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Henry Johnstone Mystery #2
Death Scene
Detective Chief Inspector Henry Johnstone is summoned to investigate the murder of a silent movie star in this compelling historical mystery.
1928. A rising star of the silent screen, Cissie Rowe had a bright future ahead of her in the new talking pictures. Not any more. Cissie had died, tragically, many times on screen - but this time it's for real.
When Cissie is found brutally murdered in her own home, DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens are despatched to the seaside town of Shoreham-by-Sea to investigate. Famed for the quality of its light, Shoreham is home to a film studio and thriving theatrical community. But who among them would want the popular young actress dead?
The two London detectives soon discover that no one, including the victim, is quite what they seem - and that the make-believe continues both on and off the famous glasshouse stage.
1928. A rising star of the silent screen, Cissie Rowe had a bright future ahead of her in the new talking pictures. Not any more. Cissie had died, tragically, many times on screen - but this time it's for real.
When Cissie is found brutally murdered in her own home, DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens are despatched to the seaside town of Shoreham-by-Sea to investigate. Famed for the quality of its light, Shoreham is home to a film studio and thriving theatrical community. But who among them would want the popular young actress dead?
The two London detectives soon discover that no one, including the victim, is quite what they seem - and that the make-believe continues both on and off the famous glasshouse stage.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published July 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Jane A. Adams
59 books151 followersSome of her early books were published under the name of Jane Adams. This should not be confused with this Jane Adams who is a different author.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 16, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for an advance copy of Death Scene, the second novel to feature DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens, set mostly in Shoreham in 1928.
The novel opens with the murder of Cissie Rowe, an up and coming actress at the Shoreham studios. When the body is discovered the doctor calls it a suicide but the local PC isn't so sure and calls in Henry to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Scene. It is a good, old fashioned murder mystery in the Golden Age vein with numerous red herrings, a victim with secrets, suspects aplenty and some smart, methodical detective work.
I have not read the previous novel in the series, The Murder Book, but I didn't feel the loss as Henry's backstory is more than adequately covered, in fact this novel feels like the first in a series with its detailed information.
The plotting is well done. I had no idea of who the perpetrator was or why, except that Cissie can't keep a secret - what secret? As there are no switches to the modern phenomenon of giving the reader glimpses of the killer and their thoughts it is a straightforward third person narrative from Henry's point of view and all the more intriguing for it. The reader knows as much as the police and I thoroughly enjoyed the, in my case, fruitless guessing.
I don't know much about this era but the historical background seems authentic with only minor modern sensibilities creeping in, e.g. don't think "people person" was a phrase much used in the 20s.
The characterisation is good. Henry is a good, smart detective with a troubled past. He is a silent loner with poor interpersonal skills but his sergeant, Mickey Hitchens makes up for it, being Henry's "people person". He is a bit more stereotypical being the man who has refused promotion and is content to remain a sergeant, although now vastly over qualified and experienced for the role.
Death Scene is a very good read for its clever plotting, plausible characterisation and authentic setting so I have no hesitation in recommending it.
The novel opens with the murder of Cissie Rowe, an up and coming actress at the Shoreham studios. When the body is discovered the doctor calls it a suicide but the local PC isn't so sure and calls in Henry to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death Scene. It is a good, old fashioned murder mystery in the Golden Age vein with numerous red herrings, a victim with secrets, suspects aplenty and some smart, methodical detective work.
I have not read the previous novel in the series, The Murder Book, but I didn't feel the loss as Henry's backstory is more than adequately covered, in fact this novel feels like the first in a series with its detailed information.
The plotting is well done. I had no idea of who the perpetrator was or why, except that Cissie can't keep a secret - what secret? As there are no switches to the modern phenomenon of giving the reader glimpses of the killer and their thoughts it is a straightforward third person narrative from Henry's point of view and all the more intriguing for it. The reader knows as much as the police and I thoroughly enjoyed the, in my case, fruitless guessing.
I don't know much about this era but the historical background seems authentic with only minor modern sensibilities creeping in, e.g. don't think "people person" was a phrase much used in the 20s.
The characterisation is good. Henry is a good, smart detective with a troubled past. He is a silent loner with poor interpersonal skills but his sergeant, Mickey Hitchens makes up for it, being Henry's "people person". He is a bit more stereotypical being the man who has refused promotion and is content to remain a sergeant, although now vastly over qualified and experienced for the role.
