To Catch an Actress and Other Mystery Stories

From the Death of Turandot to the trials and tribulations of Constabulary Duty, every performance becomes a Mortality Play.

CONTENTS:

To Catch an Actress: Actress, Angela Benson, inherits a fortune when her aunt is murdered, but the killer is never found, and suspicion continues to cloud her life, until one day, a young journalist discovers some startling new evidence that casts a new light on the three-year-old case.

Fugue for Two Ferraris: During a hair-raising drive up Interstate 5, Philippa Beary not only deals with an aggravating and lecherous escort, but also uncovers a ruthless murderer.

The Death of Turandot: Philippa’s debut in the opera chorus is marred when Diva, Lisa Metz, is found stabbed to death in her dressing room after a triumphant performance of Turandot.

Death and the Doorknockers: Bertram Beary catches a cunning murderer while plodding around the campaign trail on a dreary November evening.

A Body for Sparafucile: When Philippa and her friend, Adam, take a break from the opera workshop to relax at the beach, their idyll is interrupted when a woman hurtles to her death from the top of the cliff.

Bow, Bow, Ye Upper Middle Classes: Beary reluctantly escorts his wife to a fundraising dinner, but his boredom is rapidly alleviated when an unpopular ex-finance minister collapses and dies at the head table.

Constabulary Duty: Murder strikes during an amateur operatic society production of The Pirates of Penzance.

Mortality Play: A Church Morality Play ends tragically and the only witness is a small girl who doesn’t realize she may be in danger.

Fatal Interval: Richard Beary is drawn to a fascinating lady during the interval of a performance of Il Trovatore but fate has something else in store from what he had in mind.

Oh, What a Beautiful Mourning: Philippa Beary is spending the summer playing Laurie in a production of Oklahoma at Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl. She becomes intrigued by a mysterious widow who regularly walks the paths of the rose garden, but one day the sunlight exposes the expression behind the veil, and Philippa starts to wonder about the story behind the black widow’s smile.

TO CATCH AN ACTRESS AND OTHER MYSTERY STORIES

The classic murder mystery plots are reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen. – Kirkus Discoveries

I really enjoyed it. The writing is assured and lively, and the logic is credible……would make a great series……. accessible as a vehicle for TV or film. – Barbara Kay, National Post Columnist

Anyone interested in opera, music, theatre and/or local politics should enjoy Elwood’s good ear for dialogue and lively characters, which are often as much fun as the mysteries themselves. – Annie Boulanger, Burnaby Now

Ten intelligent stories told with wit and style…a value-packed summer read. – Jan de Grass, Coast Reporter

Elwood’s unique background adds witty dialogue and a good mix of the slapstick and the serious to her stories, and I suspect it won’t be long before we see some of the other tales appearing on the local stage. – Dan Hillborn, Burnaby Now

Polished and entertaining, and moves along at a lively pace. – Eileen Kernaghan, author of The Alchemist’s Daughter

If you like Da Vinci’s Inquest, you’ll enjoy Elwood’s book. Great fun. – Melanie Minty, Surrey Now

The characters in To Catch an Actress were made for murder mystery..cleverly construed. – Jennifer Maloney, North Shore Outlook