Lawrence Sanders' McNally's Folly (Archy McNally) - Hardcover

South Florida's premier sleuth-about-town strikes again--in a deliciously daffy caper that takes a decidedly deadly turn.

When the Palm Beach Community Theater needs a director for their production of Arsenic and Old Lace, Archy tosses his megaphone into the ring. After all, Hollywood legend Desdemona Darling will lend her considerable talents to the production. And while resident grand 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 who, like Lady C, has made marriage a cottage industry.

For poor Archy, there's more drama backstage than onstage and plenty of confusion everywhere, especially with the fuzzy-headed Binky Watrous serving as stage manager. 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 theater 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.