Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 0-373-26351-1

Audition for Murder gives the reader an interesting behind-the-scenes look at stage acting. Set in Chicago, the book starts with auditions for a play, where a murder is committed, and follows the cast and crew through the first performance. The quiet desperation of all the parties involved in the book is a little disturbing and wonderfully depicted by the authors.

The underlying theme of this story is that everyone involved in the theater needs to get work – so they can do what they love and become famous but, first and foremost, so that they can afford to eat. And the people involved in the show the book follows are both literally and figuratively hungry because most of them haven’t worked in a while. So it is really hitting them where it hurts that poisoned food keeps appearing at rehearsals and at the theater, and they quickly become suspicious of all the food that they used to be considered fair game.

Sussman and Avidon have created some great characters and conflicts in this book. The main character is actress Morgan Taylor. Morgan has a lot going on in this book. She is desperate for an acting job that will last long enough to keep her health insurance from lapsing, she is supporting a fellow actor and friend who has MS and is trying to keep is a secret, she is still trying to convince her parents that acting is real work, and she isn’t talking to her sister who is dating her ex-boyfriend. And while she is trying to avoid eating any poisoned goodies, she is also a suspect in two murders.

Audition for Murder is a good book. It has an interesting setting, good characters, nice conflicts, and it is easy to empathize with characters who have so much at stake. My only issue with the book is that I didn’t believe that part of the mystery could have happened the way it did. But since I don’t want to ruin the ending, I can’t really explain it.

Favorite character? Beth, the friend with MS and tough decisions to make. Did I guess it? No. Will I read another? Yes.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

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