Phillida Bright is in London with her employer, Agatha Christie, who is there to promote the new play she has written. Phillida is the housekeeper for the woman at her home in Devon. They have brought the butler, several housemaids, and a chauffeur with them and have hired a French chef to cook for them.

As her employer is a well-known author of Hercule Poirot mysteries, Phillida has also helped Agatha and others solving some difficult mysteries.

At the theater a death has occurred, but it appears to be natural. Close behind, a murder occurs at another theater. When a third murder happens at yet another theater, they are being called the ABC murders as the word titles all start with the same letter. Agatha asks Phillida to step in with her sleuthing talents to try and solve these murders.

I’ve only read one other of this author’s mysteries and found it written well. I admit that at times, this story seemed to drag somewhat but there were also good spots. I like the sparring with the butler who is a pompous man and I also liked her budding relationship with Mr. Bradford, the chauffeur. As a Hercule Poirot fan, I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Let me start by saying that I always say that I am not a huge fan of historical mysteries. However, this author has proven me wrong! I tend to find historical themes to be boring, but the author has done such a great job and how she set up the protagonist as a housekeeper for Agatha, Christie and built the story around that. Oh my goodness, I’m hooked!

"Murder Takes the Stage" is a mystery set in 1930 in England. This is the 4th book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one. The household is in London because Agatha's trying to get one of her stories made into a play. A director and friend of Agatha asks Phyllida to investigate murder and creates a cover story that she's a newspaper reporter. People were quite happy to talk with her, and she maneuvered the conversation to topics she was interested in. She was quick to spot clues and logically consider possibilities.

This was probably the best mystery in the series. I initially thought it was a certain person for reasons Phyllida gave at the end, but one of the final, critical clues made whodunit guessable to both reader and Phyllida, though Phyllida hid the name until her Big Reveal. Phyllida becoming more likable as the series progresses. Historical details were woven into the story, bringing the time and place alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing. There was occasional use of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.

Phyllida Bright, housekeeper to Agatha Christie and husband Sir Max Mallowan, is in London with her employers when she is asked to look into a series of murders of actors in theaters. The killer appears to be moving through the alphabet (foreshadowing The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie), and Phyllida must determine how the murders are linked and solve the mystery before the murderer gets too far along in the alphabet. This is a fun read with lots of details about 1930s London and the theater scene. More of Phyllida's past is also revealed, making parts of this book easier to follow for readers who have read previous books in the series, but it works as a standalone. At the end of the novel Phyllida gathers all of the suspects together (a la Hercule Poirot) to reveal the murderer; I found this part of the book slow-going, with a lot of false starts ("You could have been the murderer! But you weren't. It could have been you! But it wasn't."), and I skimmed most of the final scene. Overall an enjoyable read between 3 and 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the eARC.

I loved everything about this book!!!! I'm already a fan of Phyllida Bright so it's very easy to enjoy the rest of this cozy mystery. The theatre based illiteration of the crime scenes made each one memorable and was a twisted clue in it's own way. This is Book#4 featuring Agatha Christie's housekeeper Phyllida, who proves herself a match for any criminal around. Each book is a stand alone but together they make a delightful......did I really say delightful.....read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.

I love the premise of this series (and since this is the first book I've read in the series I will definitely be going back to the first three books). It centers on Agatha Christie's fictional housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, who has Poirot or Miss Marple-like detecting abilities. In Murder Takes the Stage, the Christie household finds itself in London, where Agatha is meeting with theater producers about bringing one of her stories to the stage. Phyllida's investigative skills are called upon after two actors die on-stage: Archibald Allston in an armchair onstage at the Adelphia Theater, apparently of natural causes, and the actor portraying Benvolio with his head bashed in at the Belmont Theater. The alliterative and alphabetic nature of the deaths leads to speculation that a deranged killer is at large, targeting London's theatrical community, and Phyllida Bright is hired to investigate by the aunt of the second victim, juggling her household duties with interviewing suspects and juggling admirers while parrying with the local Scotland Yard detective who doesn't want her interfering with his case. A twisty plot, Cambridge is so good at misdirection that I couldn't guess who the killer was but did a forehead slap when it was revealed. I love the characters and their interactions, the setting of post-WWII London, and the creative concept of inserting an "amateur detective" into Agatha Christie's household, whose cases appear to give the author some story inspirations.

