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Simon Brett

 

 

Simon Brett

(1945 - 0000)

Cast, In Order of Disappearance 1975 Charles Paris novel
So Much Blood 1976 Charles Paris novel
Star Trap 1977 Charles Paris novel
An Amateur Corpse 1978 Charles Paris novel
 A Comedian Dies A rising young stage comedian, who is about to receive his profession’s award as Most Promising Newcomer, dies sensationally on stage at the start of his act; as he picks up the mike, he is electrocuted. Faulty wiring seems to be the cause; no one person’s to blame; a verdict of death by misadventure is returned at the inquest. But Simon Brett’s actor/detective, Charles Paris, who has already solved some highly complex murders in Cast in Order of Disappearance, So Much Blood and An Amateur Corpse, happens to have been in the audience. And when another member of the cast reveals the comedian checked his equipment before the performance, Charles is launched on a further fascinating puzzle. 1979 Charles Paris novel
The Dead Side of the Mike 1980 Charles Paris novel
 Situation Tragedy West End Television are planning a new situation-comedy series, to be called The Struttters. From the outset, things go horribly wrong with the new series. Odd accidents—if they are accidents—remove, one by one, the sharp-tongued Production Assistant, the self-effacing script-writer, the hearty Floor Manager. Death even takes from us the revolting Yorkshire terrier, Cocky, who’s the idol of the indestructible Dame Aurelia Howarth, theatrical star for fifty years.

There’s no discernible pattern in all this, but Simon Brett’s regular sleuth, the bit-player Charles Paris, is confidently on the trail of another mass murderer. But the bizarre solution, brilliantly led up to, surprises even him.

 1981 Charles Paris novel
Murder Unprompted 1982 Charles Paris novel
 Murder in the Title Simon Brett again takes us behind the scenes in a back-stage drama of crime and detection. This time it’s the world of provincial rep, with an historic theatre threatened with closure by unscrupulous property developers. And the theatre management seems to be digging its own grave: a deplorable choice of current productions; a painfully incompetent director; bizarre accidents happening on stage. Charles, as Mr. Brett’s readers know, is an amateur detective and a professional actor. As an actor his career is still on the way down, with not much further to go. But as a detective he goes from strength to strength. He soon establishes that someone is deliberately sabotaging the company. All this culminates in a spectacular suicide. Or is it murder, as Charles Paris suspects? 1983 Charles Paris novel
 Not Dead, Only Resting Tristam Gowers and Yves Lafeu have the flamboyance of stage matinee idols, but currently they are running a very smart restaurant, Tryst, which is much patronized by top people in the theatrical profession. Which means it’s not Charles Paris’s usual ambience, but this small-part player, who’s more successful as an amateur detective than as professional actor, is the guest tonight of another fascinating duo, William Bartlemas and Kevin O’Rourke, wealthy collectors of theatrical memorabilia. And he is in at the death: the gruesome murder of Yves. It seems to be an open and shut case. Tristam caught the night boat to France within hours of a spectacular public quarrel with Yves over a pretty youth, and now he has disappeared. But of course there’s much more to it than that: much more, as Charles discovers when he begins to investigate. 1984 Charles Paris novel
 Dead Giveaway Poor Charles Paris: as an actor, which is his chosen profession, he is reaching rock-bottom; but as a detective, the role he is continually called upon to play, he’s brilliant, as he demonstrates again in his latest adventure. He is now reaching the lowest form of showbiz life, the television give-away panel game. And when he and his vast audience least expect it, there’s a murder in the studio, right in front of the cameras. Once again, Simon Brett reveals his mastery as he unravels a complex mystery and revels in the humour of this showbiz world. 1985 Charles Paris novel
 A Nice Class of Corpse Brett introduces Melita Pargeter, his newest detective. Melita is a rich and vivacious widow whose mystery-solving talents come in handy when a murderer stalks a hotel for retirees. "An amusing caper . . . Mr. Brett is in top form".--The New York Times Book Review. 1986 Fethering novel
 What Bloody Man Is That? Charles Paris is on his way up again, career-wise. No longer “resting” and no longer just a corpse in a cupboard, he blossoms in the play dreaded by superstitious theatre folk, who will not even speak its name: “the Scottish play” —Macbeth. It’s only in the provincial rep, but you have to start (or re-start) somewhere. And his agent has promised that though what’s offered is not much of a part, “other good parts are in the offing”. By which perhaps is not meant precisely what happens: that Charles finds himself doubling almost every role in the play that isn’t held by the three principals. And as for the principals, they could hardly be more ill-sorted. Macbeth is played by George Birkitt, the TV game-show personality whom we met in Dead Giveaway. Lady Macbeth comes straight from Stratford: an intense young woman with Method in her madness. And Duncan is that notorious old ham, Warnock Belvedere, who feels that he’s in the tradition of great acto-managers. With such a cast, sparks are bound to fly. It’s not long before death strikes in the night. And Charles Paris takes on the role of private eye… 1987 Charles Paris novel
 Mrs, Presumed Dead 1988 Fethering novel
 A Series of Murders Charles Paris is in clover. He has been contracted for three whole months to play brainless bobby Sergeant Clump, foil to the charismatic amateur sleuth, Stanislas Braid, in a TV series of that name. Recourse to the Bell’s is still needed, however, to get him through a day’s filming—one made all the more arduous by the pompous posturings of the show’s star, and the constant outraged interruptions of the ancient author whose detective novels are being adapted. Indeed, there is plenty of friction about, but when a particularly unpromising actress is killed, crushed to death, there seems no reason to doubt it was an accident…except in Charles’s mind. Leaving behind a trail of broken resolutions and empty bottles, Charles indulges in some sleuthing of his own. He may lack the panache of the suave Stanislas Braid, but unlike the great detective the danger Paris encounters is only too real. A Series of Murders is a witty and delightful addition to Simon Brett’s popular series. 1989 Charles Paris novel
 Mrs Pargeter's Package A trip to Corfu is not Mrs Pargeter's usual idea of a holiday, but keeping a recently widowed friend company overrules her misgivings. But when that friend starts behaving strangely and then is found having apparently committed suicide, Mrs Pargeter resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery. 1990 Fethering novel
Corporate Bodies 1991 Charles Paris novel
Mrs Pargeter's Pound of Flesh 1992 Fethering novel
 A Reconstructed Corpse 1993 Charles Paris novel
 Sicken and So Die 1995 Charles Paris novel
 Mrs Pargeter's Plot 1996 Fethering novel
Dead Room Farce 1998 Mrs Pargeter novel
 Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour Mrs Pargeter is forced to find out more than she would wish about her husband's "business activities", when she recreates one of his most famous scams. 1999 Fethering novel
 The Body on the Beach Very little disturbs the ordered calm of Fethering, a pleasingly self-contained retirement on England's southern coast. Which is precisely why Carole Seddon, who has outlived both her husband and her career at the Home Office, has chosen to reside there. So the last thing Carole expects to encounter in Fethering is a new neighbour with but one name and an obviously colourful past. 'Jude' was not really Fethering...but neither was the body Carole found on the beach. A body, it has to be said, that has disappeared by the time the police arrive. Only Jude is ready to believe what her neighbour says she saw - and from that moment on, the two women are resolved to turn detectives. "Simon Brett comes up trumps yet again...an excellent thriller." - "Irish News". "A new Simon Brett novel is an event for mystery fans." - P. D. James. "Pure pleasure from beginning to end." - "Birmingham Post". "I stayed up until three in the morning finishing this delightful, thoroughly English whodunnit." - "Daily Mail". 2000 Mrs Pargeter novel
 Death on the Downs From Simon Brett, "one of today's most literate and witty mystery writers," (Booklist) comes this second mystery featuring the practical Carole Seddon and her bohemian neighbor Jude.

