The Summer Birdcage

''I was seduced from John Grey''s first scene'' Ann Cleeves

Duke''s Company actress Kitty Burgess has a stunning future before her - until she vanishes after the opening performance of Aminta Grey''s new play, The Summer Birdcage. One of her fellow actors swears he saw her being bundled into a black coach driven by six black horses outside the theatre. Then no more is heard of her - until the body of a young woman is found dead beside the road in Hertfordshire. It appears to be Kitty, so Aminta and her husband Sir John Grey, travel to Bishop''s Stortford to identify her. The girl has been so badly beaten it is impossible to tell who she is, but there are three clues - the dress she is wearing, a ring and a copy of the script of Aminta''s play, left (perhaps a little too conveniently) in the victim''s hands.

Back in London Aminta catches sight of a young woman who looks exactly like Kitty but before she can do anything, the woman runs off and is lost in the crowd. Meanwhile, rumours abound at court that Kitty was about to become the king''s new mistress and all fingers are being pointed at Lady Castlemaine for having arranged for her rival to be spirited away and killed. And now John Grey finds that is no longer just his wife who is determined to prove Kitty Burgess is alive. It would seem her disappearance - and possible reappearance - is part of some much wider conspiracy, and that Kitty may be about to play the most dangerous, and possibly deadly, role of her life. A role from which there may be no escape ...

Praise for L.C. Tyler

''Len Tyler writes with great charm and wit . . . made me laugh out loud'' Susanna Gregory

''Tyler juggles his characters, story, wit and clever one liners with perfect balance'' The Times

''A dizzying whirl of plot and counterplot'' Guardian

''Unusually accomplished'' Helen Dunmore

''A cracking pace, lively dialogue, wickedly witty one-liners salted with sophistication . . . Why would we not want more of John Grey?'' The Bookbag