Death Scene is a very good read for its clever plotting, plausible characterisation and authentic setting so I have no hesitation in recommending it.
January 22, 2026
Henry Johnstone isn't your average detective. There's something a little off about him, a quiet oddness that sets him apart. In a world full of secrets and lies, he's piecing together the truth behind the murder of a silent movie star.
Set in 1928 at the seaside town of Shoreham-by-Sea, where the light was perfect for early film studios and colour and sound in movies were the new thing.
I'm mostly intrigued by Johnstone himself. Hints of past trauma peek through his personality, and I am hoping to see a healing arc or at least more clues about what made him this way in future stories.
Mid-paced story with a big cast of characters and their vices – the era when cocaine was handed out by doctors and addictions were registered like library books.
Easy, light historical mystery read. 3 stars. Solid enough, but didn't quite hook me as hard as I wanted. I'm sticking around for the next one just to see what happens with Johnstone.
Set in 1928 at the seaside town of Shoreham-by-Sea, where the light was perfect for early film studios and colour and sound in movies were the new thing.
I'm mostly intrigued by Johnstone himself. Hints of past trauma peek through his personality, and I am hoping to see a healing arc or at least more clues about what made him this way in future stories.
Mid-paced story with a big cast of characters and their vices – the era when cocaine was handed out by doctors and addictions were registered like library books.
Easy, light historical mystery read. 3 stars. Solid enough, but didn't quite hook me as hard as I wanted. I'm sticking around for the next one just to see what happens with Johnstone.
March 13, 2017
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
DI Henry Longhurst is sent to Shoreham on Sea to investigate the murder of an actress - Cissie Rowe. Longhurst and his sidekick DS Mickey Hitchens soon find out that the film studios aren't the only place in Shoreham where everything is make believe. The year is 1928, silent movies are about to be replaced by the talkies and Cissie has a great career ahead of her but someone decided that she would be better dead.
Longhurst and Hitchens must try and sift the truth from the fantasy and unmask a murderer and no one in the small community will be able to keep their secrets hidden. I enjoyed this well written 1920s crime story and liked the characters of Longhurst and Hitchens - they seem like interesting characters. This is the second book in the series and I shall definitely be reading the first book having read this one.
If you enjoy crime novels set in the 1920s then you may want to try this one. It will appeal to fans of Carola Dunn, Kerry Greenwood, and Rhys Bowen.
DI Henry Longhurst is sent to Shoreham on Sea to investigate the murder of an actress - Cissie Rowe. Longhurst and his sidekick DS Mickey Hitchens soon find out that the film studios aren't the only place in Shoreham where everything is make believe. The year is 1928, silent movies are about to be replaced by the talkies and Cissie has a great career ahead of her but someone decided that she would be better dead.
Longhurst and Hitchens must try and sift the truth from the fantasy and unmask a murderer and no one in the small community will be able to keep their secrets hidden. I enjoyed this well written 1920s crime story and liked the characters of Longhurst and Hitchens - they seem like interesting characters. This is the second book in the series and I shall definitely be reading the first book having read this one.
If you enjoy crime novels set in the 1920s then you may want to try this one. It will appeal to fans of Carola Dunn, Kerry Greenwood, and Rhys Bowen.
March 25, 2023
Okay, let's be honest, I'm hooked on this series. I'm reading them all out of order, which sometimes affects my perceptions of certain characters, especially Mickey and Henry. However, each book can be read as a stand-alone.
As always I remain sensitive to the language which is supposedly that of 1929. To wind someone up means to tease or annoy them, but this idiom began to be used in the 70s. I have regularly noted minor editing errors in this series, (all the books are NDJs), such as substituting a wrong name occasionally or a word missing here or there. That's right, I'm a nitpicking old so and so.
The investigation proceeds slowly, revealing more about various characters, and hinting at connections with something higher than a local murder. Bodies pile up, tension mounts, and the investigators are under pressure. Henry and Mickey can't always be together, and Henry goes back to a crime scene for another look one evening. He hears a sound, and Wonk! Careless Henry is out to it, and wishing later that he had knocked off early for dinner. The cops eventually get their man. Whodunnit lovers might be able to divine the truth, but probably late in the book.
