by Linda Barnes
First published 1986
Theater director Arthur Darien faces a crisis. His production of "Dracula" teeters on the edge of collapse as bizarre pranks terrorize the cast. Someone serves actual blood in Bloody Mary cocktails. Other macabre jokes follow. The cast grows increasingly nervous. Opening night approaches, but the show may never reach the stage. Darien calls in Michael Spraggue for help. Spraggue joins the production as an actor, but his real job remains secret from most of the troupe. He must identify the prankster before the jokes escalate to murder. As Spraggue investigates, he discovers deception runs deeper than expected. Cast members hide their true identities and motives. Everyone seems to be performing both on stage and off. The pranks grow more dangerous. Spraggue realizes he faces a killer who views murder as the ultimate theatrical performance. He must solve the mystery before the final curtain falls on someone's life.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, unreliable-narrator
192 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Fawcett