Break a Leg, Darlings

Trixie Dolan & Evangeline Sinclair Mystery #5

by Marian Babson

Trixie and Evangeline have always accepted that they might have to Suffer for their Artbut they draw the line at dying for it. Little do they realize that while they are stalking a likely playwright, a killer is stalking them.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

261 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Marian Babson, a pseudonym for Ruth Stenstreem, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, but lived in London for the greater part of her life.

She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles.

A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar.

She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel.

The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs.

She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order.

Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010

Reviews

[Marjorie French · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of her other books better.

[Samantha McLean Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite mysteries from my favorite mystery author. This book is so funny! Similar vibes to “The Play That Goes Wrong” or “The Show That Goes Wrong” if anyone has seen either of those. I really do prefer that my mysteries have some humor to them, and this does that so well. I couldn’t breathe at times because I was laughing so hard!

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was about our sleuth friends of the silver screen, Evangeline and Trixie who have been living in England trying to find a new play or film to star in. Until then, they are living on the kindness of an old picture star-friend's grandson in a dockside penthouse being 'gentrified' and not completely occupied yet.

For now, Evangeline and Trixie are doing 'pub crawls' to see original plays being presented on and off the West End. At one pub, the Ladies encounter an Irish Poet and his dog, The Semtex. The Semtex decides to follow the women home and incur the wraith of the poet.

There also seems to be a rather sinister group of 'Open and Shut'(meaning the club attends the opening and shutting nights of the pub's plays. They are placing some unsavory bets and the Ladies fear they are the topic of the bets.

When a co-star, Sweetums arrives, and then rather strangely dies, the two friends begin to worry.

Luckily Homicide Detective Heyhoe is a local at the pub and the Ladies outwit the plots.

[Phillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trixie and Evangeline are two aging actresses who are out loooking for some stage work. They keep running into a "friend" they don't like while searching for the perfect play to star in. How could they imagine that their innocent quest would lead them into danger? They never suspect that while they are stalking a likely playwright, a merciless killer is stalking them. Then there is Semtex a wolfhound that has taken a liking to them and followed them out of a pub where a "poet" is spouting some drivel.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evangeline Sinclair and narrator Trixie Dolan are retired movie stars, transported to England and looking for a show. If they could find an author and a theater, they could get back at a rival who stole a revival out from under their noses. As they visit the pub theater scene in London, they fall in with a group of solicitous young men. But things are not always what they seem... I really like this short series by Babson and find them easily re-readable, although this is not the strongest of the group.

[Virginia Owl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great. Didn't suck, and perhaps i didn't like it because it's the middle of a series. Typical theatrical cozy mystery, if that makes sense. Got it because it was recommended for Ngiao Marsh fans. It makes sense, but no where near as good as her. Stick with the best unless you are borrowing from the library. I regret paying money for this book.

[Pam]

This was a delightful book. A quick read, but I knew the two gently aged actresses quite well before I closed the last pages. They are looking for a suitable play for them. They do a pub crawl finding small theaters and a club called "Open and Shutters".

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

open and shut Trixie plot, sweetums

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute, will try others in the series.

[Pat Beard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't grip my attention. If it was a movie I would have said it had to many elements of slapstick for my taste.