While out exploring the South Downs of a wealthy town, Carole discovers the bones of a human skeleton. Jude fears it may be the remains of a young woman who once practiced her alternative therapy. It turns out the woman is alive-and living with a charismatic New Age healer. Now Jude and Carole have two mysteries to solve. Why is the woman hiding out? And if the skeleton wasn't hers...whose was it?		 2001 Mrs Pargeter novel
 The Torso in the Town Amateur sleuths Jude and Carole take on their third case when a terrible discovery is made in the cellar of a grand old house. Grant and Kim Roxby had hoped that their first dinner party at Pelling House would make an impression with their new neighbours. And the next day, it's certainly the talk of the town of Fedborough. For their guests - including the couple's old friend Jude - had been enjoying a pleasant meal before they were rudely interrupted by a gruesome discovery. A human torso is hidden in the cellar. Jude races home to Fethering and her friend Carole with the news. And soon the pair are back in Fedborough, questioning the locals. But they can't help but wonder why a town so notoriously distrustful of outsiders is proving so terribly amenable to their enquiries...'Highly enjoyable ...A good, juicy, very English murder mystery' - "Daily Mail". 'A crime novel in the traditional style, with delightful little touches of humour and vignettes of a small town and its bitchy inhabitants' - "Sunday Telegraph". 2002 Mrs Pargeter novel
 Murder in the Museum Books 4 and 5 in the light and witty Fethering Mystery series, with Carole and Jude investigating more crimes in seaside England. Simon Brett is a very dependable author, very well respected in the crime-writing world. The Fethering series (Body on the Beach, Death on the Downs, Torso in the Town) has proved successful so far, especially in hardback. Simon Brett worked as a radio and TV producer before taking up writing full-time. As well as the Fethering Mysteries series, he is also the author of the TV series After Henry, the radio series No Commitments and Smelling of Roses, and the best-selling How to Be a Little Sod. His novel A Shock to the System was filmed starring Michael Caine. 2003 Mrs Pargeter novel
 The Hanging in the Hotel Jude and Carole Seddon investigate an elitist, hard-drinking group of businessmen after the suspicious suicide of the one of their inductees. 2004 Mrs Pargeter novel
 The Witness at the Wedding 2005 Mrs Pargeter novel
 The Stabbing in the Stables Fethering's favorite sleuths are at it again as Jude and Carole Seddon find themselves in the midst of some horseplay, after stumbling upon the body of ex-equestrian Walter Fleet at Long Bamber Stables.

The police attribute the stabbing death to the mysterious "Horse Ripper," who's been mutilating mares across West Sussex-and who Walter obviously caught in the act. But considering Walter's track record out of the saddle, Jude and Carole find that there are plenty of suspects- including Walter's put-upon wife and more than a few jealous husbands who wanted Walter put out to pasture.		 2006 Mrs Pargeter novel
 Death Under the Dryer 2007 Mrs Pargeter novel
 Blood at the Bookies 2008 Mrs Pargeter novel
Poisoning at the Pub 2009 Mrs Pargeter novel
Murder in Play 1994 plays
Mr Quigley's Revenge 1995 plays
Silhouette 1998 plays
The Tale of Little Red Riding Hood 1998 plays
Sleeping Beauty 1999 plays
Putting the Kettle on 2002 plays