From Publishers Weekly
Encore Murder marks the encore appearance of the comedic duo Trixie Dolan and Evangeline Sinclair, who first flung rapid repartee at each other and everyone in their vicinity in Reel Murder . Now, real arrows rather than witty remarks fly about with an effect at once literally deadening--for one flamboyant actress--and literarily light and lively. When aging actress Griselda von Kirstenburg, a longtime rival of Evangeline's, decides to liven up her career by writing her memoirs, their appearance is too close to the publication date of Evangeline's own memoirs for the latter's comfort. Meanwhile, Trixie's daughter Martha--an archery ace who is highly strung with prenuptial jitters--just happens to be within clear shot of the murder victim and holding the quiver when the victim is inpaled by an arrow. Was she really instructing a young actor in preparation for a role requiring such skills? Trixie has no doubts as she aims arch remarks at all and sundry during her quest for the truth.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
A shrill second outing for chronically warring one-time American movie stars Evangeline Sinclair and Trixie Dolan, who are sharing a London house - as well as the ups and downs of various half-baked plans for theatrical ventures. For Trixie, the most promising of these is a revival of Arsenic and Old Lace that's being proposed by successful producer Hugh Carpenter, who's soon to marry Trixie's adopted daughter Martha. Hugh's ex-wife Cressida, who starred in a popular early TV series called The Highwayman, is now virulently feminist. She has plans to star Evangeline in a version of King Lear, to be called Queen Leah, for her Widow's Mite Productions. As ever in Babson's archest work, there must be moppets - here they're the two children of Hugh and Cressida who've come under Trixie's care through elaborately contrived circumstances, another set of which brings star-struck waiter Trevor to Trixie's house for the purpose of taking archery lessons from expert Martha. It's soon after one of those lessons that a bow and arrow is used to kill Cressida, bringing a contemptuous Superintendent Heyhoe hack into the ladies' lives (Reel Murder). There's little detective work involved in the lumbering solution - only a wearing attempt at lighthearted farce that Finds the author at the top of her voice but the bottom of her oeuvre. (Kirkus Reviews)
