Murphy offers some serious moments when the dark shadow left by World War I breaks through the hilarity, but the merry crew generally brushes off these moments by knocking back a few illicit drinks at Tony Soma’s Prohibition era speakeasy. If you’re a fan of Jacqueline Winspear’s mysteries, this series is an excellent addition to her gorgeous, more melancholy depiction of the period between the World Wars. The scene in which Faulkner “finds his voice” is worth the price of admission-never has such a dense and difficult writer been rendered with such fun. Dorothy Parker and her cohorts fire off witty wisecracks that will keep you chortling. Murphy’s depiction of New York in the 1920’s is rich and satisfying. Don’t be put off if you’ve never heard of the Algonquin Round Table-Murphy supplies whatever background you need, and you don’t have to have read Parker to catch her rapid fire humor. Part screwball comedy, part literary spoof, this mystery stars Dorothy Parker, William Faulkner, Robert Benchley and others solving a murder when a prominent drama critic is found stabbed with a fountain pen under the famous Round Table at the Algonquin Hotel. Murphy’s first in his Algonquin Round Table series, Murder Your Darlings (January 2011) is a thoroughly delightful read. But if you enjoy reading about real life historical characters with lots of humour thrown in, then reading this book is an enjoyable way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon. If you’re looking for a gripping mystery, this is not the book for you. Liquor in the front and poker in the rear.” Parker says when she enters a speakeasy.but towards the end of the book I think the author may have run out of steam as some of the wisecracks made me groan instead of chuckle. The witticisms & sarcastic comments in the beginning were very funny, and some a little risqué “You boys sure know how to treat a woman. During all of this she feels that she is being stalked, and is repeatedly questioned by police but has no insight into why the critic was murdered. Parker doesn’t actually spend time trying to solve the murder, rather she spends all of her time drinking, smoking, hiding, and trading sarcastic comments, mainly with Robert Benchley. It seems like both the police & the real murderer are after Billy. William Faulkner who is new to New York, immediately becomes a suspect and Dorothy Parker spends much of the book hiding “Billy” from everyone. One afternoon Dorothy Parker arrives early and finds a well-known theatre critic dead under their table, stabbed by his own pen. Members include New York city writers, newspaper and magazine critics. Famed members of the Algonquin Round Table meet for lunch on a daily basis to trade wisecracks, witticisms & to play practical jokes on each other.
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