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Helen Smith
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Showstoppers: A British Mystery (Emily Castles Mysteries Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Helen Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.5 out of 5 stars 142 ratings
Twenty-six-year-old amateur sleuth Emily Castles helps out at a local stage school in London. As parents and prospective new pupils turn up at the end of term show - where prizes will be handed out by eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel and famous romance novelist Morgana Blakely - Emily deals with a blackmail threat and two deaths, before teaming up with the guests of honour to try to prevent a massacre happening live on stage.

The funny lines will keep you giggling as you race through this madcap story to discover whether Emily and her friends will triumph over disaster.

Readers of M C Beaton or Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy discovering a new author in this entertaining British mystery series.

Chosen as a Favorite Book of the Year by Julie’s Book Reviews.

This short mystery is a standalone story set in London. The Emily Castles mysteries can be read in any order.

PRAISE FOR SHOWSTOPPERS
"It's a confection of intriguing characters and situations. The small details that season the story keep the reader turning the pages. The cleverly written story shows a deep understanding of human motivations and reactions, even as it reveals a sense of how ridiculous people can be. Dive in to 'Showstoppers' when you have time to relish every line. You'll be glad you did." Mary Beth Magee, Yahoo Voices

PRAISE FOR THE EMILY CASTLES MYSTERY SERIES
I love Helen Smith's writing. Her brand of mystery, shot through with clever observational humour and the sharpest of wit, is something that's been missing from the genre for far too long. Alex Marwood, Edgar award winning author of The Wicked Girls

Helen Smith is a master story-teller. Socrates Book Reviews

Emily Castles is one character you cannot help but fall in love with! Julie's Book Reviews

Helen Smith's books have reached number one in the Amazon store in the US, UK, Germany and Canada. Her books have appeared in "best of the year" lists by For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent, and the Guardian.
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  1. Part of series
    Emily Castles Mysteries
  2. Print length
    104 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    5 Dec. 2011
  6. File size
    828 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 7 books in this series.
  • Kindle Price:
    £11.25
    By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of UseSold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

Product description

About the Author

Helen Smith is a British novelist and playwright who lives in London. She is a member of the Crime Writers' Association and the Mystery Writers of America. Her books have reached number one on Amazon's bestseller lists in the US, UK, Germany and Canada and appeared in "best of the year" lists at For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent, and the Guardian. Helen Smith reached the top spot as America's most popular mystery author in July 2013. Her work has been optioned by the BBC.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006ITK0AW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tyger Books Mysteries
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 Dec. 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 828 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 104 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Emily Castles Mysteries
  • Customer reviews:
    3.5 out of 5 stars 142 ratings

About the author

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Helen Smith

Helen Smith

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Helen Smith is a novelist and playwright who lives in London. Her books have reached number one on Amazon's bestseller lists in the US, UK, Canada and Germany. They have been praised in The Times, The Times Literary Supplement, the Guardian, Time Out and Wired.com and appeared on "best of the year" lists in For Books' Sake, The Cult Den, The Independent and the Guardian. Her books have been optioned by the BBC.

Helen Smith travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel. Since then, she has read at literary events and festivals in London and New York and points in between - including, most recently, a cruise ship en route to California via the Suez Canal. Her work has been read or performed at the National Theatre, The Royal Festival Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, Amnesty International's Headquarters, The Edinburgh Festival and The University of London. She's a Literary Death Match champion and the recipient of an Arts Council of England award.

Helen Smith is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, The Crime Writers' Association and English PEN.

"Smith is gin-and-tonic funny." Booklist

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
142 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a very good read with an entertaining mystery plot. They appreciate its wit, with one customer noting its clever dialogue throughout.

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8 customers mention ‘Readability’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a very good read, with one describing it as a light and engaging story.

"Enjoyed it immensely, Great read" Read more

"Merely OK. Far too brief to be anything more. What is there is fine, but really!" Read more

"...is a fast paced murder mystery book that's a captivating, imaginative read and something you will struggle to put down till you finish it...." Read more

"...A thoroughly enjoyable read - if the book were any longer one would have indigestion of the imagination. Just right." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Suspenseful story’4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, finding it entertaining and captivating, with one customer describing it as a light-hearted tale of sleuthing.

"Showstoppers is a fast paced murder mystery book that's a captivating, imaginative read and something you will struggle to put down till you finish..." Read more

"This was a amusing little mystery. Clever dialogue and a background that completely involved me, as a stage person myself for many years...." Read more

"Intriguing, a page turner, an original style, an eclectic cast of characters, all of whom could have done it, spoilt for choice there...." Read more

"Love this light hearted tale of sleuth, Emily Castles, attempts to solve a murder case. A light read with no grittiness or bad language." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Wit’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the wit of the book, with one review noting its clever dialogue and another mentioning its well-written and thought-provoking content.

"...The author has composed a well written thought provoking, humorous and adventurous story with strong characters that capture the reader...." Read more

"This was a amusing little mystery. Clever dialogue and a background that completely involved me, as a stage person myself for many years...." Read more

