Having thoroughly enjoyed Jamie West's debut, Death at the Pier I had high expectations of this title and I was not disappointed. Bertie is always a delight and it was enjoyable to read him interacting with characters that were both so familiar and so foreign to him. While Bertie is our protagonist, every other character remains so true to life and fleshed out in a way that you can put things together without needing to be explicitly told.

The setting, much as with Death on the Pier, was rich and immersive, pulling you right into the world of the theatre - I can't wait to see what theatre is chosen for the next in the series as each is so well described its like you could be there watching as everything plays out. Another bonus is a great reveal scene - it fits perfectly with the golden-age style of the novel, and by building up suspects throughout it works really well, leaving you guessing until the end.

This series is one I'll always recommend to people - it's absolutely a must read and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Jamie West delivers a compelling and atmospheric whodunit with Murder at the Matinee, a novel that perfectly captures the allure of classic theatre and the intrigue of a well-plotted murder mystery. From the moment the crime unfolds, the setting is richly detailed, immersing readers in the world of old-fashioned glamour, backstage secrets, and simmering tensions.

The novel shines in its attention to historical detail, bringing the theatre world to life with vivid descriptions and authentic characters. The cast of suspects is well-drawn, each with their own motives, and the central mystery is engaging, keeping the reader guessing until the final reveal. The pacing is steady, balancing moments of suspense with character-driven storytelling, making it a satisfying read for fans of Golden Age-style mysteries.

West’s writing is crisp and immersive, and the novel’s atmosphere lingers long after the final page. Murder at the Matinee is a must-read for those who enjoy classic detective fiction, theatrical settings, and well-crafted mysteries. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

I really enjoyed the first book in the series – Death on the Pier. I was happy to get my hands on this second one.

The first thing I must mention going into this review is that I guessed the culprit and the almost exact sequence of events. It is not often that that happens, even with the several books in this genre that I inhale in any given year. I was happy to be right for once, but also disappointed that I guessed so early. Thankfully, I like the background story and the delicate way the emotions of everyone is dealt with.

In the first, we know the tough spot Bertie is in with regards to his feelings, something that is further explored in this installment. Bertie has a professional frenemy( a perfect word for the relationship that we get to see), who reaches out to him when there is an odd threat of an actual murder in the latter’s play. Bertie’s curiosity and the fact that he was involved in a previous murder has him taking a chance to figure things out. The murder ( obviously) happens anyway and the investigation commences.

Even with the early correct guess, I had a good time with the book. The world and people of the time and place are well described and it feels like an immersive experience, something I look for in historical mysteries. I would recommend this series to fans of the genre. I look forward to the next.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and other books in the genre.

Love, love
Liked it . Due to health issues cannot will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mineA more extensive review will follow

Murder at the Matinee by Jamie West is the second book in the Jamie West's Bertie Carroll Mysteries and it was a great historical mystery. The book is set in the 1930's London, having the theatre as the primary set, fill with glamour and rivalry. There were a cast full of eccentric characters and each suspect had it chance to shine in the spotlight. The writing was good and can be read as a standalone. It has engaging characters, twists and turns and a LGBTQIA+ protagonist. The pace was great and i hope to read more from this author.

Classic murder mystery, well paced and very ingesting. It's a great book and a very enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

i might try and return to this series because it should be something i enjoy but i find the writing really amateurish and basic :(

Not the most engaged I've been with a mystery - I think it was my fault as I didn't realise it was a sequel until I started it and I just can't handle reading series out of order, even if they don't need to be read in order, so it pulled me out of it a little. I could be convinced to read the first one and give the series as a whole another chance, hence the higher rating.

I really enjoyed this, following on from Death on the Pier, playwright and accidental sleuth Bertie is back at the scene of a murder. Once again the theatre is front and centre to the storyline, I love this, clearly so well researched. Bertie's old pal Inspector Hugh is here to solve the mystery and there is more of an edge to their relationship this time, Hugh is respectful of the rules of the 1930's so will their relationship move on or not? Great plot and the sense of time and place are fabulous. I do hope there will be more.

