Bought in the Age charity shop in Haxby today.

Set in the 1960s in Brighton, this murder mystery focuses on the theatre performers of the variety shows of yesteryear, pre war, and the two world wars. So by the 60s they're all getting on a bit. But someone's still up for murder. Old actor/theatre performer/businessman/all-round womaniser and creep Bill Billington is found dead in his chair. All looks natural until it turns out that he was poisoned with rat poison. And one of his sons suspects his mother.

So the police come in, and the mother, an old stage performer herself, hires private detective duo Emma and Sam to solve the case and assumedly prove her innocence. This seems to be the sixth in the series, so I guess there's been a lot of build up of Emma and Sam's backstories. It worked as a stand alone fine enough though. Although I have to admit I often forgot it was set in the 60s, and thought it was set in more recent times.

At one point they even have to leg it up north to Whitby to interview a couple of actors who are working on a Dracula film.

Left this on the bookshelf at work.