The Summer Birdcage

L C Tyler
Works of: Fiction

1671, and the theatres are now flourishing again after the King’s restoration. Duke’s Company actress Kitty Burgess has a stunning future before her – until she vanishes after the opening performance of Aminta Grey’s risqué new comedy, The Summer Birdcage. One of her fellow actors swears he saw her being bundled into a satanic-looking coach with six black horses outside the theatre. Then no more is heard of her – until the body of a young woman is found dead beside the road in Hertfordshire. Since Kitty is a protegée of hers, Aminta and her husband John Grey travel to Bishop’s Stortford to identify the victim. The girl has been so badly beaten it is impossible to tell who she is, but there are three clues – the dress she is wearing, a ring and a copy of the script of Aminta’s play, left (perhaps a little too conveniently) in the victim’s hands. John and Aminta are obliged to make further enquiries but, meanwhile, rumours are growing at court that Kitty was about to become the king’s new mistress and fingers are being pointed at Lady Castlemaine for having arranged for her rival to be spirited away and killed …