In this second book of the series, gay playwright detective Bertie Carroll is drawn into a mystery when a rival playwright’s cryptic phone call leads him to investigate a newspaper ad predicting a murder during a play’s third act. When one of the cast turns up dead, Bertie teams up with Inspector Hugh Chapman to uncover the killer behind the puzzling crime.

This was disappointing, honestly for a murder mystery. The premise sounds so good, but honestly, the writing is …. well, it’s not writing I enjoy. The characters don’t seem to have any life to them. And once the mystery gets going (and it takes a while), it quickly becomes drab too. I didn’t finish this, I just skipped to the end and the murderer/whodunit is revealed, it turns out to be pretty predictable. In the end, I’m glad I didn’t spend more time with this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brabinger Publishing for a copy of this ebook. This review is honest and my own.

This was such an entertaining book! The pre-war London theatre setting set the mood, and the mystery was super engaging. It starts when Alice, a playwright, gets a weird ad warning that someone’s going to die during her play. The cops don’t take it seriously, but of course, someone does end up dead, and Alice’s friend Bertie teams up with detective Hugh to crack the case. I did figure out the killer pretty early on though—West might’ve left the clues a bit too obvious, so it felt more like a "howdoneit" than a "whodunit." Still, I loved the hints about Bertie and Hugh’s relationship and can’t wait to see where that goes! Also, the theatre is the true protagonist, loved this.

"Murder at the Matinee" is the second entry in Jamie West's Bertie Carroll Mysteries, and it's an absolute delight for fans of golden-age whodunnits, theatre lovers, and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted historical mystery. Set in 1930s London, the book transports readers back to the vibrant world of theatreland, with all its glamour, rivalry, and, of course, murder.

The story centers on renowned playwright-turned-sleuth Bertie Carroll, who gets drawn into another thrilling mystery after a cryptic newspaper advert promises a murder during the third act of a play. The only problem? There’s no murder in the third act—or so everyone thinks until a victim turns up. Bertie finds himself entangled once again with his old school friend, Inspector Hugh Chapman, as they work to uncover the killer lurking behind the scenes.

West masterfully balances a clever plot full of red herrings, hidden clues, and a cast of eccentric characters. As each suspect takes their turn in the spotlight, even Bertie’s own motives are questioned, keeping readers on their toes until the final reveal. The chemistry between Bertie and Hugh is a highlight, their complicated relationship adding layers of depth to the narrative. While their relationship is clearly shaped by the prejudices of 1930s England, they remains compelling as they struggle to put their differences aside and solve the case.

West’s deep knowledge of theatre history shines through, and the historical details enrich the story without ever overshadowing the plot. The Gaiety Theatre, where the mystery unfolds, feels like a character in its own right, and fans of both classic mysteries and theatre lore will appreciate the level of care that went into crafting this atmospheric setting.

Though the book can be enjoyed as a standalone, I highly recommend starting with the first in the series, Death on the Pier, to fully appreciate the development of Bertie and Hugh's relationship, as well as the recurring themes in West’s storytelling.

In short, Murder at the Matinee is a gripping and charming historical mystery with an LGBTQIA+ protagonist at its center. With sharp writing, engaging characters, and plenty of twists and turns, this novel is a must-read for fans of the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brabinger Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to see what Jamie West writes next!

Bertie is back!

This time he's in London, going to see a play by his friend/arch-nemesis Alice. Alice is worried, because even though her play has had a successful run, there have been threats that a real murder would be committed in the third act of the matinee performance.

The predicted murder happens and there are many potential suspects amongst the cast, crew and theatre staff. Bertie must work together with Alice and his old friend (and romantic interest) Inspector Hugh Chapman to solve the crime.

An enjoyable story and I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing where the romance goes.

Death on the Pier was one of the first books I read on NetGalley and has remained one that I recommend to people. I was so glad it was going to be a series and so thankful that I got the chance to read Murder at the Matinee.

