Mystery 101: Playing Dead

There have been a rash of "middle of the night" break-in burglaries at the commercial establishments on Main Street in Garrison, Washington, the latest to be hit being the pharmacy. Out for an early morning run, Garrison Police Detective Claire Tate is knocked unconscious and hospitalized in coming across the burglary in progress. Meanwhile, Garrison Community Playhouse is mounting a production of Shadow of Death. Movie and stage star Bella Brightman, who, along with her current husband Duncan Spencer, own property in town, has agreed to star in this community theater production as a favor to the town. Because she specializes in crime fiction, Elmstead College English Professor Amy Winslow is the production's dramaturge. There seems to be as much drama behind the scenes as there is on stage, as there may or may not be secret romantic liaisons between various people working on the production, much of the scuttlebutt centered on Bella, which is probably why seemingly jealous Duncan has been hanging around the theater as much as he has. It doesn't help matters that Bella's first husband, Manhattan-based Sebastian Dusquenes, arrives unexpectedly on the scene. While Bella seems to have a friendly relationship with Sebastian, Duncan doesn't seem happy to see him. In the approach to opening night, two too many close calls to be coincidence seem to indicate that someone is either trying to scare, seriously injure or kill Bella. Claire's partner, Detective Travis Burke, is assigned to the case. Being in the middle of the action, Amy can't help but insert herself into the case as well regardless of Travis' feelings, the two who have crossed this path before. While Travis would admit that Amy's assistance has been helpful in the past, he, having feelings for her, doesn't want to see her get hurt in the process. As more and more secrets come to light, what is happening seems to be tied to the burglaries with a grander scheme at play than just Bella's life as the end goal.—Huggo