A delightful and captivating cozy mystery. There is an abundance of characters that are introduced, but are well developed and interesting. Tasha’s interactions with her friends add depth to the narrative. There are twists and turns and red herrings along the way to keep the reader engaged.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

An author that I will definitely be reading more from in the future! I went in to the book thinking that I would enjoy it, but a little hesitant. I was pleasantly surprised! Loved the pace and the characters and the atmosphere. All around a fantastic first book in the series!

I very much enjoyed this first mystery in the Backstage Mystery series by M.S. Greene.

The author has crafted a world in which I will enjoy returning to time after time. The characters are relatable and fun, and make a good team.

The mystery was well-plotted with plenty of clues and red herrings to keep me interested all the way to the end.

It was also interesting seeing backstage in the theater. The author has a background in theater, so has firsthand knowledge on the inner workings of cast and crew.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I happily share my opinion of the book.

This was the first book I have read by author M.S. Greene. I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery since I love reading about the theater and the quirky people who bring shows to life. The main character was interesting since her profession is not often seen in cozy mysteries. I did find it a bit slow towards the middle of the book and since there are a lot of characters I mixed a few up at times (a cast of characters would be beneficial in the beginning of this book) but overall it was a satisfying mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I did not guess "whodunnit" and I bet you won't either! I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Tasha Weaver has seen her fair share of divas come and go while working as the costume shop head at the Eastbrook Playhouse, but her beloved theatre is put at risk when the star of the show is killed in this fun but deadly debut for fans of Ellery Adams and Kellye Garrett.

Give me theatre, give me behind the scenes, give me murder and give me cosy and I am happy!
I do not want to say I new somewhere in the beginning who was the culprit as the writer definitely took me on a journey, but in the end the hunch was right. But it did not spoil the story.
It was a fun quick read and I am excited to see how this story/town/characters develop even more.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! #TheresNoMurderLikeShowMurder #NetGalley

There's No Murder Like Show Murder by M.S. Greene is a fun and twisty mystery that will keep you entertained from start to finish. Set in the glamorous yet cutthroat world of show business, this whodunit blends humor, drama, and suspense in just the right amounts. The main character, a witty amateur sleuth, finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when a theater production takes a deadly turn.

There's No Murder Like Show Murder by M.S. Greene is a gripping and entertaining mystery that brings the world of theater to life with a deadly twist. Set against the backdrop of a dramatic stage production, the story follows the witty and determined amateur sleuth, Anna, as she investigates a murder that occurs during rehearsals. The pacing is sharp, with plenty of red herrings and unexpected twists that keep the reader guessing until the very end. Greene does an excellent job weaving together humor, suspense, and the unique quirks of the theater world, making this a standout in the cozy mystery genre. Perfect for fans who enjoy a mix of drama, mystery, and well-developed characters, this book is an engaging read from start to finish!

Crooked Lane Books has become one of my favorite publishers. They publish so many good traditional mysteries and this book is no exception.

I enjoyed the background and setting to this story. Readers are invited into the world of a regional theater and costume designer Tasha Weaver. Or course, this is a world that is filled with egos and can be cutthroat. So, it is no surprise when Kurt Mozer is killed. He was the star of Annie Get Your Gun, a musical that once was performed at my summer camp.

Read this one for the plot, the suspects and the knowledge that all should work out. I hope that this is the first in a series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

I want to start by thanking the Author/Publisher for allowing me to review this book before its publication. Although I am grateful for their generosity, the following review is entirely my own.
M.S. Greene's "There's No Murder Like Show Murder (Backstage Mystery)" is a fun debut cozy mystery novel. Let me break down what I liked and where I thought the author could have been a bit stronger.

Overall, I thought the author did a good job establishing the series. There is a quirky cast of characters led by Tasha Weaver, the head of the costume shop at a small regional theater in CT. She's your prototypical protagonist in a cozy mystery: single, intelligent, driven by a sense of justice, and determined to find the murderer. There are also many entertaining side characters that help her along the journey, including the cop father figure and a cat named Hilly. I found the entire story entertaining. It's an easy read, and I would highly recommend it for cozy mystery fans looking for a new series to dive into.

However, there are a few areas where I thought the author could have been stronger. First, in many ways, this feels like a cozy mystery paint-by-numbers, which is pretty common for debut cozy mysteries. I will say I was pleased that the protagonist wasn't the primary suspect trying to prove her innocence, which is a trope that is very common in debut cozies. Second, there were a lot of characters for a first novel, which did make it a bit confusing at times. However, the author did a good job of keeping the primary suspects to a reasonable number.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. It's a good, clean cozy mystery. There's definitely a lot to love here, even if there are a few areas where it could have been tightened up just a bit.

This was a new author for me. The premise intrigued me. Tasha Weaver is dedicated to her town theater, the Eastbrook Playhouse. She is the head costume designer for productions & feels more at home at the playhouse than anywhere else in her life. The upcoming production of Annie Get Your Gun starring Broadway star Kurt Mozer is expected to revitalize the dying theater. Kurt is proving to be a diva & difficult to work with, creating lots of tension at the playhouse. He returns to the theater before the opening night and is shot dead at center stage. Tasha finds herself investigating to save both the production and the theater that she loves so much.

I just didn't click with this one. The characters did not draw me in, make me feel for them, or want to really know what happened. I can't put my finger on it, but Tasha's internal monologues/thought processes were not realistic to me. Tasha's interfering behavior took me out of the book several times. It went beyond the typical investigative techniques to directly interfering with the investigation. I know it is the first book in the series & still finding its footing, but I likely won't read more. The character I found most enjoyable was the cat!

Thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane books for the opportunity to read & review this title.

