The Opening Night Murder (A Restoration Mystery) by Rutherford, Anne Format: Trade PaperbackPublished by Berkley, 2012 At the dawn of the Restoration Period, Suzanne Thornton hopes to find a second life in the theater. But instead, on opening night, she finds a dead body on stage… The triumphant return of King Charles II in 1660 is occasion for much celebration in London. The Merry Monarch’s unquenchable thirst for entertainment creates opportunities for everyone from tavern keepers to brothel owners to actors. One of these is Suzanne Thornton. No longer a kept woman since her man has fled, she sees an opportunity to reopen a theater and stage the classics-Shakespeare, Marlowe, and the like. And now, thanks to Royal decree, Juliet can be played by a woman. Suzanne secures financing from an old lover, assembles a troupe, and restores the venue-none other than the historic Globe Theater. Tragically, during the opening night performance, a dead body lands on the stage.