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Exit Stage Death
Livi Campbell’s summer to-do list is
1. Have the best final summer at Camp Chance.
2. Prove to her parents that acting is an acceptable career choice.
3. Smash all her rehearsals and get the lead in the senior showcase.
But when a fellow camper shows up dead under mysterious circumstances and Livi finds a note suggesting all is not as it seems, she must team up with her camp-mates to catch the culprit before they kill again.
Enter Juliet, the social media influencer with everything to prove; Aaron, the nepo baby who isn’t sure he wants to be in Hollywood at all; Daisy, the inexperienced newbie trying to find her place; and Sam, the leading man who broke Livi’s heart last summer.
The players are in place. The stage is set. Curtain up.
1. Have the best final summer at Camp Chance.
2. Prove to her parents that acting is an acceptable career choice.
3. Smash all her rehearsals and get the lead in the senior showcase.
But when a fellow camper shows up dead under mysterious circumstances and Livi finds a note suggesting all is not as it seems, she must team up with her camp-mates to catch the culprit before they kill again.
Enter Juliet, the social media influencer with everything to prove; Aaron, the nepo baby who isn’t sure he wants to be in Hollywood at all; Daisy, the inexperienced newbie trying to find her place; and Sam, the leading man who broke Livi’s heart last summer.
The players are in place. The stage is set. Curtain up.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2025
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Ava Eldred
2 books7 followersAva Eldred was born in London, and has spent much of the last decade writing and developing stage musicals, as well as producing large scale theatrical concerts. Her work has been performed both in London and internationally. She is a recent alumna of Faber Academy's Writing a Novel course, and a life-long fan of boybands.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 13, 2025
Really enjoyed this one! Set at a theatre camp, I think it would be perfect for fans of musical theatre (is it blasphemous to say that I really don't like musicals?) with a twist I didn't exactly predict, but wasn't still a wasn't a massive surprise.
It was maybe on the more slow-paced side, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I loved reading it in the sun, trying to guess the killer. Thank you, UCLan, for sending me a copy. Will be reading more from this author!
It was maybe on the more slow-paced side, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I loved reading it in the sun, trying to guess the killer. Thank you, UCLan, for sending me a copy. Will be reading more from this author!
May 26, 2025
omfg i LOVED this! as a massive theatre fan this book was literally perfect for me, all of the musical references were absolutely everything to me and i was giggling every time. loooved the murder mystery of it all, as well as the slight romantic storyline going on. absolutely loved livi as a character!! would fully read a sequel just about her life afterwards lol
loved the structure with having the random bits of script every now and then and how those progressed as the book went on and figuring out who’s voice/pov that actually was
need every theatre fan to read this tbh it was just so good
now i desperately want to read ava eldred’s other book!
thank you to netgalley and uclan publishing for this ARC!!!
loved the structure with having the random bits of script every now and then and how those progressed as the book went on and figuring out who’s voice/pov that actually was
need every theatre fan to read this tbh it was just so good
now i desperately want to read ava eldred’s other book!
thank you to netgalley and uclan publishing for this ARC!!!
June 18, 2025
Received as an ARC from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The first thing that convinced me to pick this book up was the title, which clearly indicated that this was a thriller with a theatrical twist. I have never read a book with this sort of theme before as I am not a theatre person, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
The main thing I enjoyed about Exit Stage Death was the twists and turns. While I did guess the final reveal of the perpetrator, the lead-up to the reveal was still highly engaging. I appreciate that many readers may not guess the final twist or may not be bothered if they do guess it, so I don't believe this is something to mark the book down on. Furthermore, I also feel that the ending was a little rushed. After the final reveal, everything is resolved pretty quickly, which ruined the build-up for me.
However, I found the characters, particularly minor characters such as Louis, to be pretty flat. They all had a dedication to theatre, but there wasn't much development beyond that, other than Aaron and his true-crime obsession. Aaron's obsession with true crime sort of felt shoehorned in to me, since he was the only character who had an interest other than drama.