This series just keeps getting better and better as it goes along and while it is definitely character-driven in that regard, the plots are also nothing to sneeze at either.

In this outing, Phyllida, intrepid housekeeper to Agatha Christie, finds herself in London investigating nefarious deeds in the theatre venue. There appears to be a pattern in the murders...or is there? Very cleverly plotted storyline that kept me guessing and entertained throughout the book.

And while I enjoyed that mystery and the different urban setting of London, it was the further unveiling of the mysterious Mrs. Bright's past that kept me mesmerized. She had always been a bit of a mystery herself, but with this outing the reader begins to see what has shaped her from her past into the strong and independent (dare I say formidable?) woman that she is now. Very enlightening and a bit heartbreaking as well.

I was also thrilled to have Bradford (Agatha's chauffeur) take a big role in this one as his and Phyllida's sometimes combative, sometimes flirtatious takes a decided turn forward...and in the right direction (wink, wink). Bradford, another mysterious character, is absolutely swoon-worthy and a total hero in every sense of the word here.

I'm excited to see where things go from here as the reader now knows much more about our fearless heroine.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the free early arc of Murder Takes the Stage for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders is a fantastic story (if you haven’t read it yet, you definitely should add it to you TBR), and Murder Takes the Stage is a great story that has shades of The ABC Murders woven into it.

Now that the Phyllida Bright Mysteries is firmly established as one of my favourite series, it was really nice to get a change of pace (the vibrant theatre world) and a new location (London). It gave things a fresh new feel and made for some very interesting looks into Phyllida’s past life, one that we have only been given small hints to in past books.

And while we left most of the large cast of regular characters from the series there were a TON of new characters introduced in this one, from theatre producers, to critics, to actors and actresses, to police detectives. It may sounds intimidating, but it was actually fun to get to know so many new faces (and it wasn’t really hard to keep track of them all).

The mystery moved along at a pretty good pace. The first half of the book was a bit slower as we met all the characters and set up the murders and then things started to happen pretty quickly the pacing never let up until the final reveal.

The lack of familiar faces from past books is more than made up for by the amount of background information we get about Phyllida Bright. As I mentioned earlier, we have only had small hints at what may have happened to her husband but in this book we get most, if not all, of the story. It’s quite an eye-opener and I loved that we finally get to know what happened, but also that these revelations change the relationship between Phyllida and her will they-won’t they dance partner Bradford.

For readers who have been with this series from the start, there are so many satisfying elements that make this book a joy – from the homage to Agatha Christie’s work, to learning about Phyllida’s past, to (no spoilers!) much more, it’s definitely a great cozy mystery to sink your teeth into. I enjoyed this one a lot and can’t wait for the next installment!

*** Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Publishing, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

Cambridge is an auto-buy author for me, and I love the premise of this series! Set in the 1930s, Agatha Christie's housekeeper and friend, Phyllida, solves mysteries. This time, Phyllida has a string of sinister ones threatening theatre folk to get to the bottom of!

I love how cleverly the Christie references are woven in, in addition to Christie and her husband, Max, who are supporting characters. This time, Christie oversees a stage adaptation of one of her plays, there is a chef who physically resembles Poirot, and the mystery is reminiscent of Christie's ABC Murders. There are so many delightful easter eggs for Christie fans, but the book also stands firmly on its own, making it accessible to readers who may not be familiar with her work.

