Audition for Murder

Susan Sussman
with Sarajane Avidon

Morgan Taylor is a struggling actor in Chicago. She is trying out for a lead for a play with the legendary director, Martin Wexler. She is trying out with the older actor trying out to be her mother in the show. Lily London does not show for the audition. Instead, Morgan finds her in a back bathroom in the theater, dead of an apparant heart attack.

Detective Roblings is assigned to the case when London's death is rumored to be a murder. He shows up at Morgan's apartment to question her. Morgan wants to protect her friend, Beth, another actor suffering from MS. Beth is the only heir to London's estate so is a potential suspect. Since Morgan found the body, she is also a suspect.

Morgan stumbles through being an amateur detective. She often just happens to be in the right place at the wrong time. Another actor dies. The owner of the store where she works has ties to London, Wexler, and the show Wexler is mounting. The replacement actor for London is from the same time period and memories.

This book may be the beginning of a series. There are some unfinished personal stories that are still hanging around. It is a lighter mystery that revolves around stage acting. I enjoyed a glimpse of the angst the protagonist goes through while trying to get and keep work in acting. Those sections should be read by anyone considering the acting field as a permanent way of life. The mystery itself is resolved. I don't believe it can be solved until the end because a couple vital elements are missing until Morgan uncovers them herself. I hope there are more of these - I want to see Morgan resolve some issues with her sister.