The Birthday Murder
The Birthday Murder by Lange Lewis, published by Penzler Publishers in August 2023, is a mystery novel that intertwines the lives of a successful writer and her B-movie director husband in the Hollywood Hills. On the day of her birthday, the husband is discovered murdered through a method of poisoning detailed in one of her own books, thrusting Victoria into the spotlight as the prime suspect. As the investigation unfolds, the LAPD investigator realizes that the case is more complex than it initially appears, with no clear motive for Victoria despite the overwhelming evidence against her.
Readers will find a richly woven narrative that delves into the intricacies of domestic life and the hidden tensions within a seemingly perfect marriage. The story explores themes of deception and the psychological undercurrents that can lead to tragedy, all set against the backdrop of old Los Angeles. This edition of The Birthday Murder, comprising 264 pages, offers a fresh look at a Golden Age mystery that will resonate with fans of traditional police procedurals and amateur sleuth tales.
Official synopsis Publisher
A successful writer and a B-movie director seem like the perfect match in the Hollywood Hills and, with him working to produce her novel for an upcoming film, the pair’s recent marriage isn’t the only way that they’re connected. When the husband is found murdered on the wife’s birthday using a method of poisoning that was described in one of her books, Victoria suddenly becomes the main suspect as her new happy life comes crashing down around her.
The case appears straightforward from the outside but the LAPD investigator on the scene finds the truth to be anything but. Though all the signs point to Victoria, there’s no motive to be found. Now, to solve the mystery of whodunnit, he’ll have to dig beneath the veneer of the household and reveal its inner workings, and to understand the deadly drama that unfolded just beneath the surface.
Reprinted for the first time in over half a century, The Birthday Murder is a beautifully written and psychologically astute Golden Age mystery set in old Los Angeles. It will appeal to fans of vintage whodunnits and of standout domestic suspense authors from the era such as Dorothy B. Hughes, Charlotte Armstrong, and Margaret Millar.
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