Synopses & Reviews
FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!
Bram Stoker, business manager for Londons Lyceum Theatre, always expects the supernatural to be lurking around the corner. But investigating the murder of a cast member might be enough to make even him lose his head
1881. When the star and owner of the Lyceum, Mr. Henry Irving, is poisoned on Hamlets opening night, its up to stage manager Harry Rivers to make sure the show goes on. Fortunately for Harry, Mr. Irving is able to pull through and walk the boards as planned. But when his understudy is killed the very next day, Harrys boss, Bram Stoker, becomes convinced that foul play is afoot.
Mr. Irving has a list of enemies longer than a Shakespearean soliloquy, any of whom would have been happy for the curtain never to rise. It soon becomes clear that nefarious, possibly magical, methods are being employed to shut the play down. With more cast and crew members falling victim to the increasingly dangerous accidents on set, its up to Harry and Stoker to figure out which of Irvings critics has a voodoo vendetta
Review
Praise for Cursed in the Act “Buckland brings nineteenth-century London to life with this tale of treachery and supernatural doings set in the fascinating world of the theater. Harry Rivers is a delightful foil for his brilliant boss, Bram Stoker, as they unravel the plot behind the mysterious accidents and deaths plaguing the famous Lyceum Theater.”—Victoria Thompson, national bestselling author of Murder in Murray Hill
“Raymond Buckland perfectly captures the feel of Victorian London in this atmospheric and suspenseful novel. A terrific read.”—Rhys Bowen, USA Today bestselling author of the Royal Spyness and Molly Murphy Mysteries
Synopsis
Bram Stoker, business manager for Londons Lyceum Theatre, is never surprised to find the supernatural waiting in the wingsespecially when a chilling murder appears to have origins in the occult
March 1881. The Lyceum is abuzz with the news that American actor Edwin Booth is going to be sharing the stage with their own Shakespearean star, Henry Irving. But stage manager Harry Rivers has other matters preoccupying him. One of the regular actresses has disappeared, and after a disturbing tarot card reading, Harrys boss, Bram Stoker, is convinced that something wicked is coming their way.
When the poor girls body is found, Stokers suspicions prove to be foundedthe murder scene is riddled with strange clues that Stoker recognizes as the trappings of an occult ritual. Someone is conjuring up a pernicious plot against cast and crew of the Lyceum, and if Harry doesnt track down the slaying sorcerer quickly, it could spell disaster for those he holds dearest
About the Author
Raymond Buckland is a prolific author with books translated into seventeen foreign languages. His newest series, the Bram Stoker mysteries, includes Cursed in the Act and Dead for a Spell. Born and raised in England, he is fascinated with the Victorian age and loves to set his mysteries in that era. Today he lives with his wife and two Chihuahuas on a small farm in Ohio.