There's nothing I like more than a book with a dog on the cover, and this one is so appealing.
I am delighted to have an excerpt from this lovely book today. Murder Most Wilde by Helen Golden looks like a fabulous read, and is part of A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery series.
The Blurb
In the world of amateur theatre, the drama isn’t all onstage…
Tragedy Strikes the Windstanton Players
Popular local actor, Noel Ashworth, who collapsed during the rehearsal of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, was pronounced dead at the scene. As shock ripples through Windstanton’s tight-knit amateur theatre group, the Fenshire Police are looking at them as suspects.
I can’t let Perry’s acting debut end in disaster! With the cast spooked and the local police under-resourced, Bea—along with Perry, Rich, Simon, and her trusty Westie, Daisy must shift through the cast’s petty jealousies and diva behaviour to unmask the killer before they strike again.
When the show must go on...will everyone make it to opening night?
The Excerpt
Intro
Perry Juke is excited to take on the part of Algernon in The Windstanton Player’s adaptation of The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde. As rehearsals begin in the village hall, Perry is settling into the role and looking forward to opening night. Four weeks before the preview they move to the Windstanton Theatre Royal for their rehearsal in the historic theatre and everyone seems a little tense. Suddenly one of the lead actors, Noel Ashworth, collapses on stage during a scene with Perry, and panic sets in…
***
Oh my giddy aunt! Perry’s heart hammered against his ribs as he raced towards Noel’s crumpled form.
Crunch!
His polished boot crushed something beneath it, but Perry barely registered it. His mind was laser-focused on Noel as his eyes locked on to the unmoving form of his fellow actor.
Emily beat him there by a hair’s breadth, dropping to her knees beside Noel’s body. “Noel! Can you hear me?” Her normally unflappable voice pitched with urgency.
Perry joined her on the floor. Noel lay still, his skin a sickly pale sheen of sweat. Perry’s stomach twisted. This is bad. Really bad.
“Call an ambulance! Now!” Em barked over her shoulder, her steely gaze resting on Kurt, who stood rooted to the spot, gaping at them, his face pale and blank as if his mind had short-circuited.
Perry clenched his fists. “Kurt! Call for help! Ring an ambulance!”
Kurt blinked at him dumbly. Perry wanted to shake him. Of all the times to go into shock! He patted his pockets out of habit and groaned. No phone. Brilliant! “Do something, man!” he bellowed, his frustration bubbling over.
That seemed to jolt Kurt into action. He fumbled for his phone. His movements were jerky as he turned away, muttering into the receiver.
Beside Perry, Em was trying to reposition Noel’s limp body. “We need to get him in the recovery position. Perry, help me.”
He hesitated. His instinct told him it was already too late. He’d seen his fair share of corpses over the last few years. The grey tinge to Noel’s skin, the slackness in his face... Perry swallowed hard. But he bit back his doubts. If there was any chance Noel could be saved, then they had to try. Together, he and Em rolled Noel onto his side. His head lolled unnaturally, his skin waxy and slick with sweat. She pressed a trembling finger to Noel’s throat. The pause that followed seemed to last forever.
Her face twisted. “I can’t feel…” she whispered, her composure cracking as she rolled Noel onto his back. “Colin! Get the defibrillator!”
Without hesitation, she clasped her hands and began chest compressions—firm,
fast, steady. “If it is a heart attack, we might still have a chance, right?” Her eyes met Perry’s. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he heard footsteps bolting in the direction of the wings.
He crouched nearby, his heart thudding in his throat, watching her hands rise and fall in rhythm. If Colin doesn’t come back quickly… What do I have to do? Think! He’d practised CPR before, years ago—but had never used it in real life. What was the song you have to give compressions to? He remembered and began reciting the words of the children’s song “Nelly the Elephant” under his breath, mentally preparing himself to take over from Em.
