An Act of Villainy

The fifth entry in the "Amory Ames" historical series (after The Essence of Malice) carries the same charming tone of the first book. Amory and her husband, Milo, are on much better terms than when we originally met them, enjoying the fashionable life in 1930s London. One evening, they run into an old friend of Milo's, wealthy investor and former actor Gerard Holloway, who is producing a play; he invites them to a dress rehearsal. It turns out that the lead actress, Gerard's mistress, is receiving threatening letters. As she has several times in the past, Amory soon stumbles upon a murder. This time the path to finding the killer is particularly circuitous and nearly fatal for the intrepid Amory. An excellent addition to the series, this could also be read independently. The period setting is as always meticulous and the main characters riveting.