Ill Met by Murder: A Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery

Duncan’s lightweight sequel to 2015’s Untimely Death finds costume designer Charlotte Fairfax involved in the preparations for a special performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to accompany the wedding of the daughter of Paula Van Dusen, the chief benefactor of the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company, who hosts an annual fund-raiser for the company. Various misfortunes undermine the play, which features an all-male cast, and the wedding plans, including a stolen donkey’s head prop, a kidnapped poodle, cutthroat real estate deals, and, worst of all, a murder, which involves the donkey’s head and a missing guest who seems to have made an ass of himself. Fortunately, Charlotte can turn to Aaron Jacobs, her talented design assistant, for help in sorting everything out. Duncan fans are sure to enjoy this cozy, but some aficionados of the Bard may find the Shakespeare background too superficial for their tastes. [em]Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency. (Dec.) [/em]