THE COMEDY CLUB MYSTERY Deadline Murder, Book 3

Matt Jamie travels down memory lane to 1960s Brighton, England, where working-class visitors typically spend their two-week vacations in seedy hotels among international gangsters and has-been comedians. Listeners meet crime reporter Colin Crampton, who is on the trail of a murderer who killed his co-worker to obtain a valuable joke book in hopes of using it to win a comedy contest. Jamie outdoes himself by perfectly delivering groaner jokes and non-PC humor, as well as a stellar portrayal of Crampton's Aussie girlfriend. Other highlights include delightfully appalling wordplay, colorful historical facts, and--Jamie's best creation--Crampton's boss, hilarious yet credible, sloppy and foul-mouthed Frank Figgis. Well-rendered oddball suspects, intentionally stereotypical thugs, and a complex code keep listeners engaged until the surprising conclusion and charming epilogue. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]