“Come on, Noel,” Em muttered, breathless with effort. “Come on…”
Footsteps thundered back into the room. Perry stood and shuffled back to make space, his foot landing on something small and hard. Noel’s fake cigarette, its casing broken. Without thinking, he scooped up the pieces and tucked them into his pocket.
Colin skidded to a halt beside him, his eyes wide, the defibrillator clutched to his chest. “I’ve never used one of these before!” he gasped, thrusting the machine at Perry. “I’ll take over CPR.”
Perry caught the unit, nodded, and shuffled into place beside Noel as Colin dropped to his knees opposite Em and immediately took over compressions.
Perry suppressed a sigh of relief as he flipped the lid up. At least the machine will talk me through what to do…
He powered it on. The device came to life with a mechanical voice. After telling him to call for help, it continued, “Apply pads to patient’s bare chest.”
He knelt closer and helped Em tear open Noel’s shirt. The skin was clammy beneath the pads, the adhesive slow to stick. Still, they got them in place as shown in the illustration.
Perry knelt back as the voice instructed, “Analysing heart rhythm. Do not touch the patient.”
Colin stopped, and everyone froze.
“Shock not advised. Begin CPR.”
Em gave a curt nod, and Colin resumed compressions, singing what sounded to Perry like “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees under his breath.
Perry swallowed hard. No shock? That must mean there was no shockable rhythm…
A sharp scream startled him. His head jerked up to see Stella standing frozen half-way along the stage, her eyes wide with horror, one hand clamped over her mouth.
“Tom!” Em shouted, her voice snapping like a whip. “Get Stella out of here!”
Tom remained rooted in place, gawking at Noel’s lifeless form. Em shot Perry a pleading look. “We’ve got this, Perry. Can you…?”
He nodded and rose. “Come on, Stella,” he said softly, going over to her. Her
gaze didn’t waver from Noel, her limbs rigid. He put an arm around her shoulders, but she didn’t budge.
“Is he…?” she whispered.
“They’re doing everything they can,” Perry told her, though the words felt hollow.
Just then, Millie appeared, looking flushed. “Can I help?” she asked as her eyes settled on the morbid tableau taking place before her.
Perry blinked, surprised to see her. She isn’t due until later. Then again, maybe she’d mixed up the schedule like Stella had.
“Noel’s been taken… er, ill,” he blurted. “Please, Millie, take her somewhere. Get her a cup of tea. Plenty of sugar. She needs to sit down.”
Understanding dawned in Millie’s eyes, and she murmured her agreement, her face solemn. She gently pulled Stella towards the curtain, whispering reassurances.
Perry’s gaze darted back to Noel. Should I take photos of the scene? He shook his head. No. That’s ridiculous. This was almost certainly a heart attack, not something nefarious. Noel was very young to have a cardiac arrest, but if drugs were involved… He let the thought trail off as the distant wail of sirens reached his ears.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1915747341
Publisher: Drew Bradley Press
Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)
No. of Pages: 324 (paperback)
Series: Book 12 in the A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery series.
Purchase Links
Amazon UK
Amazon US
About the Author
Helen Golden spins mysteries that are charmingly British, delightfully deadly, and served with a twist of humour.
With quirky characters, clever red herrings, and plots that keep the pages turning, she’s the author of the much-loved A Right Royal Cozy Investigation series, following Lady Beatrice and her friends—including one clever little dog—as they uncover secrets hidden in country houses and royal palaces. Her new historical mystery series, The Duchess of Stortford Mysteries, is set in Victorian England and introduces an equally curious sleuth from Lady Beatrice’s own family tree—where murders are solved over cups of tea, whispered gossip, and overheard conversations in drawing rooms and grand estates.
Helen lives in a quintessential English village in Lincolnshire with her husband, stepdaughter, and a menagerie of pets—including a dog, several cats, a tortoise, and far too many fish.
If you love clever puzzles, charming settings, and sleuths with spark, her books are waiting for you.
You can also find Helen at:
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(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)
(all opinions are my own)
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