The flat characters did not ruin the story entirely though, especially for what is a fairly short book. I do think it would be stronger if the characters were more 3-dimensional, but its overall purpose of being a murder mystery is fulfilled. I would recommend this book to people who prefer books that are more plot-driven than character-driven.
Another great thing about this book was its unique format of having parts in the style of the script amongst the prose. This really creates the atmosphere of a theatre piece and the character's dedication to theatre. There are a few instances where text that is supposed to be in script style is not italicised, though I'm sure this will be fixed when the book is published.
Overall, while this book did not entirely work for me, it was still an enjoyable murder mystery. I would recommend this to readers who enjoyed books such as the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and more plot-driven books, as mentioned earlier.
The first thing that convinced me to pick this book up was the title, which clearly indicated that this was a thriller with a theatrical twist. I have never read a book with this sort of theme before as I am not a theatre person, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
The main thing I enjoyed about Exit Stage Death was the twists and turns. While I did guess the final reveal of the perpetrator, the lead-up to the reveal was still highly engaging. I appreciate that many readers may not guess the final twist or may not be bothered if they do guess it, so I don't believe this is something to mark the book down on. Furthermore, I also feel that the ending was a little rushed. After the final reveal, everything is resolved pretty quickly, which ruined the build-up for me.
However, I found the characters, particularly minor characters such as Louis, to be pretty flat. They all had a dedication to theatre, but there wasn't much development beyond that, other than Aaron and his true-crime obsession. Aaron's obsession with true crime sort of felt shoehorned in to me, since he was the only character who had an interest other than drama.
The flat characters did not ruin the story entirely though, especially for what is a fairly short book. I do think it would be stronger if the characters were more 3-dimensional, but its overall purpose of being a murder mystery is fulfilled. I would recommend this book to people who prefer books that are more plot-driven than character-driven.
Another great thing about this book was its unique format of having parts in the style of the script amongst the prose. This really creates the atmosphere of a theatre piece and the character's dedication to theatre. There are a few instances where text that is supposed to be in script style is not italicised, though I'm sure this will be fixed when the book is published.
Overall, while this book did not entirely work for me, it was still an enjoyable murder mystery. I would recommend this to readers who enjoyed books such as the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series and more plot-driven books, as mentioned earlier.
May 21, 2025
2.5⭐
At first, I was genuinely confused—are we reading the actual play🎭 or is this just the author’s writing style? Turns out, it is the style. It’s written like a stage script (or whatever it’s actually called), and honestly, it does add a bit of flair 🤌🏽.
Also… why is there an Aaron AND a Juliet(te)? Like, are we collecting Shakespearian names now? Just waiting on ^°•Kenji•°^ to show up. Oh, and there’s a Sinclair too🕸️.
Now Livi... why are you being so dramatic about your with Sam? Yeah, it’s risky, I get that. But unless I missed something, she’s being a bit OTT. Maybe she just lives for the drama? Loves a secret or two 🤫.
Sophia is being way too harsh. Like, someone DIED??🪦 Can we take a moment? Let the teens breathe! And why is no one acting like that’s a big deal? Even worse—why is Aaron kind of hyped by all this? At first, I thought it was just the name, but he’s giving off the same vibes as Aaron Warner… unhinged tendencies and all.
Also, WHERE are the character descriptions?🧟♂️ I didn’t even realise Aaron was Black until page 205?? That’s nearly the end of the book! It’s really hard to picture the characters when there’s basically no visual guidance, and their personalities? All over the place. Vibes are inconsistent. The plot’s decent, but I wish everything was a bit clearer.
And the twist? I saw it coming. The emotional reactions were just off, so it wasn’t hard to piece it together.
Oh, and when the truth finally came out? Suddenly it’s ALL about Livi. Livi this, Livi that. I was so over it.
