A Poisonous Play

Poison, a play, and a murder to solve-can Rebecca untangle a crime when the line between theatrics and real life blurs?Now officially the Duchess of Atwood, Rebecca Orange thought her greatest challenge after the wedding would be surviving etiquette lessons from Mrs. Trechon-an exacting 'special instructor' sent by the Queen to tame her into a proper Duchess. But Rebecca’s chosen social cause, the delightfully unruly Atwood Village Playhouse, comes with a challenge of its own: staging Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.Opening night brings more than drama on stage. When one of the leading actors collapses after sipping from a poisoned prop, Rebecca finds herself center stage in yet another murder investigation. And with several famous cast members carrying secrets-and motives-she quickly learns that the rivalries behind the curtain may be more dangerous than the swordfights in the script.With her loyal Tibetan Mastiff, Joe (now a self-appointed theater critic in a top hat), Rebecca dives into the tangled world of actors, directors, and stagehands where nothing is quite what it seems. Alongside castle-manager Maggie and the ever-skeptical Officer Basilier, she must uncover the killer before the curtain falls for good-on both the play and her newfound duchesshood.Because in Monrovia, the show must go on... even when someone dies trying.Perfect for fans of royal intrigue, Shakespearean twists, and cozy mysteries with a dramatic flair!