The inimitable Faith Fairchild returns in a chilling New England whodunit, inspired by the best Agatha Christie mysteries and with hints of the timeless board game Clue.
For most of her adult life, resourceful caterer Faith Fairchild has called the sleepy Massachusetts village of Aleford home. While the native New Yorker has come to know the region well, she isn’t familiar with Havencrest, a privileged enclave, until the owner of Rowan House, a secluded sprawling Arts and Crafts mansion, calls her about catering a weekend house party.
Producer/director of a string of hit musicals, Max Dane—a Broadway legend—is throwing a lavish party to celebrate his seventieth birthday. At the house as they discuss the event, Faith’s client makes a startling confession. "I didn’t hire you for your cooking skills, fine as they may be, but for your sleuthing ability. You see, one of the guests wants to kill me."
Faith’s only clue is an ominous birthday gift the man received the week before—an empty casket sent anonymously containing a twenty-year-old Playbill from Max’s last, and only failed, production—Heaven or Hell. Consequently, Max has drawn his guest list for the party from the cast and crew. As the guests begin to arrive one by one, and an ice storm brews overhead, Faith must keep one eye on the menu and the other on her host to prevent his birthday bash from becoming his final curtain call.
Full of delectable recipes, brooding atmosphere, and Faith’s signature biting wit, The Body in the Casket is a delightful thriller that echoes the beloved mysteries of Agatha Christie and classic films such as Murder by Death and Deathtrap.
“But, Mrs. Fairchild, while I am sure you are superb as a caterer, I am hiring you for what I understand is your other expertise. Your, shall we say, sleuthing ability?”
“My sleuthing? But why?”
“One of my guests wants to kill me.”
For most of her adult life, caterer and amateur sleuth Faith Fairchild has called the sleepy Massachusetts town of Aleford home. While the native New Yorker has come to know the region well, she isn’t familiar with Havencrest, a secluded enclave for the wealthy. When she gets a call from Havencrest resident Max Dane, a legendary Broadway producer planning his seventieth birthday party, Faith is intrigued. Neither the community nor Rowan House, Max’s sprawling mansion, exists in her GPS, but that’s not the most puzzling thing about this job.
As they discuss the party’s menu, Max reveals that one of his guests is planning to serve up a vastly different dish: murder. Faith’s only clue is a sinister birthday gift Max received the week before—an empty casket sent anonymously, containing a twenty-year-old Playbill from his final, and only failed, production, Heaven or Hell. In response, Max has drawn his guest list from the show’s cast and crew, in what may become a deadly reunion. As an ice storm brews overhead and the guests begin to arrive, Faith must keep one eye on the menu and the other on her host to prevent his birthday bash from becoming his final curtain.
“The always-engaging Fairchild and the supporting cast of spirited recurring characters will appeal to fans of Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schulz series and Carolyn Hart’s Annie Darling novels.”