Although these books are slow paced, they are not too long at about 200 pages, and can usually be read in a day, especially by insomniacs.
I'll rate this 3.8.
As always I remain sensitive to the language which is supposedly that of 1929. To wind someone up means to tease or annoy them, but this idiom began to be used in the 70s. I have regularly noted minor editing errors in this series, (all the books are NDJs), such as substituting a wrong name occasionally or a word missing here or there. That's right, I'm a nitpicking old so and so.
The investigation proceeds slowly, revealing more about various characters, and hinting at connections with something higher than a local murder. Bodies pile up, tension mounts, and the investigators are under pressure. Henry and Mickey can't always be together, and Henry goes back to a crime scene for another look one evening. He hears a sound, and Wonk! Careless Henry is out to it, and wishing later that he had knocked off early for dinner. The cops eventually get their man. Whodunnit lovers might be able to divine the truth, but probably late in the book.
Although these books are slow paced, they are not too long at about 200 pages, and can usually be read in a day, especially by insomniacs.
I'll rate this 3.8.
June 30, 2017
Death Scene’s biggest flaw is that it lacks the feel of the 1920’s. While technically correct, it doesn't capture the romance and mystery of the silent film industry as I had hoped. Instead, Death Scene is pretty much a standard police procedural that could be set anytime pre-1970. It isn’t a bad mystery but from the description and the cover I expected more film industry involvement. As a police procedural, it is solidly written with a strong focus on character - particularly that of the lead, DCI Henry Johnstone. Much of the novel is devoted to his memories of his and his sister’s difficult youth with their uncaring father and his memories of WWI. His DS is supportive, having been in the war alongside Johnstone and being the one individual other than his sister who knows his background. Jane Adams puts a lot of effort into character development, even that of peripheral characters. The people are realistic, a characteristic I definitely admire. If you are looking for the romance of a film industry murder, there are better choices, but if you consider Death Scene as part of a larger procedural series, you will definitely enjoy it.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Death Scene from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
January 23, 2021
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. In 1928 an aspiring actress named Cissie Rowe is found smothered in her bungalow near the studios where she worked. She has cocaine traces in her mouth. Detective Inspector Henry Johnstone and his trusty sidekick Detective Sergeant Mickey Hitchens come from Scotland Yard to this seaside community to investigate. Henry seems to be analytical and lacking in the human touch, so he relies on Mickey for those attributes. Together they make a good team. What I appreciate about the book is that it is well thought out. It progresses smoothly and is easy to follow. I never got lost in the details. Henry and Mickey must separate fact from fiction as they look into the young woman’s life. It isn’t great literature, but it is a fine way to spend a few evenings. I think Henry has an interesting back story that is slowly revealed. Mickey is plucky and sharp and I would like to know more about his background as well. I wasn’t sure who the murderer was until near the end, and that also suites me.
March 17, 2018
I found this series on the “new mystery” shelf at the local library. I didn’t realize this writer had other series when I started “The Murder Book”. I like Inspector Henry Johnstone and his Sgt. Mickey Hitchens and esp DCI Johnstines “Murder book”. Perhaps because I keep my daily journal to record my thoughts and my gratitude as my days proceed. And I like his sister Cynthia and the two siblings back story.
It was a very satisfying read and provided much enjoyment and respite from my recent work days.
It was a very satisfying read and provided much enjoyment and respite from my recent work days.
July 16, 2023
Big improvement over first book.
All pages are related to the plot. Good use of flash back writing.
Reminisent of Sherlock holmes, as Henry is Sherlock, Hitchens is Watson and Cynthia is Mycroft.
Cynthia should always be a part of the story.
Henry's struggle with the are and his upbringing bring depth to to Character.
There is more to learn regardng Sgt. Hitchens domestic life.
All pages are related to the plot. Good use of flash back writing.
Reminisent of Sherlock holmes, as Henry is Sherlock, Hitchens is Watson and Cynthia is Mycroft.
Cynthia should always be a part of the story.
Henry's struggle with the are and his upbringing bring depth to to Character.
There is more to learn regardng Sgt. Hitchens domestic life.
March 11, 2025
I enjoyed this one more than the first one in the series, perhaps because I already ”knew” the main characters. However the abrupt ending startled me. But then I realized that we didn’t need a long drawn-out explanation as Henry and Mickey had essentially figured it all out. I hope there is a third book in the series; I’d like to find out more about Henry’s past, especially who “AG” is or was.