3.5 stars

A cute cozy mystery set in the world of small-town theater!

Things go sideways when a big-name star gets murdered on stage in the lead-up to Eastbrook Playhouse’s production of Annie Get Your Gun, but costume-shop veteran Tasha Weaver is determined to figure who did it AND to save the beloved theater she calls home.

While I occasionally had a hard time keeping up with the various playhouse staff members and crew (directors and managers and assistants, oh my!), I loved getting to know Tasha and the cast of characters that color her world.

This debut novel sets the stage for more mysteries to come in Eastbrook, should the author choose to continue to pen them—and I think he should!

Full review posted on Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6009739374

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

There’s No Murder Like Show Murder by M S Greene follows the cast of a small town theatre as they put on a performance of Annie Get Your Gun. Despite budget and cast issues all is going well until their leading man is murdered before the show can open.

This story is clearly written by a theatre lover. While it has all the elements of a great cozy mystery including someone being falsely accused of a crime, the main character pursuing their own investigations, and a touch of romance that lovers of the genre will enjoy, this is, at times a little over shadowed by the writers love of performance and costume.

Overall this was an enjoyable read and a very solid opener to a new series which I look forward to continuing.

Tasha was in a quandary, after convincing their leading actor to stay on the job, later, he was found murdered and she blamed herself. She was on a quest, she needed to find the killer before their show got canceled permanently, and the murdered walked free, to do this she must unravel the challenging puzzle before her. It was an engaging, intriguing, and captivating read.

M.S. Greene brings us a mysterious backstage murder of the leading man in There's No Murder like Show Murder. Tasha Weaver, the mistress of the costume shop, investigates and finds multiple suspects. She thinks she has found the perp but then has she? The murderer needs to be found so the theater can survive. Read and find out.

Greene wrote the most perfect of cozy mysteries set in a small town playhouse (fun fact, the setting is in Fairfield County which is where I’m from). I loved the cast of characters but the winner is clearly Tasha, the head of the costume shop, who is trying to figure out who killed their leading man (an annoying PITA to be sure so maybe there were a few suspects?). The rest of the crew was equally charming and made this a fun, light read that I would recommend to anyone, cozy mystery fan or not. Bonus that I was actually surprised by who the murderer was AND their motivation, that doesn’t always happen!

Solid start for a new series (or what I think is supposed to be a new series. As with all first in the series, there is a lot of world building that, while important, takes a bulk of the writing so the mystery is condensed and sometimes easier to figure out. The setting of the theatre is unique but there are a lot of details thrown at you that tend to bog down the text. The characters, and there were a number of them, were interesting but I didn’t really connect with any of them. Curious to see how this develops as the series continues (if it does).

4.2⭐
New series alert and it's a good one. Tasha Weaver's is manager of the costume department of the Eastwood Playhouse. Since her mother's death, it's pretty much become her life too. When a demanding, once-bright Broadway star is shot on the stage, she steps up to investigate... and hopefully save the theater. Good distinct and interesting characters and energetic plot make for an enjoyable read. Looking forward to meeting them again.

Dollycas's Thoughts 

Tasha Weaver grew up working at the Eastbrook Playhouse selling tickets and handing out playbills, now she is head of the costume shop. The current production is Annie Get Your Gun and everyone has high hopes that bringing in former Broadway star Kurt Mozer will bring in the much-needed dollars for the fledging playhouse. But Kurt is not easy to work with. He has tons of complaints. He gets in fights with the artistic leader Arthur Winston and director Marion Mason. Disagreements so fierce Kurt decides to quit the show. Tasha thought she had talked him into staying but before he could make his intention known he was shot at center stage.

The man's death brings in the press from New York which is not good for the playhouse. Tasha takes it upon herself to save her beloved theatre and catch the killer fearing it is someone close to her. No matter what, the show must go on so with a little help from the technical director and her long-time crush Bruno Machado, and assistance from a frisky feline Hilly, Tasha is determined to bring the killer down before the curtains go up.

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Mr. Greene had the huge task of introducing a large cast of characters and making each unique and memorable as the story continued. It takes a lot of people to put on a theatre performance, on stage, behind the curtains, out front, and in the office. I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight at first, but they became clear as I kept reading. Tasha grows so much from the beginning to the end of this book. She has a great backstory and is connected to all the characters in meaningful ways. The characters all have plenty of room for growth as the series continues.

The problem with the first book in a series, especially those with an abundance of characters, is having the time and pages to develop a complex mystery. There were some well-placed red herrings but I pinned down the guilty party early in the book. I did enjoy following Tasha as she tried to sleuth out the killer and her surprise A-ha moment.

I was delighted by the playhouse theatre theme and observing all that takes place behind the scenes. It is clear that Mr. Greene is a "theatre nerd" and is writing what he knows and is passionate about.

There's No Murder Like Show Murder has given the Backstage Mystery Series a good start with a strong foundation to build on in future stories.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

There's No Murder Like Show Murder is a cozy mystery set at a small regional theater in Connecticut. Tasha Weaver is a costumer, but when the leading man of Annie Get Your Gun is murdered, she also becomes an amateur detective.

I wanted to read this novel because I enjoy cozy mysteries and love theater (especially musical theater). This was a terrific debut novel from M.S. Greene, and a fun read! I hope it is the start of a new series. (If so, I am in for the upcoming books!)

Tasha is a quick-witted amateur detective. I suspected the killer but enjoyed her detecting process. There is a lot to enjoy in this book, including the theater setting (which was very accurate and well drawn), her friends and colleagues, and her kitty friend Hilferty. I recommend There's No Murder Like Show Murder for other fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for anyone who also loves theater.