This entry continues the story of the Dahlias pretty organically with time passing and their lives showing progression and change - which can sometimes be a bit of a novelty in what is essentially a cozy crime series.

This mystery is set in the London theatre world, and keeps the murders in the Dahlia's orbit in a way that isn't too contrived (as much as you can be when you need to get three random actresses continually involved in crimes with a personal element that gets them involved. The author has an organic way now going forward where she could funnel some stories through her new career at a detective agency, which should take the pressure off the author.

While this wasn't my favourite so far (the characters were somewhat predictable archetypes) it's got a better pace than some earlier entries and kept me invested until the end. There was even some proper tension between the three detectives to keep things fresh, which - for the most part- worked well.

This latest book in the Three Dalia’s series was an enjoyable read, but not the strongest in the series.

Posy is at the centre of a murder investigation when a former boyfriend is found dead in her dressing room at the theatre where she has a leading role. Posy is a suspect, and it falls to her friends to try and prove her innocence.

Thanks must go to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy provided in exchange for my review.

3.5

Another fun filled caper from the three Dahlia's, this has quickly become one of the series I always want more of! This time the ladies find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery in London, where tensions are frayed and the cosy easy nature of their friendship is being put to the test when skeletons from Posy's past appear.

Always told with humour and a great focus on the relationship of the three women, these little slices of cosy crime are well worth your time.

Whilst Rosalind is ensconced in domestic bliss in Wales, the other two Dahlias, Posy and Caro, are appearing in the West End theatre in separate productions. Posy is shocked to find that her toxic ex, Luke, is co-starring with Caro and that Caro can see no wrong in him. When Luke is murdered and Posy found with the body, Caro finds her loyalties tested but the Dahlias need to work together to solve the case.
This is one of my favourite series of 'cosy' crime novels and Watson manages to get it pitch perfect. There are references still to the fictitious 'Golden Age' writer Lettice Davenport and her creation Dahlia Lively which is the link to the three protagonists, this is a really clever device. The prose fizzes along quite nicely with a neat plot - nothing too violent and dark, just a really well-written and enjoyable book.

This was such a fantastic book, it had me hooked from the start and couldn’t have surprised me more when the accused revealed itself. I absolutely adore this series, it’s such a cozy series to read. I think the dynamic between the Dahlias just get better with each book in the series. I thought the plot was fantastic, the setting in theatre land was really entertaining. I enjoy Katy Watson’s writing so much that I know I don’t need to read the blurb beforehand, I know I won’t be disappointed. I really hope there are more to come, it’s certainly been left open.

What a brilliant and tense farewell to the three dahlias! We see Posy getting accused for murder and tensions are so high! It was a wild ride featuring familiar faces and even more secrets than ever before! This was a breeze to read - even though I was in the edge of my seat throughout!

A Deadly Night at the Theatre was my first experience of the Three Dahlias but definitely won’t be my last.
It speaks volumes of the author’s skill to allow a reader to come in mid-series and not feel they’ve missed anything.
I adored the main characters, well-fleshed out and the author clearly knows them by heart and a fabulous crime-busting story to boot!
An easy five-star read and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Disclaimer: e-Arc provided by Little Brown Book Group UK, Constable via Net Galley for Review. All thoughts are my own. My thanks to Constable, for providing me with the arc for review.

Plot
The fifth book in the Three Dahlia Mysteries series, following Rosalind, Caro and Posy who become friends and an investigating team when they all play the same golden age detective. This book opens with Caro and Posy both starring in plays in neighbouring theatres in London, but they have a recent falling out over Caro’s co-star and Posy’s ex - Luke. While Rosalind is trying to bring them back together, Luke is found dead and Posy is the prime suspect.

Thoughts
My reviews for the previous books in the series is basically just gushing about how much I love the ladies and their friendship.

This book moved away from that, while Posy is the one framed for murder, her perspective is fully missed in the first half of the book, leaving it up to Rosalind and Caro to clear her name.

Posy is typically my favourite character and perspective, so I really missed her investigative skills and insights. I would have also liked to see the Police investigation into her, we hear about it all from other characters telling us what is happening.

The falling out between Caro and Posy relies a lot on miscommunication, which seems unlikely giving their strong relationship that’s been established in the series. I wished it had either been explained better or resolved quicker.

I also missed the boys, Rosalind and Posy’s boyfriends, who are away for the majority of the book.

In relation to the actual murder, I enjoyed the mystery and how all the threads came together in the end.

Not my favourite in the series, but still a solid read. I will continue to pick up this series until it ends.

Easily my favourite Dahlia novel (so far)! This time the story takes us to the West End where Posy and Caro are both starring in separate plays. But the two plays are more linked than they think when one of the cast members of Posy’s play is found dead, and they all become suspects.