While I definitely enjoyed the story, there's alot of things that brought my rating down. It's sad because the story is amazing, but I can't get past the personalities, emotions and character descriptions. Thanks Netgalley and the author for the ARC!🪦💀🕸️
At first, I was genuinely confused—are we reading the actual play🎭 or is this just the author’s writing style? Turns out, it is the style. It’s written like a stage script (or whatever it’s actually called), and honestly, it does add a bit of flair 🤌🏽.
Also… why is there an Aaron AND a Juliet(te)? Like, are we collecting Shakespearian names now? Just waiting on ^°•Kenji•°^ to show up. Oh, and there’s a Sinclair too🕸️.
Now Livi... why are you being so dramatic about your with Sam? Yeah, it’s risky, I get that. But unless I missed something, she’s being a bit OTT. Maybe she just lives for the drama? Loves a secret or two 🤫.
Sophia is being way too harsh. Like, someone DIED??🪦 Can we take a moment? Let the teens breathe! And why is no one acting like that’s a big deal? Even worse—why is Aaron kind of hyped by all this? At first, I thought it was just the name, but he’s giving off the same vibes as Aaron Warner… unhinged tendencies and all.
Also, WHERE are the character descriptions?🧟♂️ I didn’t even realise Aaron was Black until page 205?? That’s nearly the end of the book! It’s really hard to picture the characters when there’s basically no visual guidance, and their personalities? All over the place. Vibes are inconsistent. The plot’s decent, but I wish everything was a bit clearer.
And the twist? I saw it coming. The emotional reactions were just off, so it wasn’t hard to piece it together.
Oh, and when the truth finally came out? Suddenly it’s ALL about Livi. Livi this, Livi that. I was so over it.
While I definitely enjoyed the story, there's alot of things that brought my rating down. It's sad because the story is amazing, but I can't get past the personalities, emotions and character descriptions. Thanks Netgalley and the author for the ARC!🪦💀🕸️
May 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and UCLan Publishing for this eArc!
Exit Stage Death is a young adult murder mystery set at a musical theatre camp so of course I was immediately intrigued. It’s a proper locked in mystery with a set of characters to suspect and an interesting camp setting that I felt I knew my way around by the end!
I just love when an author knows what they’re talking about. So many details were so accurate from the unpredictable nature of the councillors to so many of the thoughts from Livi, the main character, concerning the industry. I loved all the musicals references, something I was worried about being overdone but they absolutely weren’t and I am so grateful for so many diverse references (no Hamilton every few pages)
Something that can be so frustrating when it comes to young adult mysteries is how unimaginative the characters can be. That’s where I found this one so fun. Livi was very smart and she always knew what she was doing even when everything threatened to overwhelm her. Most books like this I find myself getting mad that they’re withholding everything from the police and trying to work it out for themselves but in Exit Stage Death I really felt the panic and risk. These kids were being threatened to the point where yeah I’d be too scared to do the sensible thing too.
I think this book is for everyone who’s ever been told ‘that’s the industry’ a million times
Exist Stage Death comes out June 5th!
Exit Stage Death is a young adult murder mystery set at a musical theatre camp so of course I was immediately intrigued. It’s a proper locked in mystery with a set of characters to suspect and an interesting camp setting that I felt I knew my way around by the end!
I just love when an author knows what they’re talking about. So many details were so accurate from the unpredictable nature of the councillors to so many of the thoughts from Livi, the main character, concerning the industry. I loved all the musicals references, something I was worried about being overdone but they absolutely weren’t and I am so grateful for so many diverse references (no Hamilton every few pages)
Something that can be so frustrating when it comes to young adult mysteries is how unimaginative the characters can be. That’s where I found this one so fun. Livi was very smart and she always knew what she was doing even when everything threatened to overwhelm her. Most books like this I find myself getting mad that they’re withholding everything from the police and trying to work it out for themselves but in Exit Stage Death I really felt the panic and risk. These kids were being threatened to the point where yeah I’d be too scared to do the sensible thing too.
