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littletaiko's review against another edition
4.0
This book combines two of my favorite things - a good mystery novel and Broadway! There was enough insider theater elements to make me very happy as well as proper clues and well developed characters. This series is set in the 1980's so no social media or cell phones to aid the detectives.
bev_reads_mysteries's review
3.0
Murder on Cue (1983) is Jane Dentinger's debut novel in the Jocelyn "Josh" O'Roarke mystery series. Josh is an aspiring actress who hopes her diaper commercial days are soon to be behind her when she lands a job as understudy to the leading lady in what promises to be a smash Broadway play. She prepares to make the most of her small part as court recorder, but would kill for the chance to step into the part of the female prosecutor. It doesn't help that she has to watch Harriet Weldon, the temperamental star of the show, make a hash of a simply superb part.
Unfortunately, when someone decides to bring the curtain down on Harriet's performance--permanently--the police suspect that she just might have killed for that chance after all. Especially when they learn how she stepped into the role one night in Boston and owned the part...saving the show when Harriet's chronic leg pains prevent her from appearing. After doing so well, she just might not have wanted to give up the part. There is also the fact that she had a major run-in with Harriet just prior to the star's death and Josh had fully expected to be given her walking papers.
With the NYPD looking to fit her for the role of prime suspect, Josh decides to play Sherlock Holmes instead and track down the real killer herself. After all, there are plenty of other people who might have wanted Harriet dead--from the son she tries to dominate and whose friendships she tries to control to the leading man who used to be her lover to Josh's friend Austin Frost, the playwright and someone who has an inheritance stake in Harriet's death. In fact most of the cast and crew of Term of Trial, have had their run-ins with the volatile star.
Fortunately for Josh, Detective-Sergeant Phillip Gerrard who leads the investigation isn't quite as keen to jump to the obvious conclusion as he fellow officers. As he works his way through the evidence, he discovers many of the secrets that Josh's fellow actors and others in the theater would like to keep hidden. Together, Josh and Phillip finally pinpoint the killer....while discovering a few secrets to share themselves.
This was definitely written in the classic tradition. There are plenty of clues to follow up and red herrings to clear out of the path. There is a closed circle of suspects with motives simply crawling out of the woodwork. A very solid debut mystery novel at ★★★. I will definitely be on the lookout for more in this series.
Dentinger was a successful stage actress herself, debuting in Joe Papp’s production of Pericles at the Delacorte Theatre, and later appearing off Broadway in All My Sons at the Roundabout Theatre and in Jack Heifner’s Vanities. Her website tells us that "by the time Vanities finally closed, there were a lot of people she wanted to kill, and hence, she wrote her debut mystery, Murder on Cue, on a grant of sorts from the New York State Department of Labor." She uses her stage experience to good effect in the novel--giving readers an authentic look behind the scenes of a major production.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Unfortunately, when someone decides to bring the curtain down on Harriet's performance--permanently--the police suspect that she just might have killed for that chance after all. Especially when they learn how she stepped into the role one night in Boston and owned the part...saving the show when Harriet's chronic leg pains prevent her from appearing. After doing so well, she just might not have wanted to give up the part. There is also the fact that she had a major run-in with Harriet just prior to the star's death and Josh had fully expected to be given her walking papers.
With the NYPD looking to fit her for the role of prime suspect, Josh decides to play Sherlock Holmes instead and track down the real killer herself. After all, there are plenty of other people who might have wanted Harriet dead--from the son she tries to dominate and whose friendships she tries to control to the leading man who used to be her lover to Josh's friend Austin Frost, the playwright and someone who has an inheritance stake in Harriet's death. In fact most of the cast and crew of Term of Trial, have had their run-ins with the volatile star.
Fortunately for Josh, Detective-Sergeant Phillip Gerrard who leads the investigation isn't quite as keen to jump to the obvious conclusion as he fellow officers. As he works his way through the evidence, he discovers many of the secrets that Josh's fellow actors and others in the theater would like to keep hidden. Together, Josh and Phillip finally pinpoint the killer....while discovering a few secrets to share themselves.
This was definitely written in the classic tradition. There are plenty of clues to follow up and red herrings to clear out of the path. There is a closed circle of suspects with motives simply crawling out of the woodwork. A very solid debut mystery novel at ★★★. I will definitely be on the lookout for more in this series.
Dentinger was a successful stage actress herself, debuting in Joe Papp’s production of Pericles at the Delacorte Theatre, and later appearing off Broadway in All My Sons at the Roundabout Theatre and in Jack Heifner’s Vanities. Her website tells us that "by the time Vanities finally closed, there were a lot of people she wanted to kill, and hence, she wrote her debut mystery, Murder on Cue, on a grant of sorts from the New York State Department of Labor." She uses her stage experience to good effect in the novel--giving readers an authentic look behind the scenes of a major production.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
booksuperpower's review
3.0
Murder on Cue by Jane Dentinger was originally released in 1992. This book is now in digital format and is an Open Road Integrated Media publication. I receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher and Netgalley.
Jocelyn O'Roarke is called up to be the understudy in a new Broadway play. The cast in the play is plagued by past relationships, jealousy, health issues, and a lead actress that isn't the best actress for the role.
When the actress turns up dead, it is determined that it was murder. Jocelyn is the number one suspect since she was the actresses rival for the role.
So, Jocelyn sets out to find out what really happened, with the help of a handsome detective.
This mystery is written like a classic whodunit. All those associated with play are suspects. This mystery does keep you guessing. Although written a good while back, it's not all that dated, and the setting is fun.
For me the only issue was that were maybe too many characters and some aspects of the mystery didn't really come together in the end.
This book would appeal to cozy mystery lovers, and lovers of old fashioned whodunit type mysteries. Overall this one gets a B-
Jocelyn O'Roarke is called up to be the understudy in a new Broadway play. The cast in the play is plagued by past relationships, jealousy, health issues, and a lead actress that isn't the best actress for the role.
When the actress turns up dead, it is determined that it was murder. Jocelyn is the number one suspect since she was the actresses rival for the role.
So, Jocelyn sets out to find out what really happened, with the help of a handsome detective.
This mystery is written like a classic whodunit. All those associated with play are suspects. This mystery does keep you guessing. Although written a good while back, it's not all that dated, and the setting is fun.
For me the only issue was that were maybe too many characters and some aspects of the mystery didn't really come together in the end.
This book would appeal to cozy mystery lovers, and lovers of old fashioned whodunit type mysteries. Overall this one gets a B-
krikketgirl's review against another edition
2.0
Forgettable mystery set on Broadway, with the standard gossipy theater cast, the handsome policeman, the gorgeous nice heroine who is also an amazing actress and an amateur sleuth. The mystery itself was average, but the relationship between the heroine and the policeman was just not believable at all, and the book felt flat. Pass.
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