The characters are well-established at this point, but the author still manages to find fresh ways of developing them, like Posy dealing with being the prime suspect, Caro having doubts of her friends’ innocence, and Rosalind’s adjustment to life in Wales with Jack. Thankfully for us, the one constant no matter the issues in their personal lives is murder, and boy do they know how to work those out.

Watson’s experience in the theatre shines through in her vivid and authentic writing, capturing the setting of the West End. The pacing of the book is flawless, and the reveals are restrained and satisfying, with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing until the final j’accuse.

I eagerly await the next book, which appears to take us to Monte Carlo to solve a murder before it happens. I am confident that this novel will elevate the series to new heights.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown for an earc of this, the fifth in the Thre Dahlias series.
I enjoyed this cozy crime novel even though I had no prior knowledge of the series.
Posy, Caro and elegant Rosalind are a likeable trio of sleuths and the theatrical setting of this particular murder mystery was one I found myself very much caught up by.
The final denouement was, indeed theatrical, but cosy crimes often have a group of suspects all brought together patiently waiting for the murderer to be unveiled.
There were motives and clues and red herrings galore before the final reveal and it was fun to try to second guess the sleuths themselves
I guess the best recommendation I can give is the fact that I have gone to my local library to read the other titles in the series!
I would definitely rate this as a 3.5 stars review.

We're back with the Three Dahlias with both Posy and Caro treading the boards at two London Theatres with support from Rosalind in the opening weeks of their plays. However, Rosalind notices that things aren't what they seem with Posy and Caro as Caro is becoming close to Luke Burrows (someone from Posy's past) but Luke is found dead in Posy's dressing room. Was it Posy? Rosalind and Caro set out to investigate the crime. It was well written and very descriptive. I loved how the characters interact with each other.

A Deadly Night at the Theatre was my favourite Three Dahlias mystery yet, combining two of my great loves.

With this series, Watson is consistently delivering excellence. Yet again it is a well-constructed story that develops these characters further and skews their dynamic a little more. The mysteries are always gripping and packed to the brim with twists and this is no exception. I relished the build-up, the tension and the way the atmosphere tightened with each chapter. The denouement is spectacular to boot. To note, Watson goes into some dark territory here but treats these subjects with care and sensitivity. It is not just played as a shocking reveal but as the evil it is. This is probably the darkest the Dahlia books have got so far with a terrifying display of the monstrosity of humanity in these pages. It got under my skin and tugged at my heartstrings.

You can see how much love Watson has for the theatre in every page of this book. It is filled with Easter eggs and titbits, much like the series has for classic murder mysteries. Watson’s writing is so wonderfully joyous in its celebration of these art forms, though it is thorny and deadly with the fiendish schemes she concocts for every book. I too am a massive fan of the theatre and so I relished the chance to follow the Dahlias backstage. There is a strong thread around artifice and pretence in this book, which thrives in the sphere of acting. It adds an interesting layer to a mystery when everyone around the characters is capable of manipulation and deceit, in fact they are skilled. Also, one of the Dahlias is firmly in the spotlight here as Posy is centre stage in this investigation. Over the series, I have really enjoyed getting to know our trinity of Dahlias and their history is very much on display here. Posy’s past may have come back to haunt her.

A Deadly Night at the Theatre is a box-office smash and a delight, even as it delves into darkness. Long may this series continue.

The fifth book in the Three Dahlia series is centred around a murder that takes place in the theatre where Posy is performing. To make matters worse, Posy becomes a suspect.

This series is one of the best and I always make sure to read the latest instalment as soon as I can. A Deadly Night at the Theatre is a brilliant addition to the series and I can't recommend it enough. I wouldn't say it is necessary to have read the previous books but I think it would add so much more to your reading experience.

As always, it is the characters that make this book exceptional. I loved the twist of seeing Posy as a suspect because it created so much tension and conflict. It was also fascinating to delve into her past and understand her character even more.

The theatre was the perfect setting fort this plot. A whole cast of characters with unkown motives created a story full of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I would love to say that I guessed what was going on but I was definitely fooled by the charade!

I'm already excited to see what the future holds for the Three Dahlias as I enjoyed this book immensely.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I love these books and this outing for the Three Dahlias does not disappoint. Both Caro and Posy are appearing in plays in the West End, unfortunately Carl’s leading man is Luke, the man from Posy’s past who caused her a lot of heartache and led to her going off the rails. Caro can’t understand Posy’s animosity, she had changed so why couldn’t she see that Luke had also, but had he?
Rosalind tries hard to bring her two friends back together, but fails and then disaster strikes as Posy discovers a dead body in her dressing room and is photographed covered in blood.
Well written as usual with plenty of twists to keep you glued to the story, I could hardly put it down, and of course at the end a bit of a teaser. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

This might be one of my fave Dahlia mysteries so far! I’ve been religiously following this series as it’s been released and I just love the different settings. It continues to make it such a fun series to read making every book brand new.