I think this book is for everyone who’s ever been told ‘that’s the industry’ a million times
Exist Stage Death comes out June 5th!
July 16, 2025
I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Fox & Ink Books for the opportunity to read and review Exit Stage Death. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Fox & Ink Books for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.
Let me just start this review by saying that I am a HUGE theatre kid (well, adult... but still, you never really stop being a theatre kid just because you technically aged out) and I am also a massive crime junkie so this book was the literal book of my dreams.
Exit Stage Death is a completely unputdownable book. I loved each and every page of it and even when it neared the end, I didn't want it to be over. This was a book I just wanted to keep reading forever. I really hope that Ava Eldred writes more books in the future.
The characters were relatable, the plot was THICK, there's twists, turns and revelations throughout. I just loved it.
I don't have a single point of criticism to give, this for me was a perfect book.
I'm not one to toot my own horn but I sussed it all out before the end of the book, and let me tell you... the author didn't make that easy!
Exit Stage Death is easily one of the best books I've read this year.
Let me just start this review by saying that I am a HUGE theatre kid (well, adult... but still, you never really stop being a theatre kid just because you technically aged out) and I am also a massive crime junkie so this book was the literal book of my dreams.
Exit Stage Death is a completely unputdownable book. I loved each and every page of it and even when it neared the end, I didn't want it to be over. This was a book I just wanted to keep reading forever. I really hope that Ava Eldred writes more books in the future.
The characters were relatable, the plot was THICK, there's twists, turns and revelations throughout. I just loved it.
I don't have a single point of criticism to give, this for me was a perfect book.
I'm not one to toot my own horn but I sussed it all out before the end of the book, and let me tell you... the author didn't make that easy!
Exit Stage Death is easily one of the best books I've read this year.
May 19, 2025
Really gripping mystery that will keep you guessing right until the very end.
Our main character Livi is heading off to theatre camp, the highlight of her year and she wants to convince her parents that she belongs on the stage, however she is dismayed to see there are 2 celebrities also attending that she will be competing against for the lead role.
You would think this would be her biggest problem until a body is found and she begins receiving notes from the killer and her and her new friend group start investigating. I thoroughly enjoyed this despite my musical theatre knowledge starting and ending with Glee and the latest Wicked movie (Wicked does get name dropped a fair few times which was fun)
I also loved the authors previous boyband book so definitely becoming one to check out with each release.
Our main character Livi is heading off to theatre camp, the highlight of her year and she wants to convince her parents that she belongs on the stage, however she is dismayed to see there are 2 celebrities also attending that she will be competing against for the lead role.
You would think this would be her biggest problem until a body is found and she begins receiving notes from the killer and her and her new friend group start investigating. I thoroughly enjoyed this despite my musical theatre knowledge starting and ending with Glee and the latest Wicked movie (Wicked does get name dropped a fair few times which was fun)
I also loved the authors previous boyband book so definitely becoming one to check out with each release.
May 21, 2025
I received an early copy of this book in return for a review.
This book was...interesting.
The concept is really good. And the formatting? I loved the little screenplay additions from our killer. I loved the commentary on what was going on through them and had some giggles when Livvi was assuming something very different.
But overall, the book was just okay.
I did guess who the killer was early on. Which can be fine if you're enjoying seeing the mystery being solved. But it felt like we barely saw any investigation. I think the comparisons between theatre and murder mysteries could have been more spread out to make it more interesting, and yeah.
I am glad I read this book. It was different, and that makes it fun to talk about. But I don't think that in a few weeks I'll remember much about the plot or the characters. It's just gonna be the formatting.
This book was...interesting.
The concept is really good. And the formatting? I loved the little screenplay additions from our killer. I loved the commentary on what was going on through them and had some giggles when Livvi was assuming something very different.
