Murder at the Orpheus Theatre

 Murder at the Orpheus Theatre by Irina Shapiro, although just published in February 2025, is truly written as an old-time mystery which takes place in London in 1859. It begins with the intriguing idea that the co-stars of the production of Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy by Shakespeare in which both title characters die at the end of the play, are actually murdered on stage in front of their audience. The actors were able to finish their roles and their deaths were only discovered at the first curtain call when did not come to the stage to bow to the audience and receive their applause. Their bodies showed now signs of trauma, so they had not been shot or bludgeoned. Who could have pulled off such a double homicide? Why were these two well-known actors a target of murder? 

The audiobook was performed by Imogen Church, and she brought out the old-time quality to the story. I assume actors of the day delivered their lines in overly dramatic, emotive and flowery fashion, which in today’s world seems too exaggerated and unbelievable. This style of reading certainly added to the enjoyment of listening. It felt like I was listening to vintage radio shows. So, it was fun although not something that I want to encounter on a regular basis.

 

Meanwhile, there was a most interesting cast of characters, most of whom had secrets and possible interest in murdering the young actors. Inspector Sebastian Bell and Gemma Tate were the main players. Bell had to deal with a troublesome boss while trying to solve the case, and Tate was an unusual woman for her time. She was bright and educated as a nurse. Rather than seeking life as a housewife and mother in a world in which women had almost no rights of independence from a husband, Gemma volunteered to go to Crimea for the Crimean War which lasted from 1853 to 1856. In Crimea, her services were highly regarded and she learned more about the world than she could have by staying at home in London. Upon her return to London, she immediately ran into struggles with a male dominated society that did not give credit to a woman’s opinions or ideas. She happened to be at the theater on the night of the murder.

 

The author explored the lives of the many people and patrons of the theater and really took the reader on a delightful tour of what life was like from people who occupied vastly different roles in the society of the time. The book provided both good character development and a well-designed plot. I had come across this book when I was searching for a new audiobook to listen to during my early morning dog walks, and I was duly entertained.