Now back to the main book at hand, I loved the setting of the two theatres and the tapas bar to meet in the middle. It was easy to follow and despite the amount of characters, I still knew who everyone was and how they slot in to the story.

I also enjoyed seeing a different side to the Dahlia relationship. Sometimes things can get very “samesy”??? but this changed the dynamic. I think adding the element of the dark and eerie tones of certain events gives readers an insight on how dark it can get and not just a cosy muster mystery.

Now that epilogue!!! I won’t say much but this makes me want the next book IMMEDIATELY!!

This is a thoroughly entertaining mystery! Clever clues and well constructed, especially the theatrical elements which are particularly well done.

I absolutely love this series and was excited that it ended by setting up another book in the series.

I enjoyed that they all have different perspectives and I loved the big reveal at the end too.

Thanks for the arc.

All is not well with the Dahlias. Caro and Posy are both starring in London stage productions. Caro is delighted with her leading man, Luke Burrows, but Posy encountered him at a bad time in her life. She knows he's a cheat and liar but Caro declares that he's a reformed character and won't hear a bad word against him. Rosalind does her best to pour oil on troubled relationships but when Luke is murdered -- and Posy is the one with his blood on her hands -- things go from bad to really terrible.

With Posy taken in for questioning, it's up to Caro and Rosalind to clear her name, but do they really believe in her innocence. Could it have been self-defence?

This is the most difficult case yet for the Dahlias and Katy Watson has created a world peopled with interesting and complex characters, many of whom have motives for wishing Luke dead and gone.

A thoroughly enjoyable addition to a series that gets better and better. More please!

Another wonderful adventure with the Three Dahlias! This series would look great on TV (which isn't surprising, given the premise) the relationship between the three main characters was explored well, and as is typical for Katy Watson's writing the killer wasn't obvious until the Dahlias themselves revealed it. This is such an underrated series and we can't wait to see what the Three Dahlias get up to next.

A Deadly Night At The Theatre is a mystery novel by Katy Watson, the latest in her Three Dahlias series, and is set to be published by Constable on the 10th July 2025.

4.5 stars

The series follows the ‘Three Dahlias’ who solve crimes together, comprised of the three actresses to play Dahlia Lively (a detective from a 1930s book series) on screen. Rosalind Young, the first actor to play Dahlia, is a ‘National Treasure’ in the vein of Penelope Wilton or Celia Imrie. Caro Hooper, PI and star of a 2000s TV adaptation, comes across initially as a Lesley Sharp-type figure (except pricklier and trying harder to come across as posh) who is now a best-selling author documenting the trio's investigations. And finally there's Posy Starling, star of a recent reboot film, whose career as a child star came to an abrupt end in her teens.

In this fifth installment in the series, we open on press night for Posy's new play Lights Out, set during the 1977 New York Blackout. Rosalind has been away in Wales for six months, and in this time things have become tense between Caro and Posy. It seems to be centred on Caro’s new costar and friend Luke Burrows, the two getting close in rehearsals for play Finding Freddie, but his unclear history with Posy causes tension which Rosalind is eager to squash as soon as possible.

But when Luke is found dead in Posy’s dressing room, and she quite literally has blood on her hands, Rosalind is determined to clear her fellow Dahlia's name, sure she didn't do it, even if all evidence and gossip points to her.

Had Luke really changed? If not Posy, who could've killed him? Will the rift cause the Dahlias to come apart at the seams?

I had never read any of the other books in this series (or any others by Watson), and didn't realise in the first place that it was a sequel. However, I don't think you need to have read the previous books to get a lot of enjoyment out of this one (I certainly enjoyed it a lot), it might be better to read the others first, though. I can safely say that I'll be tracking down copies of the rest of the series to read in future.

This one is a fun, immensely satisfying West End murder mystery, and I love the characters, especially the three protagonists. I love how different they are, and how real they feel. It's a really wonderful premise to me as someone who has always been a sponge for actor trivia to have three actresses linked by a role teaming up to solve murders.

The mystery itself also really hooked me, and I wouldn't say it was obvious how it would end/resolve, but in hindsight makes a lot of sense. I'm really looking forward to reading the previous books in the series and find out more about the other mysteries mentioned here. There's even a further installment in the series ahoy, I would guess from the ending, and I can't wait for this either.