I was not disappointed, reading about Bertie again was like connecting with an old friend, effortless.

What I love about Jamie's books are, that due to his theatre background, every word he writes fully conjures up the scene in my mind, and he writes with such a true love of the environment.

Jamie is definitely one to read if you love Christie novels and I love that they have a historical setting - which normally isn't my thing - but it adds to the whole Agatha vibe.

Thanks to the publisher Brabinger Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest book review.

I did enjoy reading this novel set in the theatrical world of the 1930s and featuring the playwright and amateur detective Bertie Carroll, following his investigation along with Detective Chief Inspector Hugh Chapman and fellow playwright Alice Crawford into a murder at a West End theatre that had been forewarned in the press!

The looks of longing between Bertie and Hugh are subtle but nonetheless heartrending considering that the time where this novel takes place homosexuality was illegal. This is a very ably told Agatha Christieesque murder mystery and it does successfully plunge the reader into the world of the long-gone Gaiety Theatre.

I would recommend this book to lovers of the history of theatre and fans of Agatha Christie and murder mysteries. This is the second book in a series, and it is promised that Bertie and Hugh will return in future novels, and it will be interesting to see how their relationship develops.

This was fun!
An Agatha Christie-esque, cozy mystery with a compelling lead and a hint of a slow-burn romance? That's usually my jam. Unfortunately, I don't think my mind was totally in it, or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for mysteries when I read this, so yeah... I admit, I ended skimming a lot of the lengthier descriptions too.
Apart from that, all in all, I did like this.
I really like Bertie as a protagonist: I like his dry humour, how laid-back he is; and I really like the chemistry between him and Hugh. The mystery was well-built, although I preferred the one in book one, but the cast of side characters (and suspects!) was pretty compelling. I'm looking forward to see what will happen next! Hopefully we'll finally get the much-awaited blossoming of romance between the two leads.

Following the success of Death on the Pier, Bertie Carroll returns in this engaging sequel to explore the thrilling world of 1930s London theatre. In this golden-age-style whodunnit, an unexpected phone call from a rival playwright thrusts Bertie into another perplexing mystery when a newspaper advert ominously announces that a murder will occur during a show’s third act—a claim that contradicts the play’s script.

As the drama unfolds, a real victim emerges, prompting the police to investigate and bringing Bertie and Inspector Hugh Chapman back together in a less-than-comfortable partnership. The narrative cleverly shifts focus from one suspect to another, keeping readers on their toes as even Bertie finds himself under scrutiny.

With a cast of characters that includes the entire production team and theatre staff, the story immerses readers in a vibrant theatrical setting. The author’s deep understanding of the industry enhances the authenticity of the atmosphere, making for a quick and enjoyable read.

Death on the Stage masterfully combines intrigue, rivalry, and the complexities of human relationships, making it a delightful addition to the series. Fans of classic mysteries and theatre enthusiasts alike will appreciate the clever plot and richly drawn characters.

3.5/5.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Overall. I enjoyed the story. It moved slowly at first and took some time for me to really get into it. But I liked the characters and the story was interesting. The murderer took me by surprise, I would not have guessed that character, but a good murder mystery make it hard to solve, at least too early in the book. Bertie, the main character in the book, is very likable. It’s worsening such a way that reading the first book is not necessary, but it would have given me more backstory to better understand the main characters. I enjoyed it enough that I can see myself reading other books in this series. I received an advance copy of this book for free. All opinions are my own.

I’d read the first of this series so was excited to be give. The opportunity to read this sequel and I wasn’t disappointed. Another cracking tale of murder and mystery set in the 1930s wonderful world of theatre. The characters continue to grow and the story had plenty of intrigue to keep the reader guessing.

Enter the world of 1930 London in the world of theater with a cozy mystery.

First I have read by this author and was glad to delve into mystery and murder! When a newspaper advert predicts a murder in the third act of a play, what is one to do?

Follow from first page to the last to find out what happens! I read this through NetGallery