From Booklist
Detective Bert Hook never thought of himself as having any acting talent, but when Mrs. Dalrymple, the redoubtable doyenne of the local drama group, insists he must play Polonius in the group's production of Hamlet, Bert finds himself agreeing. Never mind the slings and arrows, not to mention the sniggers and jokes, from his colleagues. The cast is a motley bunch, with the leading roles taken by Becky Clegg, a known shoplifter; Jack Dawes, a young punk from one of the council estates; the snooty but gifted wannabe actor Michael Carey; and "I'm no actor" Bert. Terry Logan, the director, is clearly the most talented of the bunch, but when Logan is found dead, Bert realizes he'll have to relinquish his Polonius persona and step into his police-detective shoes. Engaging, enjoyable, and well crafted, this is sure to please fans of Simon Brett's Charles Paris novels, also set in the world of British theater. Melton, Emily
