Vintage Murder

FOREWORD

Although I agree with those critics who condemn the building of imaginary towns in actual countries I must confess that there is no Middleton in the North Island of New Zealand, nor is “Middleton” a pseudonym for any actual city. The largest town in New Zealand is no bigger, than, let us say, Southampton. If I had taken the Dacres Comedy Company to Auckland or Wellington, Messrs. Wade, Packer, and Cass, to say nothing of Dr. Rangi Te Pokiha, might have been mistaken for portraits or caricatures of actual persons. By building Middleton in the open country somewhere south of Ohakune, I avoid this possibility, and, with a clear conscience, can make the usual statement that —

All the characters in this story are purely imaginary and bear no relation to any actual person.

CAST OF CHARACTERS (in the order of their appearance)

Roderick Alleyn of the Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard.

Of The Carolyn Dacres Comedy Company

Susan Max — Character Woman.

Hailey Hambledon — Leading Man.

Courtney Broadhead — Second Juvenile.

St. John Ackroyd — Comedian.

Carolyn Dacres — Leading Lady.

Alfred Meyer — Her Husband: Proprietor and Managing Director of Incorporated Playhouses Ltd.

Valerie Gaynes — A Beginner.

George Mason — Meyer’s partner: Business Manager, Incorporated Playhouses Ltd.

Ted Gascoigne — Stage Manager.

Francis Liversidge — First Juvenile.

Brandon Vernon — Character Man.

Of the Stage Staff

Fred — Head Mechanist.

Bert — Stage-hand.

Bob Parsons — A dresser.

Gordon Palmer — A bear-cub.

Geoffrey Weston — His leader.

Dr. Rangi Te Pokiha — A Maori physician.

Of the New Zealand Police Force.

Detective-Inspector Wade

Detective-Sergeant Packer

Detective-Sergeant Cass

Superintendent Nixon

Stage doorkeeper at the Royal — Singleton