The Fourth Wall

By Barbara Paul

Book Overview

Other than a critic, who'd kill a Broadway play? Playwright Abigail James has long been fascinated by revenge tragedies, those theatrical classics about getting even. But all of a sudden, she's living in one: The set of her latest Broadway hit has been vandalized, actors horribly attacked, a designer blinded with acid, the brilliant director terrified into hiding. Clearly, they have all committed some grievous wrong, terrible enough to prompt this orgy of destruction. But who did they wrong? The police are clueless (and a little too smirkingly eager to chalk it all up to theater people's taste for drama), so James and her colleagues see only one option: They'll examine their collective sins and pinpoint the injured party. And then they'll exact some revenge of their own. A boffo thriller . . .absolutely superb - Publishers Weekly Astringent wit, style, and shrewd observation . . .brings alive the world of backstage theater - Washington Post

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553264133
• ISBN13: 9780553264135
• Release Date: April 1987
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 247 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A taut and beautifully written murder mystery.

Although I first read this book many years ago I have never forgotten its cast of characters and genuinely shocking but satisfyingly believable denouement. The theatre world of New York is rocked when a number of prominient professionals become the victims of viciously personal attacks. A stage manager loses his hand-an actress is disfigured when her face cream is laced with acid... Gradually the link emerges; many years in the past all of them were members of a one theatre group-but why are they being targetted now? Who wants revenge so badly and why? None of them can imagine who holds this grudge. While being a real page-turner this is a genuinely profound character study and the central characters are well-rounded and complex. The plot turns are credible as well as fascinating and the finale is truly explosive. I strongly recommend this to any-one with an interest in detective stories, whodunnits, strong female leads or just fresh and insightful writing.