Death in the theatre

Quick Curtain by Alan Melville is another in the British Library’s reprints of older detective novels – this one was first published in 1934. As usual with this set of reprints there is an excellent cover and an interesting introduction.

This is a detective story set in the theatre. Douglas B Douglas is a theatre producer and his musical is called Blue Music. As part of the plot the main male lead has to die but on the opening night of the show his leading actor actually dies on stage – it must be murder. In the audience is Inspector Wilson of Scotland Yard who has to work out what is happening and whether a subsequent death is that of the murderer. To help him investigate Inspector Wilson enlists his journalist son Derek who endeavours to find out what is happening by going undercover.

This is meant to be a funny book and it succeeds despite being written so long ago. The author is making fun of the theatre and theatre people. His detective is almost as over the top as the theatre director, and Derek is full of sarcastic comments and witty observations.

I read this book in one sitting with a smile on my face. I found it amusing and well plotted. It was full of suspicious characters, secrets and red herrings. I ignored reality and enjoyed time in the theatrical world that the author conjures up so well.