So Much Blood

Book excerpt: Meet Charles Paris: a washed-up actor with a taste for wine, women . . . and solving crimes! A binge-worthy cozy mystery series from the original king of British cozy crime, internationally best-selling, award-winning author Simon Brett, OBE. For fans of Richard Osman - but with added bite! "Like a little malice in your mysteries? Some cynicism in your cosies? Simon Brett is happy to oblige" THE NEW YORK TIMES "Few crime writers are as enchantingly gifted" THE SUNDAY TIMES "One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Perfect entertainment" THE GUARDIAN "A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans" P.D. JAMES "Murder most enjoyable" COLIN DEXTER _______________________ One middle-aged actor, making ends meet - and occasionally solving murders One student drama society, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival One bag, full of prop knives . . . It all adds up to SO MUCH BLOOD (Mostly) out of work actor Charles Paris has bypassed his showbiz agent and found himself a job: a week at the famous Edinburgh comedy festival, performing his one-man show. "Is this the right thing for you to be doing, artistically?" Maurice warns, with the same moving appeal he makes every time Charles suggests something unprofitable. But Charles is determined - and heads off to Edinburgh, ready to perform as part of the Derby University Dramatic Society. He first has regrets when he sees the poster advertising his show, which reads: DUDS ON THE FRINGE . . . and the greatest of these is Charles Paris. But worse is yet to come. While waiting for the rehearsal room to be free, Charles accidentally witnesses a scene from the DUDS' own play. Student drama can be murder - but even Charles doesn't expect to see the show's star, rock musician Willy Mariello, stabbed to death by a cast-member wielding what was meant to be a fake knife . . . Fans of Agatha Christie, The Thursday Murder Club, Anthony Horowitz, Alexander McCall Smith, M.C. Beaton and Faith Martin will love this hilarious cozy traditional mystery series featuring one of the funniest antiheroes in crime fiction. Written over a fifty-year-period, it perfectly captures life and contemporary attitudes in 1970s London - and beyond! READERS ADORE CHARLES PARIS: "It's a pleasure to have him [Charles Paris] back, and especially to have him at the Edinburgh festival . . . A bonnie book indeed" Kirkus Reviews "Four words that never fail to lift the heart: A Charles Paris Mystery . . . [A] warm, witty, cleverly plotted drama" The Telegraph "The manner of the reveal and the way it plays out are both memorable and satisfying" MysteriesAhoy.com "A lovely, enjoyable read" Paradise-Mysteries.blogspot.com "A fun read from an author clearly on form. Well worth a look" ClassicMystery.blog "I am galloping through Simon Brett's murder stories . . . Good read always" Mrs L, 5* Amazon review "I'll cut to the chase: I love Charles Paris" Tonstant, 5* Amazon review THE CHARLES PARIS MYSTERIES, IN ORDER: 1. Cast in Order of Disappearance 2. So Much Blood 3. Star Trap 4. An Amateur Corpse 5. A Comedian Dies 6. The Dead Side of the Mike 7. Situation Tragedy 8. Murder Unprompted 9. Murder in the Title 10. Not Dead, Only Resting 11. Dead Giveaway 12. What Bloody Man is That 13. A Series of Murders 14. Corporate Bodies 15. A Reconstructed Corpse 16. Sicken and So Die 17. Dead Room Farce 18. A Decent Interval 19. The Cinderella Killer 20. A Deadly Habit