Part of Susan Wren, book 4
First published 2023
A Hollywood film crew arrives in Hampstead, Kansas to shoot scenes at the old Lockett Mansion. Scream queen Laura Edwards stars in the production, drawing excited crowds from the small town. On the first day of shooting, Laura's stunt double Kay films a violent death scene. When the director calls cut, Kay remains motionless in her pool of blood. The crew discovers Kay is actually dead, murdered during the take. Kay looked remarkably similar to the blonde actress Laura Edwards, raising the question of mistaken identity. Police chief Susan Wren takes charge of the investigation. She must determine whether Kay was the intended victim or if someone meant to kill Laura instead. The killer remains at large while the film crew stays in town. Susan races to solve the murder before the perpetrator strikes again.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, whodunit
Setting: Hampstead, Kansas, Lockett Mansion
Period: 20th-century
346 pages · Kindle Edition · Joffe Books
Content warnings: murder