Book excerpt: "As usual with the Fethering mysteries, the characterization of part-time sleuths Jude and Carole Seddon is rich with subtlety. And, as with the Charles Paris mysteries, readers are treated to a cunningly crafted mystery set in a world where stagecraft can serve sinister uses." Booklist Starred Review The local dramatic society provides fertile ground for murder in the brand-new Fethering mystery When Jude agrees to lend her vintage chaise longue for the local Amateur Dramatics Society's production of George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple, little does she realize she'll end up in a starring role. It's an ambitious play, culminating in a dramatic execution scene: a scene that's played for real when one of the leading actors is found hanging from the especially-constructed stage gallows during rehearsals. A tragic accident - or something more sinister? Carole and Jude make it their business to find out.