Could it be a mid-life crisis brewing or the looming
possibility of a divorce that has Jane Wheeler scurrying
off to her hometown of Kankakee, Illinois? Or maybe it is
the pleas of her best friend, Tim Lowry, and the chance to
pick through the furnishings of a renowned local home that
has Jane leaving town. But one thing is a sure bet --
wherever Jane Wheel goes, murder and mystery is sure to
follow.
In mystery author Sharon Fiffer's seventh novel featuring
the intrepid private investigator/treasure picker Jane
Wheeler, BACKSTAGE STUFF is filled with excitement,
intrigue and humor -- all trademarks of this entertaining
cozy mystery series.
As Jane and Tim begin to pick through the enormous amount
of furnishings and bric-a-brac in the old Kendall mansion
for the upcoming estate sale when Tim stumbles upon an old
play, written by a Kendall ancestor. Tim becomes determined
to make his mark on the Kankakee theater world with a top-
notch production featuring the old script and enlists
Jane's help to find props for the production. But a spooky
ventriloquist's dummy named Mr. Bumbles springs forth with
ever-increasing threats to not continue with the play. When
a local carpenter working on the set meets with a
suspicious death, Jane feels her old private eye instincts
kick in and soon begins to delve into the mystery.
With a little help from her family and friends, and her
mentor Detective Bruce Oh, Jane picks through the clues (as
well as the odds and ends that she finds so fascinating)
and is close to identifying the killer, but one miscue or
late curtain call could be the last of Jane Wheeler if she
isn't very careful!
Sharon Fiffer's Jane Wheeler Mystery series is a delight,
and BACKSTAGE STUFF is no exception. With the popularity of
the American Pickers, Pawn Stars, and Storage Wars
reality television series, it was a sweet surprise to find
that the character of Jane was a picker herself. And while
Jane and Tim are the center characters of the tale, Jane's
mother Nellie very nearly steals the show with her dramatic
and over-the-top antics that readers are sure to find
endearing as well as hilarious!
Don't worry if you haven't read the previous books in this
series as this lively and humorous story stands on
its own merits to be enjoyed. But once you've have devoured
this edition, I feel sure that you'll be anxious to acquire
the rest of the books featuring the feisty and plucky Jane.
With a divorce looming, antiques picker and PI Jane Wheel
is stuck in place, unsure what to do with herself.
Luckily, her friend Tim Lowry has the answer. Not only
does he have an estate sale to prep for, but he found an
old play, a murder mystery, that he’s dying to put on. The
play would be just the thing, that is if it weren’t
cursed. Tim pushes forward in spite of ominous notes
warning against a performance.
It’s only when the show’s carpenter dies in a suspicious
accident that Jane is convinced someone definitely doesn’t
want the show to go on and might be willing to kill to
stop it. Lively as ever, Backstage Stuff is as much fun
for the mystery as it is for peeking behind the curtain to
see all of the surprises that Jane has collected for the
big show.
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