One of the most intriguing aspects about reading a series of novels that features a continuing protagonist is the opportunity to see how the author allows the character to develop. Those changes are, of course, even more evident if one chances to re-read some of the novels in the sequence. This was the second of Simon Brett’s books featuring Charles Paris. Later on in the series Charles will metamorphose into an almost terminally unsuccessful bit part player, reduced to accepting the offer of almost any cameo role, regardless of whatever lack of dignity it might entail. In Murder In The Title, for example, he will play the part of a corpse discovered in a cupboard in the first scene of a traditional whodunit, although he will subsequently sink even further down the thespian pecking order to represent a man who is believed to have been abducted in a reconstruction for a programme of the Crimewatch ilk in A Reconstructed Corpse.

At the stage of So Much Blood, however, Charles is still portrayed as a fairly successful figure, recognised by several other characters from work he has done on television, and renowned for his work as a director. As the novel opens he is heading north to Edinburgh to join the Derby University Dramatic Society (which revels in the unfortunate acronym D.U.D.S.) which has secured several slots in the Festival Fringe. Owing to an unfortunate accident to one of the troupe there is now a vacancy which has been offered to Charles to perform his one man show, So Much Comic, So Much Blood, a selection from the works of Victorian poet Thomas Hood. To help enlighten the reader about Hood's works (and I have to admit that I knew very little beyond the frequently anthologised "I remember, I remember the house where I was born" and 'No-vember') Brett uses quotations from several of his poems as chapter headings.

After some brief scene-setting (Hey! I can pun with the best, or worst of them) we realise that D.U.D.S. is seething with tensions between over-inflated egos and artistic sensitivities. Consequently it really comes as no surprise when, during a publicity photo-shoot, Willy Mariello, who was to play Rizzio, lover of Mary, Queen of Scots, in a new play which was to be the centrepiece of D.U.D.S.'s contribution to the Festival, is stabbed. But was it an accident, or was it a carefully orchestrated murder? And if the latter, then orchestrated by whom? Charles worries over this and, as we all knew he must, he starts to delve more deeply.

This novel is engrossing, with affectionate (and accurate) descriptions of many favourite locations around Edinburgh, and captures the dynamism of the city during the Festival, neatly contrasting traditional theatrical ideals with the wealth of avant-gardism that has always been rife across the Fringe.

The relative success of Charles Paris is not the only difference from the later books in the sequence. This is still a straight crime story with a theatrical setting. Later instalments would move towards the comic (although Brett was always careful to ensure the integrity of his plots). Even without the humour that pervades the later books in the series, the theatrical insights are all there, and Charles is as self-effacing and vulnerable as ever.

Very enjoyable all round! ( )

A pleasing diversion, but not one of Charles Paris' best outings.

If you haven't tried Simon Brett's crime stories, I thoroughly recommend them: they are perfectly judged tongue in cheek detective fiction. The stories are not, nor are they meant to be, lifelike crimes, however, there is just enough credibility to hold some level of belief.

Mr Paris is a jobbing actor and his outings are against this back ground. In this case, an actor is stabbed, during rehearsals, with a dagger that should have had a retracting blade. There is a pleasing twist at the end and this book keeps one interested from page one to the end. ( )

One of the most intriguing aspects about reading a series of novels that features a continuing protagonist is the opportunity to see how the author allows the character to develop. Later on in the series Charles will metamorphose into an almost terminally unsuccessful bit part player, reduced to accepting the offer of almost any cameo role, regardless of the lack of dignity it might entail. In Murder In The Title he will play the part of a corpse discovered in a cupboard in the first scene of a traditional whodunnit, though he will subsequently sink even further down the thespian pecking order to represent a man who I believed to have been abducted in a reconstruction for a programme of the Crimewatch ilk in A Reconstructed Corpse.