April 30, 2019
A charming historical novel with some interesting characters, this is the first Henry Johnstone mystery that I've read. I like the intelligent interplay between Henry and his Sargent as well as with his sister, Cynthia. It gives a nice view of the 1920's time period as well.
June 14, 2023
I thought this book really looked into the struggles that young attractive women went through and still go through which as a female reader really attracted me. However, the ending disappointed me as I wanted it to be more suspenseful but this did not happen.
August 15, 2023
Henry, Mickey, and Cynthia and her husband are more interesting than the plot, which is pretty dull and plodding. I'll continue with the series in hopes that we learn more about the recurring characters and their personalities. The plot for this one was plodding and lackluster.
March 11, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
The year is 1928 and silent screen star Cissie Rowe is found dead.
DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens are investigating the murder. They make a very good team. We learn enough background on the two men to satisfy us, but not so much that the story gets boring. When they arrive at the scene of the crime, they ascertain that it was murder. Luckily an astute PC Prentice had called them in or the case would have been ruled an accident or suicide.
When Johnstone and Hitchens go to interview two men who were known to Cissie, they find another body – and another murder. Then Cissie’s house gets ransacked.
What they uncover is a puzzle. They go about interviewing potential suspects, people who knew Cissie and her friends and acquaintances. Cissie is not who she was believed to be, nor is anyone else connected to the case. She had secrets, perhaps secrets that could be misconstrued or harmful.
The murderer was a bit of a surprise, but I had them in the back of my mind from the start. The journey getting to the unveiling, however, was fun and exciting.
A fair bit of research went into this book. Ms. Adams is a fine writer. The plotting is well done and the pacing was very good. Every sentence was relevant to the story; no wasted words. This is my first Jane Adams novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. I loved it!
I want to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for forwarding to me a copy of this most delightful mystery.
The year is 1928 and silent screen star Cissie Rowe is found dead.
DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens are investigating the murder. They make a very good team. We learn enough background on the two men to satisfy us, but not so much that the story gets boring. When they arrive at the scene of the crime, they ascertain that it was murder. Luckily an astute PC Prentice had called them in or the case would have been ruled an accident or suicide.
When Johnstone and Hitchens go to interview two men who were known to Cissie, they find another body – and another murder. Then Cissie’s house gets ransacked.
What they uncover is a puzzle. They go about interviewing potential suspects, people who knew Cissie and her friends and acquaintances. Cissie is not who she was believed to be, nor is anyone else connected to the case. She had secrets, perhaps secrets that could be misconstrued or harmful.
The murderer was a bit of a surprise, but I had them in the back of my mind from the start. The journey getting to the unveiling, however, was fun and exciting.
A fair bit of research went into this book. Ms. Adams is a fine writer. The plotting is well done and the pacing was very good. Every sentence was relevant to the story; no wasted words. This is my first Jane Adams novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. I loved it!
I want to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for forwarding to me a copy of this most delightful mystery.
August 18, 2017
The ending was terrible. It was an alright read, but kind of a let down.
November 23, 2017
Kept me interested up to the end. Good ploy
December 26, 2017
Interesting story with lots of ends to tie in, intelligent DCI and DS, at least one competent rural constable. A quick read.
February 28, 2019
A well presented, complex mystery in this second book in this new series. The inspector and his sergeant are well drawn.
Read
May 30, 2022i read this some time in middle school
August 10, 2025
Continues to be a good series! Enjoying the slow reveal of Henry and Mickey’s backgrounds.
June 16, 2017
1928 and Cissie Rowe is an up and coming actress in the world of Shoreham film studio. That is until she is found dead by her neighbour. DCI Henry Johnstone and DS Mickey Hitchens are sent to investigate.
An enjoyable old-fashioned English murder mystery, lots of suspects, some well-developed characters in this well-written tale. Although the second in the series I didn't feel that I missed out on any of the main characters background by not reading the first book.
A NetGalley Book
An enjoyable old-fashioned English murder mystery, lots of suspects, some well-developed characters in this well-written tale. Although the second in the series I didn't feel that I missed out on any of the main characters background by not reading the first book.
A NetGalley Book
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews