Awards

• Long-listed for CWA Whodunnit Dagger 2026

Overview

A trial is rather like a play. We wear our costumes. We perform to the audience. And on a good day no-one gets murdered.Six nights a week the cast of the smash-hit play The Washington Murders gathers in the chapel of All Souls Cemetery to perform to a sold-out audience, with thousands more watching the livestream around the world. But on this night, the dramatic finale of the third act ends not in applause but in death, as leading lady Alexandra Dyce is beheaded live on stage. And what is at first thought to be a tragic accident is soon revealed to be cold-blooded murder.Every cast member appears to have a motive, but it is the dead woman's co-star - and ex-husband - Leo Lusk who is charged with the crime. For defence barrister, Charles Konig KC, this ought to be the case of a lifetime: a glamorous victim, a world-famous client, and the chance to defeat his greatest rival, who is leading the prosecution's case. But Lusk is not an easy client; a method actor, he has taken extreme steps to get into the character of George Washington, and his demand to plead presidential immunity is derailing the defence. It becomes clear that Konig's only chance of victory may be to identify the real murderer himself. As he and his co-counsel New York lawyer Yara Ortiz sift through the evidence, they realise that clues lie in the play itself... but also that the murderer may be about to strike again.

Full Product Details

9781800818989

Table of Contents

Reviews

A captivating murder mystery executed with pin-point precision and skill that verges on the masterful. My verdict: all rise for a future book of the year -- Janice Hallett PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR 'A marvellously twisty whodunnit [with] the brutal, clockwork ingenuity of an Agatha Christie mystery * Financial Times * Gripping, well-written and intriguing on every level -- Sarah Pearse Dizzyingly brilliant ... had me gripped from the start -- Philippa East

PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR 'A marvellously twisty whodunnit [with] the brutal, clockwork ingenuity of an Agatha Christie mystery * Financial Times * A delicious, sophisticated puzzle you'll want to take your time to solve -- Janice Hallett Gripping, well-written and intriguing on every level -- Sarah Pearse Dizzyingly brilliant ... had me gripped from the start -- Philippa East A powerhouse in speculative crime -- Helen Fields

Author Information

Guy Morpuss worked as a barrister in London for thirty years, on cases featuring drug-taking cyclists, dead Formula 1 champions and aspiring cemetery owners. His favourite books involve taking a twist on reality and playing with the consequences, which led to his debut novel, Five Minds, a Financial Times Best Book of 2021. He is currently working on his fourth novel. Guy lives near Farnham with his wife and two sons. When not writing he can usually be found walking or running in the Surrey Hills.

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