McNally's folly - Lawrence Sanders

When the Palm Beach Community Theater needs a director for a production of Arsenic and Old Lace, Archy McNally tosses his megaphone into the ring. After all, Hollywood legend Desdemona Darling will be in the production. And while resident grande dame Lady Cynthia Horowitz wants a little of the spotlight to fall on her latest live-in hunk Buzz Carr, she has no intention of letting Buzz rehearse all day with the actress. Like Lady C., Desdemona has made marriage a cottage industry . . .But when an actor takes a sip of prop wine and drops dead, the Palm Beach police suddenly take a special interest in the local theatre scene.

In a play filled with murderers, only Archy can separate the actors from the genuine article, clear Binky and bring down the curtain on the latest and most enjoyable of McNally's follies.