The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (1933) | #20booksofsummer24 | Book 16 of 20

The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players, the third book in Phoebe Atwood Taylor’s Asey Mayo series, follows this ‘Codfish Sherlock Holmes’ as he attempts to discover who killed a magician in a traveling theatrical troupe. Taylor’s Asey Mayo series, a beloved classic that had been out of print for decades, was reprinted in 2024 as an American Mystery Classic title, sparking excitement among mystery enthusiasts.   My anticipation for The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players has been building since I read The Cape Cod Mystery for #20booksofsummr23. As my 20booksofsummer24 reviews are coming to a close, I was eagerly looking forward to delving into this long-awaited mystery classic.    Plot Synopsis   Victoria Ballard takes an isolated cottage in Cape Cod to heal after a nasty pneumonia. She had just arrived at the house when a traveling theatrical troupe knocked on her door asking for directions to the home of Maynard Guild, which had booked them for a performance. Being new in town, Ballard does not know of any Guild but gives the travelers dinner. After dinner, two of the men of the troupe attempt to fix their broken van, but it won’t run. Ballard, a kind-hearted woman, invites the troupe to spend the night. The following day, Ballard goes on a short walk along the bluffs and discovers the body of Red Gilpin, the magician in the traveling troupe, whom she liked immensely. Ballard calls in the rural police and meets Asey Mayo, whose folksy wisdom and keen intellect are set on finding a killer.           The Review   The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players, unfortunately, falls short of its potential. The arrival of a ragtag theatre troupe at the doorstep of an isolated widow holds the promise of a compelling story, but we barely get to know the troupe before Red Gilpin is dead. We learn little about Gilpin or his relationships with his fellow performers and fans. The story could have been much stronger if we had witnessed a performance or a show’s rehearsal, allowing the reader to form suspicions. Instead, we rely on second-hand information about Gilpin from interrogations of his fellow travelers.   Despite the book being primarily lengthy interviews, there is a noticeable lack of character development or distinction in the dialogue. We never truly understand who the suspects are—there’s almost no interaction between the troupe members or even discussion about their roles. Instead, they reminisce and try to present themselves in the best light possible, leading to a fair bit of deception. However, no significant secrets are revealed, leaving anyone as a potential killer.   Since there’s little friction between cast mates, there’s a long section in the middle where Gilpin’s love them and leave them attitude is dissected. He isn’t a heartless Don Juan; he’s a good guy who just becomes enamored with the beauty of women and doesn’t mean to lead them on, which is the most significant eye-roll-inducing part of the book. Taylor wants Gilpin to be a rogue, but she also wants him to be a sensitive himbo; either way, he’s sort of a nothing character whose deeds never seem bad enough to warrant his murder.   The book meanders for a motive after Asey slowly checks everyone’s alibi. There’s some discussion of alibi breaking, but everyone is proven to need more motive, means, or opportunity. The book then does an incredible sleight of hand trick and shifts the reader’s perspective on what happened that night and why everything happened that night before unmasking the killer in a Poirot-style gathering of the suspects.   Asey Mayo’s brilliant deduction revitalizes a bland mystery with undistinguished characters and claggy pacing. The Mystery of the Cape Cod Players failed to do anything with its characters and languished as it grappled with motives and good suspects. However, it was an okay read, mostly saved by a clever twist ending where we discover something earth-shattering about this whole visit to Cape Cod and a well-written story, with great attention to the mannerisms of Cape Codders and the beautiful depictions of the isolated shore-line, the food and community of Cape Cod. I just wish such meticulous detail was also spent crafting a good story before the well-constructed finale. ⭐⭐⭐                   Rating: 3 out of 5.         Asey Mayo Series Reviews                               20 Books of Summer Reviews