The Three Dahlias

The Three Dahlias is a contemporary country house murder mystery with three beguiling central female characters.  In this thrilling take on golden age crime, three rival actresses’ team up to solve a murder at the stately home of Lettice Davenport, the author whose sleuthing creation, Dahlia Lively, had made each of them famous to a new generation. We’re particularly excited about the potential for three compelling and challenging roles for actresses of varying playing ages – from an ex-child star to a ‘past-her-prime’ national treasure.

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of Lettice Davenport, the author whose sleuthing creation, Dahlia Lively, had made each of them famous to a new generation. In attendance at Aldermere: the VIP fans, staying at house; the fan club president turned convention organiser; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport’s books; the Davenport family themselves; and the three actresses famous for portraying Dahlia Lively through the decades. There is national treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies, who’s feeling sensitive that she’s past her prime, TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper, who believes she really IS Dahlia Lively, and ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie – but feeling outclassed by her predecessors.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character and her own secrets to hide – but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences as the crimes at Aldermere turn anything but cosy.

Growing up in a family of murder mystery addicts, Katy Watson learned early to look for means, motive and opportunity. After studying English Literature – with a side-line in crime fiction – at Lancaster University, she set about teaching herself to write her own stories, while also experiencing enough of the world to have things to write about. Two careers, a lot of airmiles, one husband, two children, three houses and forty-five published books for children and adults later, lockdown finally gave her the means, motive and opportunity to create her own murder mystery – with the aid of her scientist husband’s knowledge of poisons. Three Dahlias is the result. Katy also writes for adults as Sophie Pembroke, and for teenagers and children as Katy Cannon. Katy is represented by Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency, and The Three Dahlias will be published by Constable in July 2022.