Star Trap: A Crime Novel

Scribner, 1978-02-01. Hardcover. Acceptable/Good. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York [Published Date: 1977]. Hardcover, 191 pp. 2nd printing. Acceptable in good dust jacket. Brown textured paper over boards have light bumping, scuffing and fading to edges. Spine has a thin crack at title page but binding is otherwise solid. Very light Damp staining (water stains) to edges of last 20 pages. Small remainder mark on bottom of text block. Otherwise pages are lightly aged but clean and unmarked. Dust jacket has a few small nicks and light creasing along edges. light overall scuffing, fading and soiling to jacket as well. Now in an archival-quality (removable) Brodart Cover. NOT Ex-Library. A solid reading copy. [From front jacket flap] Charles Paris, actor turned amateur sleuth, is hired for a small part in a London musical after the rehearsal pianist has been shot in the hand and a member of the cast fell (or was pushed) downstairs, breaking a leg, and is asked to report confidentially any further suspicious occurrences. Charles, on the alert, is just in time to save another actor from a piece of falling scenery. The show — a musical version of SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER — is rehearsing frantically for a three-weeks-road tour prior to the London opening and tempers are wearing thin. The author of the musical [not Oliver Goldsmith who must be turning uneasily in his grave at the changes in his play) loses his temper with the star and is subsequently beaten up, an actress is given a Mickey Finn, the musical director is knocked down by a hit-and-run car, and finally one of the cast commits suicide. Too many coincidences and it's up to Charles to find out what connects them. This is top-notch Brett, whose inside knowledge of the theater and ready wit combine to produce a piece of brilliant entertainment.