“The show must go on.” That applies even to playwright Marianne Putnam, when the director of her one-act play, “Jokers Wild,” fails to show for curtains up on opening night at the community theater in Serendipity Springs, Florida. When the director’s wife begs Marianne to accompany her to their home to check on him, they find the man floating in his pool. Dead.
Though not known for his pleasant disposition—her relationship with him had been tense since nearly ramming into his car in a parking lot, but after all, he was the director—who would have wanted to murder him? Surely no one in the production crew, cast or the staff of the community center where the play was to be staged. Maybe it was the wife, who Marianne had overheard arguing with him. Or perhaps someone from his theater connections back in the Big Apple.
Since she was there when the body was discovered, Marianne is considered a suspect. That doesn’t mean she can’t help her three Mah Jongg friends—Syd, Micki and Kat—assist the sheriff with the investigation. But who’s there to help her when her path crosses the murderer’s.
Another fantastic page turner from Barbara Barrett, and it makes me wish for friends like these, that are there whatever the circumstance!
With this story the focus is on Marianne, one of her one act plays has been picked up by the Serendipity Springs Community Theatre and she will be tied up with that for a few weeks, although the director the theatre has hired seems determined that she will have no input, then again he is putting the backs up of most of the people he has to interact with! If that wasn't bad enough though someone is messing with the props for the play, and on one occasion the food and drink that was the directors! Even so they all struggled on and finally the night arrived, only the director didn't and Marianne ends up headed to his house along with his semi-estranged wife, only for them to find him dead in the swimming pool!
Now Marianne is one of the suspects in his death and so her three friends (along with two husbands and a male friend) are joining forces with the Sheriff's department to find out who disliked the director enough to end his career so totally!
JOKERS WILD TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 15 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
September 15 – Dee-Scoveries – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW
September 17 – Christy's Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
September 17 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
September 18 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE
September 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 18 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
September 19 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 19 – Author Elena Taylor's Blog - AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 20 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
September 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 21 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 21 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
September 22 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 22 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
September 23 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
September 23 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY
So glad you enjoy this series and the friendships of my four protagonists. Although none of them are directly based on any one person, I value the friendships I have with the women friends in my life. Those have become all the more important in this pandemic; I discovered Zoom, and I've "seen" more of them than ever.
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Barrett | 09/16/2020 at 05:13 PM
Zoom has been a boon these last few months, and I am lucky I have a couple of friends that would help out if needed (not sure they could help me find a murderer but you never know!).
Roll on the next book :D
Posted by: KnyttWytch | 09/16/2020 at 09:56 PM
I'm glad you've been able to appreciate Zoom. I just wish I'd invested in it last December before COVID reared its head.
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Barrett | 09/22/2020 at 05:31 PM