AmDram Reads (aka AmDram August)

I’m christening this month “AmDram August.” When I was reading I Only Read Murder, Bury the Lead, and The Appeal, I was reminded of a Henry Kissinger quote my Dad used to paraphrase to cover many bases:  “The reason that university politics is so vicious is because stakes are so small.” You can substitute “amateur dramatics” for university politics, and the quote stands. Although my husband, who had recently rediscovered his love of acting in community theatre, may disagree with me. But with murder and subterfuge at the centre of these three novels and their accompanying productions, viciousness carries the day.

In July a subscriber asked me if I read all the books I write about each month. I DO read every book I recommend. I also read or start to read (I’ve finally given myself permission to read DNF books I’m not enjoying) books that I don’t recommend. But I DON’T read all of them between newsletters – some are recent reads, others are books I’ve loved and wanted to recommend and fit perfectly into a theme, but yes, I’ve read them all. Take The Appeal, for example. I read it ages ago, and I went on to read all of Janice Hallett’s books  (The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is probably my fave), but when I read the other two books on this list earlier this summer, I was like, ta dum, The Appeal turns them into the perfect trifecta! 

A big thank you to everyone who took last month’s Goldilocks poll. The universal consensus was that the length of ATK Reads is “just right.” Hurrah! And now, an appeal of my own—if you know a reader who might enjoy these newsletters (or the website or the Instagram), it would mean a lot if you’d pass this along to them!

I Only Read Murder by Ian Ferguson, Will Ferguson|
When down-on-her-luck actress Miranda Abbott is summoned by postcard to a coastal Oregon town from her past, she seizes the opportunity to escape LA. But when she arrives and doesn’t get the reception she expected, she ends up auditioning for an amateur production at the local theatre, losing out the lead, despite her TV bonafides, to a local realtor. Death on stage  (sort of) ensures, and Miranda, who is not only a suspect but who used to play a detective on TV, takes it upon herself to solve the crime and clear her name. Written by Canadian brothers Ian and Will Ferguson (my husband knew them back in his Alberta improv days), this cozy mystery is full of clever nods to beloved fictional sleuths thanks to a bookstore in town which is central to the plot. Funny, frothy, and fun, I’m looking forward to the recently released sequel Mystery in the Title.

Bury the Lead by Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti
Bury the Lead has a lot in common with I Only Read Murder. It’s written by two Canadian authors, Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti. It’s a cozy mystery set up for a sequel. Protagonist Cat Conway is a big-city girl returning to a (Canadian) small town from her past due to a career mishap, and death occurs in front of an audience—sort of. Bury the Lead has a more modern feel; however, with #MeToo moments that are pivotal to the plot and an amateur sleuth who doesn’t take s*** from anyone, she’s also a suspect and in danger from the killer. Cat’s also a mother, which is rare in mysteries. While the authors tidily circumvent Cat dealing with the day-to-day issues of parenting by having her tweenage son stay with his Dad for the summer,  it’s still nice to read about a protagonist who juggles her career with parenthood, even from a distance. If cozy mysteries with a dramatic slant appeal to you, both these books are worth a read—just maybe not back-to-back.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett
Like all of Hallet’s novels, The Appeal is an epistolary novel - unspooling in the form of emails, texts, and WhatsApp messages. While this format can be tricky to pull off, Hallet somehow makes it seamless to read rather than disruptive.*  While the story initially seems to be about an amateur theatre community rallying around a sick child, all is not as it seems.  Everything comes to a during an explosive dress rehearsal, followed by a murder where everyone’s a suspect. As two young lawyers sift through all the messages leading up to the trial, they uncover gossip, grudges, obsessions, financial mismanagement, and much more. If you’re a fan of Richard Osman and Lucy Foley, I think you’ll also be a fan of Janice Hallett.

*I have it on good authority that this epistolary style does not work as well in audiobook format because you can skim the following while reading: 

To: xyz@abc.com
From: pqr@def.ca
Sent: Friday, August 9th @ 8 pm
Subject Line: ATK Reads is a week late

But listening to those details as they're read aloud takes you out of the story more.

A little something extra: I’m feeling the summer heat lately and enjoying all things cool! My favourite summery mocktails are the Palomas and Margartias from Ole. They are super refreshing, especially when served with lots of ice, and they aren’t super sweet or sugary, either. When I imbibe, I like to check out where the Vin Van is popping up. For example, tonight, it will be in Kits. Speaking of cool, refreshing things, did you know Vancouver now has a Hawaiian-style shaved ice food truck? I haven’t tried it yet, but friends who have raved about it!