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slferg's review against another edition
4.0
Based loosely on the historical fact of Bram Stoker (pre Dracula) being theater manager for Henry Irving at the Lyceum in London. The tale is told from the point of view of Harry Rivers, stage manager at the Lyceum. Harry greatly respects his boss' abilities. On the opening night of Hamlet, Henry Irving falls ill. He has been poisoned, but insists on going on -- to the fury of his understudy, Peter Richland. The next evening Richland is run over by a "growler". He is trampled by the horses, but the police believe it is Richland by the greasepaint on the face. His burial is well attended by the theater people -- but at a later performance his head rolls out of some scenery on the stage. Fortunately, it is removed before the audience notices. Other strange things are happening - sandbag counterweights fall nearly hitting people,as well as lighting equipment falling. Fortunately the Lyceum has been wired for electricity so the fear of fire has been greatly reduced. But strange things keep happening. Stoker and Rivers suspect Ralph Bateman the younger brother of Mrs Crowe who runs the rival Strand. But Harry overhears Ralph refer to "the boss". Stoker has begun to get an inkling as to who it might be. It all comes together when Ms Terry's son is kidnapped.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
3.0
Cursed in the Act by Raymond Buckland is the first in a new historical mystery series featuring Bram Stoker and his trusty side-kick Harry Rivers. Basing his premise on the fact that Stoker served as a business manager for London's Lyceum Theatre, Buckland gives the soon-to-be author of Dracula an assistant who can help him get to the bottom of mysterious doings in Victorian England.
Their first adventure takes place in 1881 and begins with Henry Irving, star and owner of the Lyceum, being poisoned on the opening night of Hamlet. Someone has put something nasty in Irving's lemonade and it is only the actor's cast-iron constitution and insistence that the show must go on that keeps opening night from being a disaster. But the horrible events continue--Irving's understudy is killed by a fast-moving carriage, a severed head comes tumbling onstage when a backdrop is unrolled, and actress Ellen Terry's young son is kidnapped--all in an effort to shut down the show. The police are making efforts to track down the evil-doers, but not fast enough to suit Stoker. He and Harry begin an investigation of their own...one that leads them into the opium dens and dockyard warehouses of London and brings them into contact with a man who believes the power of voodoo may work if straight-forward criminal acts fail.
This is more of an action/adventure novel than a straight mystery. The twist ending may provide a bit of a mystery as far as the identity of the culprit, but alert readers (or old hands in the mystery field) probably won't be taken in. It seems to me that the emphasis is on the action--the near-constant assault on the Lyceum by the villains--and on the possible occult connections. A quick and easy read--requiring no heavy thinking. The period detail and research into Stoker's background and the ways of the occult do make for a rich historical reading experience. It was nice to settle into the Victorian era and just go along for the ride. Three stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Their first adventure takes place in 1881 and begins with Henry Irving, star and owner of the Lyceum, being poisoned on the opening night of Hamlet. Someone has put something nasty in Irving's lemonade and it is only the actor's cast-iron constitution and insistence that the show must go on that keeps opening night from being a disaster. But the horrible events continue--Irving's understudy is killed by a fast-moving carriage, a severed head comes tumbling onstage when a backdrop is unrolled, and actress Ellen Terry's young son is kidnapped--all in an effort to shut down the show. The police are making efforts to track down the evil-doers, but not fast enough to suit Stoker. He and Harry begin an investigation of their own...one that leads them into the opium dens and dockyard warehouses of London and brings them into contact with a man who believes the power of voodoo may work if straight-forward criminal acts fail.
This is more of an action/adventure novel than a straight mystery. The twist ending may provide a bit of a mystery as far as the identity of the culprit, but alert readers (or old hands in the mystery field) probably won't be taken in. It seems to me that the emphasis is on the action--the near-constant assault on the Lyceum by the villains--and on the possible occult connections. A quick and easy read--requiring no heavy thinking. The period detail and research into Stoker's background and the ways of the occult do make for a rich historical reading experience. It was nice to settle into the Victorian era and just go along for the ride. Three stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
judythereader's review against another edition
3.0
The first book in a new mystery series featuring Bram Stoker as the sleuth. Set in and around the Lyceum Theater while Stoker is in charge, he and his faithful sidekick Harry investigate the poisoning of the theater's leading man.
The book is told from Harry's point of view as he goes off to do the work while Stoker is the brains.
Like many first books, it started a little slow as the characters were introduced and the stage was set (pardon my pun), but then things picked up. The historical detail was interesting. I really enjoyed the characters. I want to know more about Stoker himself. Because Harry is an employee and has some hero worship of Stoker, he keeps a distance and isn't a friend in the know.
Stoker's fascination with the occult was shown. The book leaves it up to reader to determine if there was anything paranormal going on, without going all ooky about it. It's so minor and commonplace the reader may not care.
I did figure things out far before Harry and probably before Stoker, but that could be because I read a lot of mysteries.
All in all, I'm looking forward to more.
The book is told from Harry's point of view as he goes off to do the work while Stoker is the brains.
Like many first books, it started a little slow as the characters were introduced and the stage was set (pardon my pun), but then things picked up. The historical detail was interesting. I really enjoyed the characters. I want to know more about Stoker himself. Because Harry is an employee and has some hero worship of Stoker, he keeps a distance and isn't a friend in the know.
Stoker's fascination with the occult was shown. The book leaves it up to reader to determine if there was anything paranormal going on, without going all ooky about it. It's so minor and commonplace the reader may not care.
I did figure things out far before Harry and probably before Stoker, but that could be because I read a lot of mysteries.
All in all, I'm looking forward to more.
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