The story brims with vibrant characters, especially Phyllida. She is an observant, savvy, and likable sleuth. I enjoy her interactions with household staff, the witnesses and suspects, and her warm, devoted friendship with Christie. Phyllida even has a blossoming romance, which I am invested in because it's just so charmingly depicted. The mystery was creative, twisty, and well-plotted and kept me guessing all the way to the end. The denouement was reminiscent of Poirot himself, and I loved that touch.

This time, the action takes place away from Christie's estate, Mallowan Hall, and I enjoyed the backstage passes to the London theatres at the center of the suspicious deaths. The historical details create vivid scenes and immerse you in the setting. This witty series just keeps getting better and better, and this was such a fun and entertaining read.

Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the gifted ARC!

Murder Takes the Stage is book 4 in the Phyllida Bright Mystery series by Colleen Cambridge, and features Agatha Christie as a side character, with Phyllida as her mystery solving housekeeper.

I have not read any of the previous books in the series but I had no problem jumping straight into Murder Takes the Stage. I'm sure that if I had read the previous books, I would have had more insight into the relationships between some of the characters, but I don't feel that it is really necessary.

In Murder Takes the Stage, Agatha and her husband have moved the household to London, to oversee the production of one of her plays. When one of the actors in a play being produced by Agatha’s friends dies, she calls on Phyllida to determine if there was foul play. Then actors in other plays start dying in a strange manner, and Phyllida is compelled to solve the mystery.

I loved the setting of this story and how the author wove the real life figures of Agatha Christie and her husband into t the story into her story.

I also found it amusing how she wrote the mystery in this story so that it could be perceived to be the inspiration for one of Agatha Christie’s real life books.

Murder Takes the Stage was an engaging mystery that kept me guessing, and I would recommend it to any mystery lover. I’ll probably go back and read the previous novels to see more of the characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy and an introduction to the fun characters. I look forward to more in this series. It doesn’t get the 5 stars due to the ending. Yes, the main character might always have a soliloquy at the end, but really would people, including the killer stay for the long drawn out denouement?
The rest of the read is fun and dialogue moves at a quick pace. Clever take on Agatha Christie’s household of characters.
Worth gifting to your cozy murder mystery readers.

MURDER TAKES THE STAGE is the latest book in the Phyllida Bright series, a historical murder mystery with a twist that takes place in 1930s England where Phyllida Bright, Agatha Christy's friend and housekeeper, is a sleuthing delight.

The plot centers on murders at three London theaters. When a man named Archibald Allston is found dead in an armchair onstage at the Adelphia Theater, first impressions are that he died of natural causes. But the very next day, the unlucky actor playing Benvolio at the Belmont Theater is found with his head bashed in. And when a third victim turns up, this time with double-C initials, the fatal pattern is impossible to ignore. The murderer’s M.O. may be easy to read, but can Phyllida uncover the killer’s identity before the final curtain falls on another victim?

The characters are all fun and well developed in this well written gem of a mystery. Phyllida's dramatic reveal of the killer at the end would have made Hercule Poirot himself proud. I recommend it to fans of Agatha Christie, traditional mysteries, and historical fiction. I can’t recommend this series enough, it’s fabulous.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. And thank you, Coleen Cambridge!! I eagerly anticipate the next Phyllida book's release

4.25 stars - I've only read one other book in this series and I loved it! I need to go back and read the first two in the series, but am so glad I got to read this one. The book takes place in 1930s England and the main character, Phyllida Bright, is the friend and housekeeper of Agatha Christie. Agatha is the queen of writing mysteries, but Phyllida has a knack for solving them. When there is a suspicious death at a London theater, Phyllida starts an investigation at Agatha's request.

