A Tragic Act

Death lies on her like an untimely frost...

As the spring sunshine warms the expansive grounds of Charleton House, ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Ravensbury, love is in the air. Well-respected theatre director Miranda Summerscale is on site, preparing her cast for a production of Romeo and Juliet as part of the Derbyshire Shakespeare Festival, and a handsome, charismatic actor has caught the eye of catering manager and unintentional super-sleuth, Sophie Lockwood.

Alas, in this most tranquil of settings the gloomy shade of death awaits. Looking for her best friend and sidekick, tour guide Mark Boxer, Sophie stumbles instead upon Miranda lying dead, a rope wrapped around her neck. Curious as ever, Sophie soon finds herself looking into the past of the volatile director, uncovering love triangles and professional jealousies, many foes and few friends. But could Miranda really have been as bad as some people say?

While Mark enters into the spirit of the Festival, his incessant quoting of the Bard leading to a hilarious TV appearance, Sophie's other sidekick, evergreen gift-shop manager Joyce, is enjoying the camaraderie of a budding friendship. Even Sophie is distracted by the hint of romance, wondering just how much her judgement has been impaired when she risks upsetting not only Joyce but also the Duchess, as she narrows the circle of suspects.

With the opening night of Romeo and Juliet drawing ever closer, it looks increasingly likely that at least one person's newfound happiness is also going to end in tragedy.