But overall, the book was just okay.
I did guess who the killer was early on. Which can be fine if you're enjoying seeing the mystery being solved. But it felt like we barely saw any investigation. I think the comparisons between theatre and murder mysteries could have been more spread out to make it more interesting, and yeah.
I am glad I read this book. It was different, and that makes it fun to talk about. But I don't think that in a few weeks I'll remember much about the plot or the characters. It's just gonna be the formatting.
July 7, 2025
Seventeen-year-old Livi has been coming to Camp Chance for years but this is her final year and last opportunity to secure the lead role in the showcase production and convince her parents that drama school is a viable option for her future. But when a body is discovered, and the murderer leaves a threatening note for her and her friends, Livi has to put on the performance of a lifetime to keep the killer at bay while secretly investigating the crime.
The story is told from Livi’s rather melodramatic perspective but with an additional film-script framing POV that enhances the theme and gives the book a cinematic quality. Though the book is based in the UK, the summer camp setting is quite an American concept which adds international appeal. The plot is well crafted and suitable for KS3 students as well as older teenagers. ‘Exit Stage Death’ is a gripping and highly entertaining, twisty mystery, perfect for fans of ‘Pretty Little Liars’.
The story is told from Livi’s rather melodramatic perspective but with an additional film-script framing POV that enhances the theme and gives the book a cinematic quality. Though the book is based in the UK, the summer camp setting is quite an American concept which adds international appeal. The plot is well crafted and suitable for KS3 students as well as older teenagers. ‘Exit Stage Death’ is a gripping and highly entertaining, twisty mystery, perfect for fans of ‘Pretty Little Liars’.
June 5, 2025
Livi is looking forward to getting the most out of her last summer at Camp Chance, her plan being to use it to persuade her parents that acting is a viable career choice.
But Livi is about to discover that the latter be the least of her challenges this summer. Because after the discovery of a dead body and mysterious note, she finds herself in the company of a disparate group of theatre geeks who may just be able to help her figure out what is actually going on. Hopefully, they won't all die trying!
A fun read about a summer camp experience with a difference, this is likely to be a hit with the target audience. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
But Livi is about to discover that the latter be the least of her challenges this summer. Because after the discovery of a dead body and mysterious note, she finds herself in the company of a disparate group of theatre geeks who may just be able to help her figure out what is actually going on. Hopefully, they won't all die trying!
A fun read about a summer camp experience with a difference, this is likely to be a hit with the target audience. It gets 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
May 25, 2025
This book is such a beautiful homage to theatre, the magic of being on stage and behind it.
In summer camps and in theatre everything is amped up to 100. You are stuck in one place working intense days with people 24/7, you bond quickly, becoming best friends in a matter of days.
As a teen I spent many summers doing intense Youth Theatre programmes and this book felt like it was written especially for 16 year old me.
This is exactly what theatre camps are like! (Minus the murder, obv)
June 9, 2025
What an incredible book. Fun from start to finish with plot twists throughout. A must for any murder mystery OR musical theatre fans!
August 23, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this, anything involving musicals and the stage will grab my attention.
I loved the set up, with different POVs, ‘scripts’ and musical references, this is really bingeworthy.
The characters were all interesting and I loved how some were linked through previous camps. Livi was my favourite character, I’d love to read more on her in the future.
This had the perfect mix of mystery, friendships, romance and secrets. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was so wrong 😂 completely suspected the wrong person.
A must read and I now need to get her previous book.
I loved the set up, with different POVs, ‘scripts’ and musical references, this is really bingeworthy.
The characters were all interesting and I loved how some were linked through previous camps. Livi was my favourite character, I’d love to read more on her in the future.
This had the perfect mix of mystery, friendships, romance and secrets. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was so wrong 😂 completely suspected the wrong person.
A must read and I now need to get her previous book.
