Description

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In Mariah Fredericks's Death of a Showman, the fourth in this absorbing series set in Gilded Age New York, lady’s maid Jane Prescott is thrust into the world of show business, where a killer is stalking Broadway.

“A lively upstairs/downstairs mystery.”—New York Times Book Review on A Death of No Importance

It is the summer of 1914 and lady’s maid Jane Prescott is back in New York with the Tylers after a glittering society wedding in Europe. On their return, Jane learns another wedding has taken place. Her old dancing partner, Leo Hirschfeld, has married a chorus girl in his new Broadway musical.

Jane and Louise Tyler are pulled into the sparkling and scandalous world of Broadway, as a star struck Louise invests in Leo's show, and Jane chaperones her at rehearsals. But behind the glittering facade of the theater, there are rivalries, secret romances, and some very dodgy business practices. When the show's abusive producer, Sidney Warburton, is murdered, the list of suspects is long. Was it the comedic star or her gambler boyfriend? The disgruntled costume designer? The beautiful, blond dancer, her jealous husband? Or was it Leo himself, who had more reason than anyone to hate Sidney Warburton?

As the First World war looms in the distance, Jane and tabloid reporter Michael Behan must strip back the masks of these consummate performers before one of them kills again.

About the Author

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MARIAH FREDERICKS was born, raised, and still lives in New York City. She graduated from Vassar College with a degree in history. She is the author of the Jane Prescott mystery series, which has twice been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, as well as several YA novels. She can be reached through her website.

Praise For…

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One of Broadway Direct's "Top Theatre Books to Read This Summer 2021"

"With a spirited, intelligent heroine; pitch-perfect descriptions of pre–World War I New York; and believable characters, Fredericks’s latest historical mystery is a delight."—Library Journal (Starred)

"Fredericks offers up a cast of original, fully human characters, even the most villainous of whom have backstories that evoke at least a little understanding. Those who think they know where the story is going will be pleasantly surprised. This witty, empathetic foray into the world of Broadway will leave readers eager for Jane’s next adventure."—Publishers Weekly (Starred)

"Fans [will] be satisfied by the upstairs-downstairs world the protagonist inhabits and her understated canniness at crime solving. For fans of the series and of any fiction set in the Gilded Age."—Booklist

"Author Mariah Fredericks has clearly done her research on Gilded Age New York and its colossal theaters, because she creates a real sense of being behind the scenes and behind the curtain. [It’s] all told with understated elegance."—BookPage

"As the book's amiable narrator, Jane is clever, thoughtful and surprisingly streetwise. Lively and arresting."—Shelf Awareness