Francis Brody immerses the reader in another Kate Shackleton mystery, Death in the Stars. Kate, is hired by a singer, Selina, to get hera flight to the observation of the 1927 eclipse with the Astronomer Royal in Yorkshire. While there a fellow performer in her theatrical company dies, possibly of a drug overdose. Was he murdered? There have been unexplained deaths in the near past in the company. The explanation is In the Stars. Great historical cosy.

Another great story from Brody in the Kate Shackleton series. This is a thoughtful, well researched period mystery series with a graceful, realistic main character Kate, who works as a private investigator during the period of tremendous social upheaval, post WWI England. In this ninth story of the series, the action takes the reader into the changing theatrical world of that time. As always, Brody gives readers a fascinating cast of characters and a puzzling mystery, with a well described and evocative atmosphere. Highly recommended series.

Kate Shackleton books are always an entertaining read. Frances Brody really immerses you in the time and setting for each mystery. Everything is so well researched and no anachronistic slip ups throw you out of the place and time.
Death in the Stars is book nine in the series, an acquaintance has recommended Mrs. Shackleton to a variety show singer named Selina Fellini. Miss Fellini needs Kate to set up a plane trip to view the 1925 eclipse and accompany her on the trip. All Miss Fellini will say is that she is afraid something bad will happen. When something does happen Kate has a time getting the whole story from Miss Fellini, aka Mrs. Compton. It seems the star is afraid her husband could be responsible in some way and she wants to protect him and make sure no one else gets hurt. The husband came back from the war changed.
Kate has to find out if this is just stage drama or if there is something for those close to Selina to worry about. Will Kate and her assistants, Mr. Sykes and Miss Sugden, find the cause of the misfortune before some one else is harmed or killed?
Wonderfully written and paced the plot keeps you guessing until the end. With a cast of characters that made me want to see the variety show brought back.

Frances Brody's Kate Shackelton series is going strong. I first got her mystery novels directly from England although they are now published in the U.S. Kate, a widow, has a supportive cast around her and occasionally a few hints of romance. In this latest entry, Kate goes to Giggleswick School, a real place, to view an eclipse. The trip is made at the behest of a musical star. Selina Fellini. Selina is concerned by a number of deaths within the company. The mystery is well set up, there are a variety of suspects and the reader is in an Agatha Christie like novel. If you enjoy historical, cozy mysteries, I think that you will like this book.

I am a Kate Shackleton devotee and have read all the series entries, so I very much enjoyed this visit with Kate and company. Set in post World War I England, Kate was a nurse in the War, which also cost her her husband. As a wealthy widow, her economic and social freedom are remarkable for the time.

Death in the Stars has Kate investigating a series of performers' deaths, all connected to her current client singer Selina Fellini. The story is told against the back drop of the total solar eclipse which took place in 1925 and generated excitement in the British public akin to that among the American public regarding the total eclipse in the United States last summer. The author has definitely done her research both for the time period in general and the eclipse in particular.

In fact, all the eclipse information slowed down the beginning of the book for me. I would have preferred more Kate and less background. In fact, my only criticism of this series entry is that, despite a compelling mystery and a great cast of characters, I feel that we have lost any evolution in Kate's personal life. We do see Sykes, Mrs. Sugden, and Harriet in nicely done supporting roles, but I don't feel I know Kate anymore than I did a couple of books ago. Giving her more of a personal life would strengthen connections for the reader.

Full Disclosure--Net Gallery and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review

This is the 9th in the series but can be read as a stand alone. If you like historical cozies with strong female characters and solid plotting, be sure to give this series a try. Kate Shackleton is one very strong woman, in partnership with a former policeman and together they run a private inquiry agency. With extra help from her housekeeper, as well.
It's 1927 and England is abuzz over the total eclipse - parties galore. Kate is approached by Selina Fellini, an actress and singer of great talent, one who has her roots in the local community where her family makes ice cream. Selina fears that there is cloud over the theatrical company she belongs to after two performers die. The police declare them to have been accidents but Selina needs Kate's help in getting to the truth. In so doing, they charter a plane and fly to Giggleswick school, hopefully the best place to see the eclipse. The eclipse goes off without a hitch but the occasion is marred by another death connected to the theater company and the victim was a very close friend to Selina.
The pace is slow as is fitting to the time period, the clues are all there and the setting and the characters are very well drawn. There are several story lines going - one for the theater and one that involves Selina's husband, a war veteran who is struggling with his mental and physical scars.
When I had finished this entry, I realized that there were a couple in the series I had not read, an omission I will soon remedy.
My thanks to the publisher, Minotaur and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.