My name is Mabel Havelock, and I’ve been railroaded into acting. The role I’m playing is the role of Jeeves, the butler. I know, weird, right? More about that later. The Glenhaven Players is the little theatre group from my hometown. And our drama club is hosting a one-act drama festival. Violet Ficher, my best friend, and I volunteered to help. Violet is looking after props and doing the makeup. I am, or I was, doing the prompting. And let me tell you, these actors can use all the prompting help they can get. Particularly the lead in the play, Jolene, who, in my opinion, is miscast. She is Helen, our director’s granddaughter.

Anyway, back to the reason for my acting debut. Sherman Mahan, the man, playing the part of the butler in the play, is dead. Accidental or murdered? ‘That is the question.’ Sorry I couldn’t resist. And just between you and me if it wasn’t for that Christmas tree. I would be lying dead beside poor Sherman.

So, anyway, I’ve been recruited to play his part in the play. Yes, I know, more miscasting. But that’s not the only problem. Once again, I almost get killed even before I set foot on stage. Was that another accident? I suspect sabotage.

And I’ll tell you why. Once the drama festival begins, things get worse. While performing on stage, more strange incidents occur to the other drama clubs. Not one club escapes on scathed. I guess one accident could be my fault. Well, okay, it was my fault. But let’s leave that for now.

Even the adjudicator, Mandy Swan, is not immune to the sabotage. Mind you; it couldn’t happen to a better person. Her picture should be under overblown ego in the dictionary. Of course, I don’t want her dead. But taken down a peg or two would suit me. Speaking of egos, the mayor’s wife, Gloria Hamilton, is taking over our drama club and sidelining poor Helen.

I’m trying to convince Violet to help me find the saboteur. But her response is, who would want to stop the drama festival? She has a point. Would a member of our little theatre club have a reason? Ned, the weird little man who plays the villain in our play, is he a villain in real life? Not Sam for sure, he is a victim of the shenanigans. But what about Mike? Helen’s husband, he really dislikes the adjudicator, and for good reason. Or how about Tommy? He is doing the light and sound for the festival, so he is always there during the performances. But he seems like a likeable kid, and anyway, what would be his motive? Then, there are the directors and actors from the other four drama clubs. Some of whom have big egos. But why would they sabotage the drama festival they were participating in? Or is it some disgruntled citizen of Glenhaven who hates drama? But the big question is, why did someone kill Sherman? And that, my friends, is what I intend to find out.

Murder is a hard act to follow. All the drama does not take place on the stage at the Glenhaven Drama Festival. A collection of amateur actors with big egos land in Mabel Havelock’s hometown. And Mabel’s acting debut is not the only thing on her mind. Mysterious accidents and sabotage are plaguing the festival. Mabel and her best friend, Violet Ficher, are determined to ferret out the culprit. The problem is why? Who has anything to gain? And why did Sherman have to die?

Murder, Exit Stage Right, A Mabel and Violet’s Excellent Adventures Mystery #5
Genre: Cozy
Release: September 2022
Purchase Link

Murder is a hard act to follow. All the drama does not take place on the stage at the Glenhaven Drama Festival. A collection of amateur actors with big egos land in Mabel Havelock’s hometown. And Mabel’s acting debut is not the only thing on her mind.

Mysterious accidents and sabotage are plaguing the festival. Mabel and her best friend Violet Ficher are determined to ferret out the culprit. The problem is why? Who has anything to gain? And why did Sherman have to die?

About the author
Joan Havelange is a Canadian author of five cozy mystery novels. She directed theatre for 15 years. She says writing is a lot like directing; only her characters show up on time and always know their lines. Although sometimes, they do go off in a direction that surprises her. She began writing romances but soon discovered she was not romantic and turned to cozy mysteries. Which was the right choice as her first cozy mystery, ‘Wayward Shot,’ was published in 2019. You can find Joan on her author Facebook page, Mabel Mysteries.

All comments are welcomed.