of sudden sicknesses and a death change everything. He struggles to retain his theatrical integrity, while trying to work out who is behind it all. It is great to catch up with several characters from a previous book (What bloody man is that?) and see how they have fared.

[Verity W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good instalment of Charles’s acting life. This tome he’s actually got a good part - except that the new director doesn’t want him to play it the way Charles wants to do it. This puts Charles at outs with the rest of the cast which also makes for a change. There are more developments with Frances, as well as the sleuthing, so all in all fairly satisfying stuff.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Paris never fails. A mediocre actor, a worse husband and an alcoholic. But he's a pretty good detective. Charles gets a role in road show of "Twelfth Night". When other actors involved with the show start dying, Charles becomes alarmed at the thought that he could be next. Fortunately he is not and discovers who the murdering culprit is.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charles Paris, the perpetually out of work actor, has a nice part in a Twelfth Night production that is to run for 4 months but soon things start to go awry and foul play is suspected. Listened to the audio version which was ably narrated by Ralph Cosham.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Called it on the murderer, but I enjoyed the twists and turns. I agree with Charles: anyone who bastardises Shakespeare is NOT a friend!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A radical take on Twelfth Night - but Charles Paris’
Lifelong ambition was to play Sir Toby Belch as it was written. Always amusing and clever Theater mysteries.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant mystery set around a theater company and their production of "Twelfth Night". I've read some dark mysteries recently and this one was lighter. I also enjoyed the Shakespeare tie in.

[Paula R C R. C. Readman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. Well-written.

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Paris, poisonings, and the familiar trappings of a British Shakespearean stage production? Don’t mind if I do.

[Tiriza]

dnf

[Brian G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Charles Paris is in a touring production of Twelfth Night. A play I'm very familiar with.
The combination of backstage action coupled with a murder mystery made this a perfect book for me.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This part of a series of books about an actor, Charles Paris, who is only moderately success on stage and is never successful in his personal life. He's got a great chance to play Sir Toby Belch in Shakespear's 12th Night with a favorite director and he's very excited. The the director is taken very ill and replaced for an off the wall director who has some VERY strange ideas about how to stage the play. Then an actor is taken very sick and has to be replaced and then an actress dies. Charles knows these people are not just happening to get sick or die without help but who in the cast stands to gain the most or is it something else that is fueling all these 'accidents'. The story was fine except it just took too long.

[Njuma Tamufor · Rating 5 out of 5]

mysterious at the beginning (like most good books) then unraveling a plot where every character is unique. I especially loved the character who was so proud of his medical maladies and Paris' humor. More so, I knew the play very well for I had studied it at school and having it plotted out all over after so many years was exciting.

[Cyndee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unconventional mystery--mystery and cop work not evident until towards the end of the book. Very British, though.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Simon Brett - British light easy read