One of the reasons I enjoy writing book reviews is the chance to read authors I might not have otherwise discovered. Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan is one such case. The first book in the Shakespeare in the Castskills mystery series, it is written in the gentle pace of an Agatha Christie novel, which slowly draws the reader in while keeping them guessing until the end. 

Charlotte Fairfax is the costume designer for a small theater company located in an old hotel in the Catskill Mountains. An Englishwoman who used to work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Charlotte has great attention to detail, whether for her costumes or for the people with whom she works. 

When an actress is first poisoned and then turns up dead, Charlotte turns her observation skills to finding the murderer. The police have a suspect they think committed the crime, but Charlotte disagrees with their suspicions. This makes her more determined to discover what really happened.

Untimely Death is the perfect read for a rainy Sunday afternoon. The writing is smooth and flows along at such a perfect pace, you’ll be nearing the end before you realize it. With two more books in the Shakespeare in the Catskills series, I’ll be looking them up at the library. Perhaps you will, too.

—

Disclosure of Material Connection: I borrowed this book from the library. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”