What Bloody Man Is That?

📖 The Scoop

Meet Charles Paris: a washed-up actor with a taste for wine, women . . . and solving crimes! A binge-worthy cozy mystery series from the original king of British cozy crime, internationally best-selling, award-winning author Simon Brett, OBE. For fans of Richard Osman - but with added bite!

"Like a little malice in your mysteries? Some cynicism in your cosies? Simon Brett is happy to oblige" THE NEW YORK TIMES

"Few crime writers are as enchantingly gifted" THE SUNDAY TIMES

"One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Perfect entertainment" THE GUARDIAN

"A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans" P.D. JAMES

"Murder most enjoyable" COLIN DEXTER
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One middle-aged actor with an accidental reputation as a sleuth
A disastrous run through of the murderous Scottish play
One ultimatum, one dead body
The words on everyone's lips . . . WHAT BLOODY MAN IS THAT?

Middle-aged actor Charles Paris is elated to get back to his roots in classical theatre in a provincial production of the play dreaded by superstitious folk: Macbeth.

However, his enthusiasm is quickly dampened as he finds himself doubling almost every role within the play and working with a tumultuous cast, including a nervous director, an over-dramatic leading lady and the dreadful Warnock Belvedere, whose reputation as a difficult actor precedes him.

In the aftermath of a disastrous run-through, arguments amongst the cast and one too many drinks, Charles stumbles across the body of Warnock in the cellar of the locked theatre. The curse of the Scottish Play has struck again, but this time, it's not just superstition - it's murder!

Suddenly thrust into the spotlight of a sinister plot, Charles Paris finds himself centre stage in the familiar role of private eye.

Fans of Agatha Christie, The Thursday Murder Club, Anthony Horowitz, Alexander McCall Smith, M.C. Beaton and Faith Martin will love this hilarious cozy traditional mystery series featuring one of the funniest antiheroes in crime fiction. Written over a fifty-year-period, it perfectly captures life and contemporary attitudes in 1970s London - and beyond!

READERS ADORE CHARLES PARIS:

"A delightful theatrical mystery" Library Journal

"The mystery is superb, clues and red-herrings all in the right places. The denouement is well crafted and satisfying" Brian, 5* GoodReads review

"Charles Paris continues to be a delight" Andy, 5* GoodReads review

"Great read - his best book!" Gordon B., 5* Amazon review

"Great entertainment" the.ken.petersen, 5* LibraryThing review

"Brett is always capable of weaving an intricate yet plausible plot, which he lightly peppers with humour . . . Most entertaining on a number of levels!" Eyejaybee, 5* LibraryThing review

THE CHARLES PARIS MYSTERIES, IN ORDER:

1. Cast in Order of Disappearance
2. So Much Blood
3. Star Trap
4. An Amateur Corpse
5. A Comedian Dies
6. The Dead Side of the Mike
7. Situation Tragedy
8. Murder Unprompted
9. Murder in the Title
10. Not Dead, Only Resting
11. Dead Giveaway
12. What Bloody Man is That
13. A Series of Murders
14. Corporate Bodies
15. A Reconstructed Corpse
16. Sicken and So Die
17. Dead Room Farce
18. A Decent Interval
19. The Cinderella Killer
20. A Deadly Habit

Genre: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth (fancy, right?)