However, So Much Blood is just the second instalment in the series, and Charles is still a vaguely successful figure, recognised by several other characters from work he has done on television, and known for his work as a director. As the novel opens he is heading north to Edinburgh to join the Derby University Dramatic Society (which revels in the unfortunate acronym D.U.D.S.) which has secured several slots in the Festival Fringe. Owing to an unfortunate accident to one of the troupe there is now a vacancy which has been offered to Charles to perform his one man show, So Much Comic, So Much Blood, a run through the works of Victorian poet Thomas Hood. To help enlighten the reader about Hood's works (and I have to admit that I knew very little beyond the frequently anthologised "I remember, I remember the house where I was born" and 'No-vember') Brett uses quotations from several of his poems as chapter.

After some brief scene-setting (yes, I can pun with the best, or worst of them) we realise that D.U.D.S. is seething with tensions between over-inflated egos and artistic sensitivities. It really comes as no surprise when, during a publicity photo-shoot, Willy Mariello, who was to play Rizzio, lover of Mary, Queen of Scots, in a new play which was to be the centrepiece of D.U.D.S.'s contribution to the Festival, is stabbed. But was it an accident, or was it a carefully orchestrated murder? And if the latter, then orchestrated by whom? Charles worries over this and, as we all knew he must, he starts to delve more deeply.

This novel is engrossing, with affectionate (and accurate) descriptions of many favourite locations around Edinburgh, and captures the dynamism of the city during the Festival, neatly contrasting traditional theatrical ideals with the wealth of avant-gardism that has always been rife across the Fringe. There is less humour than pervades the later books in the series, but the theatrical insights are all there, and Charles is as self-effacing and vulnerable as ever.

Very enjoyable all round! ( )

Even though this is the second in the Charles Paris series, it was my first introduction to him. I read this when I was 15 or 16 and fell in love with it and with Charles Paris. I've reread it several times since then and, much as I love it, I have begun to see the flaws.

It's set in Edinburgh during the Festival. Charles is doing his one-man show of Thomas Hood's poems as a fill in for a show that had to cancel. In the course of a photo shoot for another play being done by the same theater group, an actor is stabbed by what should have been a stunt knife. It certainly looks accidental but Charles' intuition is telling him it's not. He sets out to figure out who among this very bizarre theater cast could be behind the murder.

Previous to reading this book, I knew nothing of the Edinburgh Festival or of Thomas Hood and very little about Edinburgh. After reading it, I feel fairly knowledgeable about all three. The city and the theater setting are major players in the story.

The mystery actually takes a back seat in many ways to the setting. It's a clever little mystery that I did not figure out until Charles did but the actors, the plays, the theater, the history and Charles' various relationships overwhelm it.

Obviously I still love this book since I still give it 3 1/2 stars and reread it regularly but having read this rest of this wonderful series, I can be realistic about this one's flaws. ( )

Even though this is the second in the Charles Paris series, it was my first introduction to him. I read this when I was 15 or 16 and fell in love with it and with Charles Paris. I've reread it several times since then and, much as I love it, I have begun to see the flaws.

It's set in Edinburgh during the Festival. Charles is doing his one-man show of Thomas Hood's poems as a fill in for a show that had to cancel. In the course of a photo shoot for another play being done by the same theater group, an actor is stabbed by what should have been a stunt knife. It certainly looks accidental but Charles' intuition is telling him it's not. He sets out to figure out who among this very bizarre theater cast could be behind the murder.

Previous to reading this book, I knew nothing of the Edinburgh Festival or of Thomas Hood and very little about Edinburgh. After reading it, I feel fairly knowledgeable about all three. The city and the theater setting are major players in the story.

The mystery actually takes a back seat in many ways to the setting. It's a clever little mystery that I did not figure out until Charles did but the actors, the plays, the theater, the history and Charles' various relationships overwhelm it.

Obviously I still love this book since I still give it 3 1/2 stars and reread it regularly but having read this rest of this wonderful series, I can be realistic about this one's flaws. ( )