“Murder in Act One is a unique and clever mystery filled with characters you love, characters you love to hate, and characters you're not sure about, all of which make for fun reading. When you combine the big personalities with wit, zippy dialogue, excellent pacing, and pets named after poets, you've got yourself a mystery to die for.”

—Amy M. Reade, USA Today best-selling author of Juniper Junction Cozy Holiday Mysteries. 

“Dysfunctional family dynamics and theater world rivalries provide deadly drama in Joanne McLaughlin’s Murder in Act One. This literary-themed cozy, the follow-up to McLaughlin’s A Poetic Puzzle, starts with a literal bang - gunfire at an unforgettable, thrice-postponed wedding - and the pace only picks up from there. Throw in crackling, witty prose, a twisty plot, and a swoon-worthy detective, and the audience – uh, readers – will be on the edge of their seats. Brava!”  

—Gwen Florio, Edgar Award-winning author of A Senior Citizen’s Guide to Life on the Run

“I’m listening to ‘Love is a Battlefield’ while reading the delightful pre-wedding scenes in Joanne McLaughlin’s newest book, Murder in Act One. Mimi Jones’s second outing is as gripping as the first. Characters that come alive through their interactions, a mystery teasing at the edges of each chapter. But there’s more than the wedding going on. And I’m here for every minute of it. McLaughlin’s first Mimi book had great characters and watching them return brought me joy. Strong characters, compelling connections, everything you want from a mystery.”

—Charles Barouch, Author of Shadows Without Light