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Publisher’s Summary:
In her novel starring Philadelphia schoolteacher Amanda Pepper, Gillian Roberts once again mixes mystery and mirth. This time Roberts explores Philadelphia’s unique flesh and blood “historical monument”– the Mummers, who live (and perhaps are willing to die) for a few hours of glory every New Year’s Day.
The famous Mummers’ Parade is an extravaganza that draws enormous crowds who cheer through chattering teeth, as more than thirty thousand clowns, string bands, and fancy brigades strut their stuff up Broad Street. But this year, while the music blares and the Mummers dance, a reveling Pierrot suddenly sinks to the ground, shot dead.
Amanda is, at first, only a horrified spectator. But when the prime suspect–her friend and fellow teacher at Philly Prep–falsely claims to have been with her at the time of the murder, Amanda can no longer stay on the sidelines.
Is the murder a flare-up of deadly rivalries? Is it connected with the disappearance, the week before Christmas, of another Mummer, the heir to a meat-packing family? Does someone disapprove of the Mummers’ feathers, sequins, and string bands? And why is no one in the tight-knit world Amanda investigates willing to tell the truth about anything?
With Amanda on the scene, the who in whodunit doesn’t stay secret for long. In The Mummers’ Curse, Gillian Roberts is, as always, at the head of the parade.
Activities to Pair with The Mummer’s Curse
I’m all about being inspired by a book to get off my couch and explore. However, when it comes to murder, I draw the line. Ha! Of course, you don’t want to get yourself wrapped up in a murder-mystery! But, I definitely endorse wrapping yourself in a warm blanket or parka and heading out to the Mummers parade in Philadelphia. It takes place on New Year’s Day. I had never heard of this traditional Philadelphia parade until I moved to Philadelphia. A good friend came to visit and we decided to explore Magic Gardens in South Philly. To get from where we parked to Magic Gardens we had to cross Broad Street. It was there that we stumbled upon the parade! It was the craziest parade I’d ever seen. Don’t expect mild-mannered floats full of candy-tossing fireman. Nope. This is full on debauchery, and it’s fantastic! It began on New Year’s Day in 1901 and has grown into an elaborate 10,000-person, all-day affair.
If you can’t make it to Philadelphia for the annual parade, but still want to see the costumes, stop by the Mummers Museum. It opened in 1976 as part of Philadelphia’s celebration of America’s Bicentennial. The Museum is dedicated to celebrating the tradition of Mummery in Philadelphia. Inside are costumes, oral histories, video and audio archives and even an exhibit to teach anyone how to “strut.”
If you are a Mummer enthusiast, you’ll definitely want to check out these other books (fiction and nonfiction) that feature mummers or the Mummers parade.