"...A light read with no grittiness or bad language." Read more

"I have given this a 5 star as its an excellent read, very well written and witty all the way through," Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Buffy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 October 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed it immensely, Great read
    Helpful
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  • K Ewart
    3.0 out of 5 stars Too brief.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Merely OK. Far too brief to be anything more. What is there is fine, but really!
    Helpful
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  • C Jenkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars I greatly recommend this book to all
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 February 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Showstoppers is a fast paced murder mystery book that's a captivating, imaginative read and something you will struggle to put down till you finish it. The author has composed a well written thought provoking, humorous and adventurous story with strong characters that capture the reader. I greatly recommend this book to all.
    Helpful
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  • Liz Bailey
    4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining mystery
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This was a amusing little mystery. Clever dialogue and a background that completely involved me, as a stage person myself for many years. I recognised so much of the problems inherent in putting on a show, and I think it was the more enjoyable for that. Mad action, but believable all the same.
    Helpful
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  • Val, Hertsmere
    5.0 out of 5 stars Showstoppers - a novella
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Intriguing, a page turner, an original style, an eclectic cast of characters, all of whom could have done it, spoilt for choice there. Similes and adjectives tumbling over themselves to be read and remembered. A thoroughly enjoyable read - if the book were any longer one would have indigestion of the imagination. Just right.
    Helpful
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  • gwendyfield
    3.0 out of 5 stars not great
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 March 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Ok read the main character could grow on me will probably read another in the series to give the author another chance to impress
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  • Vanessa Hampton
    1.0 out of 5 stars It's a mystery why this is a series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 April 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Sorry annoying characters and predictable plot - it's also a short story/novella which I didn't realise when purchasing- thought I was getting a bargain. It isn't.
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  • Nicola
    5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 January 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Love this light hearted tale of sleuth, Emily Castles, attempts to solve a murder case. A light read with no grittiness or bad language.
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • BigAl
    4.0 out of 5 stars Showstoppers
    Reviewed in the United States on 13 December 2011
    Verified Purchase
    The cozy mystery is a sub-genre I couldn't have defined or even known had I seen it. Luckily Wikipedia purports to answer all my questions. Among other things, Wikipedia says cozy mysteries are built around the inhabitants of a small, insular community (a London neighborhood in this case), with characters that are often eccentric and provide comic relief. The emphasis is on puzzle solving, with the protagonist using their intelligence and knowledge of the community dynamics to solve the mystery. Examples of the genre given included Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books and the American television series, "Murder, She Wrote."

    Having read several of Helen Smith's books, it struck me how well the cozy mystery sub-genre plays to her strengths as a writer. Her prose is comfortable (dare I say cozy?) while still feeling more literary than a typical genre book. Her books are full of humor, but it is subtle -- if you aren't paying attention, it will fly past and you'll miss it. More Woody Allen or Steven Wright than Mel Brooks or Benny Hill. More intellectual (or assuming intelligence on the part of the reader) than slapstick.

    If I had any complaint with "Three Sisters," the first book in this series, it would be that I was well into the book before finding out what the "mystery" was. This isn't an issue with "Showstoppers," as we find out about the mystery (or at least the initial mystery) early on. As Emily works toward the solution, we meet plenty of those quirky characters and Smith gives us numerous puzzle pieces to decipher along with Emily.

    **Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
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  • Rocky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Helen Smith has started a great new mystery series with Emily Castle!
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 February 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I love mysteries set in London and I equally love finding up and coming writers. Helen Smith is an up and coming writer of mysteries who has developed a charming and interesting character in 26 year-old Emily Castles. Emily, who lives alone in contemporary London, does things like call out, "Hello!" cheerfully to her empty flat to throw off any would-be thieves that might have just happened to trail her home. The mystery begins when Emily finds a letter in her mail that was meant for her neighbor, Victoria, who teaches at a school called Showstoppers.

    Emily who wants nothing more than to deliver the letter and get home to have some tea and biscuits (cookies in the US) is at first puzzled by Victoria's distraught reaction to receiving a letter. She discovers that Victoria has been receiving threatening letters and soon is drawn into the mystery of who is sending these letters and why.

    The novella is fast-paced and immediately you are drawn into the mystery and the action without much back-story. I actually liked that about the book and later realized that there is a previous Emily Castles story called, The Three Sisters, where you get a more thorough introduction to Emily Castles. However, having not read the previous book did not detract from my enjoyment of this one - but I now want to go back and read it more.

    The writing in this book is tight and natural and I could clearly picture the characters having the discussions and back and forth interactions Helen Smith writes so well. Emily Castles is a great protagonist and is about to debut in a new, full length book, Invitation to Die, later in the year. The new Emily Castles noel is being published by a well-known international publishing house - Thomas &Mercer. Having read Showstoppers I am looking forward to the release of the full-length Emily Castle novel.

    The bottom line for me: Showstoppers, jumps right into the mystery and introduces some interesting and quite entertaining characters. One of my favorites is definitely Dr. Muriel, who is sure to make more appearances in future Emily Castles books. The mystery is engaging and the book has subtle humor and clues that are fun to look for and discover. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes British mysteries and I will certainly look for more Emily Castle mysteries in the future.
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  • joanne
    3.0 out of 5 stars They are like kiddie books
    Reviewed in the United States on 21 February 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I wish I had paid more attention when I ordered these. They are like kiddie books. I can read a book like this in about 20 minutes.
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  • Nell Yarbrough
    2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on 9 October 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This was a short story, very predictable and not involving.
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  • Melissa A. Palmer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Showstoppers
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 March 2012
    Verified Purchase
    #20 Book Read in 2012
    Showstoppers

    Showstoppers is the second in a mystery series. Emily receives a letter that belongs to her neighbor Victoria. Victoria tells Emily that she has been receiving threatening letters in the mail. Victoria believes that the letters have to do with a video she made in drama school; she believes this video brings bad luck to all who watches it. Victoria's ex, who was in the video with her, is coming to check out a dance school Victoria runs and she hires Emily to work at the dance school and keep an eye on her ex. While at the end of the year show, Victoria's nasty landlord is found dead and she believes he has watched the video and this is his bad luck. . . but was it.

    This book was a good, quick read. Emily is an interesting character. She has spunk and a good sense of humor. The secondary characters are decent, especially Dr. Muriel. The book seems rushed a bit though, which probably has to do with its short length--I think Emily can handle keeping a full length book interesting for readers.

    I received this book from the author for review.
    [...]
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