A Decent Interval

Book excerpt: Meet Charles Paris: a washed-up actor with a taste for wine, women . . . and solving crimes! A binge-worthy cozy mystery series from the original king of British cozy crime, internationally best-selling, award-winning author Simon Brett, OBE. For fans of Richard Osman - but with added bite! "Like a little malice in your mysteries? Some cynicism in your cosies? Simon Brett is happy to oblige" THE NEW YORK TIMES "Few crime writers are as enchantingly gifted" THE SUNDAY TIMES "One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Perfect entertainment" THE GUARDIAN "A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans" P.D. JAMES "Murder most enjoyable" COLIN DEXTER _______________________ A middle-aged actor - and sometimes sleuth - takes on Hamlet Two TV talent show winners are in the star roles . . . Who has murderous intentions towards Hamlet and Ophelia? That is the question in A DECENT INTERVAL! Eternally struggling, jobbing actor Charles Paris is relieved to be offered the roles of Ghost and First Gravedigger in a production of Hamlet opening at the Grand Theatre, Marlborough. The star roles of Hamlet and Ophelia have been entrusted to TV talent show winners Jared Root and Katrina Selsey to attract a younger, social media savvy audience. With tickets already sold out, it's on the verge of being an overwhelming success - until one of the stage's giant skull bones crashes on to Jared during rehearsals. And when Katrina is found dead during the opening night interval, Charles suspects foul play. Is there a connection between Jared's injury and Katrina's demise? Diva Katrina was roundly disliked, but who despised her enough to commit murder? Fans of Agatha Christie, The Thursday Murder Club, Anthony Horowitz, Alexander McCall Smith, M.C. Beaton and Faith Martin will love this hilarious cozy traditional mystery series featuring one of the funniest antiheroes in crime fiction. Written over a fifty-year-period, it perfectly captures life and contemporary attitudes in 1970s London - and beyond! READERS ADORE CHARLES PARIS: "Brett has a rare gift for balancing humor and detection" Publishers Weekly Starred Review "More than worth the price of admission" Booklist Starred Review "An exhilarating read" Daily Mail "A brilliant, extraordinary whodunit" Ryan, 5* Goodreads review "Effortlessly readable" Adrian, 5* Amazon review "A marvellous book" Paulinderwick, 5* Amazon review "Another great Charles Paris mystery" David, 5* Amazon review THE CHARLES PARIS MYSTERIES, IN ORDER: 1. Cast in Order of Disappearance 2. So Much Blood 3. Star Trap 4. An Amateur Corpse 5. A Comedian Dies 6. The Dead Side of the Mike 7. Situation Tragedy 8. Murder Unprompted 9. Murder in the Title 10. Not Dead, Only Resting 11. Dead Giveaway 12. What Bloody Man is That 13. A Series of Murders 14. Corporate Bodies 15. A Reconstructed Corpse 16. Sicken and So Die 17. Dead Room Farce 18. A Decent Interval 19. The Cinderella Killer 20. A Deadly Habit 15. A Reconstructed Corpse 16. Sicken and So Die 17. Dead Room Farce 18. A Decent Interval 19. The Cinderella Killer 20. A Deadly Habit