Publisher's Weekly Review
Jordan's second Polly Pepper mystery (after 2007's Remains to Be Scene) delivers a fun romp through the underworld of regional theater. Polly, a Hollywood actress of a "certain age," is cast as the lead in a revival of the musical comedy Mame, newly set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Polly admires Karen Richards, the play's young, talented director, and Sharon Fletcher, one of her co-stars-so Polly is understandably distressed when Karen gets killed and Sharon is fingered for the crime. Along with her devoted son and her maid, Polly sets out to find who really brought down the curtain on Karen. Even among a cast of such well-developed, eccentric characters, Polly steals the show, drinking champagne constantly and even naming her mansion's staircase the Scarlett O'Hara Memorial Staircase. Jordan's entertaining plot moves briskly and its plucky heroine is sure to charm old fans and win new ones. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
An actress who's dying to appear on Broadway might just get her wish. Polly Pepper's not in the same league as Carol Burnett--her once-popular TV variety show is ancient history--but getting the lead in a revival of Mame at a theater in Glendale could be her ticket to Broadway. Sadly, Polly's first day is a disaster. She mistakes the time, arrives late and earns a tongue-lashing from obnoxious artistic director Gerold Goss. Her second day is even worse. Polly, her gay party-planning son, Tim, and her maid and best friend, Placenta, discover the body of Karen Richards, who was directing the show. The police arrest actress Sharon Fletcher, whose cell phone was found at the scene and whose Emmy was the murder weapon. But Polly, whose past sleuthing (Remains to Be Scene, 2007) has won her a new lover, detective Randy Archer, thinks Sharon is innocent and sets out to prove it. Back-stabbing Hollywood holds a long list of other folks who may have wanted Karen dead, including Goss, who takes over her job and installs his girlfriend in a prominent role; Karen's boyfriend, whom she refused to cast; and several cast members who were fired. Polly dredges up gossip from her long list of Hollywood pals while Archer, Tim and Placenta try to keep her alive. Name-dropping abounds in this mildly amusing but not mysterious tale. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
