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MUCH ADO ABOUT MURDER
by Anne Perry, Editor
Berkley, December 2002
339 pages
$23.95
ISBN: 0425186504


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Anne Perry has gathered 16 mystery authors who weave short stories "inspired" by the works of Shakespeare. She adds a 17th story to this intriguing and often fascinating collection. Some of the tales are peopled with characters from the plays, while others have the Bard himself as a character, concern the production of the plays, and one has a contemporary setting.

Jeffrey Deaver tells the tale of a young man in Shakespearean London who feels compelled to avenge his father's death and his friend, the popular playwright, offers help in the deed. Carole Nelson Douglas presents what happens after "The Tempest" ends with a "guest" appearance by Portia in her lawyer persona defending Caliban on a murder charge. Robert Barnard paints a picture of the court of Denmark told by the "silent Irishman" while Sharan Newman has Anne, Princess of France describing the rather bizarre happenings at the palace of Henry of Navarre.

Gillian Linscott details how the widow of Coriolanus, never enthralled with being the wife of a war hero, copes with her domineering mother-in-law. Lillian Stewart Carl has deals with a poisoning in the house of Olivia (of "Twelfth Night"). One of my favorites is Marcia Talley's story of the witches of "Macbeth" who, it turns out may be more misunderstood than Weird. Edward Marston provides some classic detection after the Battle of Agincourt. Margaret Frazer recounts the downfall of Gloucester and his wife, which Queen Margaret engineers in the mistaken belief that she will have control of her husband, Henry VI.

In another favorite, Simon Brett, tells of a 50 something actor in Shakespeare's day who drinks too much, has a less-than-stellar career and a talent for detection. The detectives name? Charles Parys. Cleopatra's betrayal and death is the stuff of Edward D. Hoch's contribution. Kathy Lee Emerson has Beatrice and Benedick in England helping with some political and religious intrigue during the reign of Bloody Mary. Peter Tremayne has his series character, Elizabethan Constable Hardy Drew investigate the death of an actor who is to play King Hall in Shakepeare's latest production.

Brendan DuBois brings the readers back to contemporary life as a young American professor is recruited to discover the truth of a conspiracy of wealthy and powerful families who like the royals of Shakespeare use assassination and other skullduggery to maintain their power for generations. P.C. Doherty investigates Shakespeare's death, including the use of the famous epitaph to accuse a very viper in the Bard's bosom. Peter Robinson devises a way for the chaste Isabella of "Measure for Measure" to bring final revenge on the hypocritical Angelo. Anne Perry writes of late Victorian England and a company doing "Othello" until "Iago" is killed backstage. Warring lovers and theatrical backbiting end the anthology on a high note.

MUCH ADO ABOUT MURDER is a wonderful collection for fans of historical mysteries, lovers of Shakespeare and appreciators of outstanding storytelling. Some of the stories may send you off to reference books, but the stories are all accessible without any great knowledge of his works.

Reviewed by Doris Ann Norris, December 2002

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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