The investigation is fun and Phyllida meets several interesting people from the theater world. She also fights to keep a secret from her past and also fights an attraction to Agatha's chauffeur Bradford. (This may be a mystery, but some of their scenes are definitely swoon-worthy!) Parts of the book move a little slowly, but things get very suspenseful as the killer claims more victims and Phyllida gets closer to figuring out the connection. Phyllida's dramatic reveal of the killer at the end would have made Hercule Poirot himself proud. This is a fun book for historical mystery fans as well as fans of Agatha Christie

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the review copy of this ebook. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Another fun instalment in this great series. Its great that Agatha Christie is a side character in this series but not the star and this story is based on her ABC murder story. The plot was entertaining with the expected twists and we learn a bit more about Phyllida and her past while a romance between her and Bradford develops a bit more which is a fun side line and I can't wait to find out more about his background. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the first novel I have read by this author, and it happens to be the fourth book in a series. I did not know that going into this book. However, I found it interesting and enjoyable if you are a fan of Agatha Christy then you will really enjoy this book. In this book we follow Agatha Christy's maid named Phyllida Bright, is a sleuthing delight. When Agatha moves part of the household to London temporarily, Phyllida goes along. In this masterfully written mystery, each character is interesting and well-developed. You will recognize the Agatha Christie undertones in this light historical fiction mystery, particularly when the suspects are all assembled for the summation and accusation. Agatha serves only as Phyllida's method of transportation, never taking center stage in the story. The crew of the mansion is also involved in both witnessing and supporting Phyllida's pranks, as she is the official cleaner.

Thank you, netgalley, Kensington Publishing, for the Earc of this novel.

The author always has interesting characters in her stories, and it’s always fun watching Phyllida and Mr. Dobble squabble. The plot was entertaining and we learn a bit more about Phyllida and her past as well as watch her and Bradford move closer together. I can’t recommend this series enough, it’s fabulous.

This is such an entertaining series. There is perhaps even less of Agatha as a character in this one than in the previous books in the series, but her influence is all over it. The alliterative aspect and the stage environments were excellent and this is a great read. It does further Phyllida's backstory, and I think this series benefits from being read in order.

I thank NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance reader copy of “Murder Takes the Stage.” All opinions and comments are my own.

“The play’s the thing,” as Mrs. Bright discovers is the heart of the matter in “Murder Takes the Stage,” the latest Phyllida Bright historical mystery by Colleen Cambridge. As alphabetical actors (more or less) meet their demise in a series of clever ways, can Mrs. Bright determine the ways and wherefores before the letters of the alphabet are used up? Ah, dear readers, “Be not afraid of greatness.”

This book is a study in characters, as you can imagine that pages filled with actors would be. And the other goings-on, in a rented townhouse in London, Mr. Dobble the butler being his usual irascible self, and Mrs. Bright contending with the bad-tempered chef, are handled with the deftness of an experienced plotter.

But the biggest surprise -- the big secret! is revealed. Mrs. Bright spills something to Bradford the chauffeur, who readers have come to know as the one who may tease and bother the lady to no end, but there’s method to that madness. Phyllida learns she has friends in high places, in more ways than one, especially when our girl has everyone come together and she points out the murderer. Shortly after, she receives a very special gift.

“Murder Takes the Stage” is another wonderful story in the hands of a writer who knows how to combine suspense, suspicion and surprise in a narrative that will task your ability to decide on “whodunit.” I enjoy following Mrs. Bright and her ability to solve the crimes that are providing Agatha Christie with fodder for her mystery books. Looking forward to many more.

Another clever- oh so clever- installment in a series where Phyllida is the star and Agatha Christie is in the back seat. And it will be just as fun as a standalone. The Christies and Phyllida have moved to London just in time for a villain to begin working through the West End with alliterative murders. This one made me think more than many cozies. She's also, by the way, dealing with the mundane but troublesome aspects of running this sort of household. Phyllida is terrific and fans will be pleased to see that her relationship with Bradford (and his dog) is broadening. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This might be my favorite of the series yet! The pacing was great. Sometimes with mysteries there are so many characters, it's hard to differentiate, but the author describes each character so well and uniquely (and reminds us who the character is throughout the book) so it was easy for me to keep up! Love the relationship developments that happen in this book! I think this could be read as a standalone, but would encourage starting with book one. A big thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.