Murder upstages a Kelling family theatrical production--and Boston's
art sleuths are on the case. "The screwball mystery is Charlotte
MacLeod's cup of tea" (Chicago Tribune).
Producing a Gilbert & Sullivan opera requires a special kind of madness,
and the Kelling family is large enough and peculiar enough to undertake
an entire company by themselves. For years now, Sarah Kelling's Aunt
Emma has supervised these annual productions--from The Pirates of
Penzance to The Mikado--and this year she has invited her cast of
relatives to rehearse The Sorcerer in her stately mansion. The show is
nearly ready when a team of burglars drugs the cast and crew to make off
with a priceless portrait. Theft or no theft, Aunt Emma insists the show
must go on. Even when one of the cast dies suddenly, she finds a
replacement and continues rehearsal. But when Sarah begins to suspect
the actor was murdered, it becomes clear that dear Aunt Emma may be in
danger of taking her final bow.