June 8, 2025
Exit Stage Death was such an entertaining and enthralling YA mystery.
I absolutely adore both mysteries and theatre, so a book that combined the two was something I had to pick up. Eldred has crafted such a love letter to both artforms with plenty of theatrical Easter eggs scattered throughout. It celebrates the community that is formed around the theatre, sharing snippets of your favourite shows with a fellow fan and the joy from performing. On the flipside, there is a lot of competitiveness with plenty of talented performers pursuing the same role – depictions of this can often be on the cattier side. Eldred’s depiction highlights that ruthlessness and diligence to your craft, but in more of a tongue in cheek way, up until murder is added to the mix. There is an additional throughline about nepotism, stunt casting and influencer culture, focusing on the more cynical business aspects the industry can sometimes seem to uphold. It all folds together in the theatricality and the focus on creating a story, allowing for some interesting and brilliant surprises in store.
At the centre of it all we have Livi, who embodies that mix of passion and drive. She is determined to prove herself with this final summer – to finally show her parents once and for all that she can pursue her dreams. Within this, she’s not above a little sneakiness to succeed and claim the top billing in the summer showcase. I enjoyed her voice and how theatrical she was, immersed in various musicals and thriving around her people. That lends itself well to her investigation and the unlikely connections she makes along the way. I enjoy the fraught dynamics between them and how this developed over the course of the story. It added a new layer to the high stakes, especially as ominous notes start to come into play (very Phantom esque).
Exit Stage Death was a dream come true for a theatre obsessed reader like myself, but also a well-executed and enjoyable YA thriller.
CW: death, murder, violence, stalking, blackmail
I absolutely adore both mysteries and theatre, so a book that combined the two was something I had to pick up. Eldred has crafted such a love letter to both artforms with plenty of theatrical Easter eggs scattered throughout. It celebrates the community that is formed around the theatre, sharing snippets of your favourite shows with a fellow fan and the joy from performing. On the flipside, there is a lot of competitiveness with plenty of talented performers pursuing the same role – depictions of this can often be on the cattier side. Eldred’s depiction highlights that ruthlessness and diligence to your craft, but in more of a tongue in cheek way, up until murder is added to the mix. There is an additional throughline about nepotism, stunt casting and influencer culture, focusing on the more cynical business aspects the industry can sometimes seem to uphold. It all folds together in the theatricality and the focus on creating a story, allowing for some interesting and brilliant surprises in store.
At the centre of it all we have Livi, who embodies that mix of passion and drive. She is determined to prove herself with this final summer – to finally show her parents once and for all that she can pursue her dreams. Within this, she’s not above a little sneakiness to succeed and claim the top billing in the summer showcase. I enjoyed her voice and how theatrical she was, immersed in various musicals and thriving around her people. That lends itself well to her investigation and the unlikely connections she makes along the way. I enjoy the fraught dynamics between them and how this developed over the course of the story. It added a new layer to the high stakes, especially as ominous notes start to come into play (very Phantom esque).
Exit Stage Death was a dream come true for a theatre obsessed reader like myself, but also a well-executed and enjoyable YA thriller.
CW: death, murder, violence, stalking, blackmail
October 1, 2025
This book was a wild time. You had all of the musical theatre references you'd expect to find. Throw in a murder mystery, and it doesn't actually change as much as you'd think it would.
~
This story kept me on my toes, and I was kept guessing the whole way through. I think I came to the same conclusion as Livi did partway through, but it was somewhat of a 2+2=5, things aren't adding up thought process.
~
Nothing was quite as it seemed, even from the page one. I really enjoyed this story, I never had any doubts that I would though.
~
This story kept me on my toes, and I was kept guessing the whole way through. I think I came to the same conclusion as Livi did partway through, but it was somewhat of a 2+2=5, things aren't adding up thought process.
~
Nothing was quite as it seemed, even from the page one. I really enjoyed this story, I never had any doubts that I would though.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews