В Рождество у каждого свой секрет

Ėrnest Kanningem obozhaet klassiku detektiva, pishet knigi o tom, kak sochini͡atʹ v detektivnom zhanre, i vladeet deduktivnym metodom i͡avno luchshe mestnogo polismena. Za korotkoe vremi͡a emu udalosʹ raskrytʹ dva gromkikh prestuplenii͡a i sdelatʹ sebe na ėtom imi͡a. Ėrin, byvshai͡a zhena Kanningema, obrashchaetsi͡a k Ėrnestu za pomoshchʹi͡u. Ee obvini͡ai͡ut v ubiĭstve Laĭla Pirsa, no ona nichego ne pomnit o sodei͡annom, khoti͡a na ee rukakh i lit͡se obnaruzhena krovʹ ubitogo. V svoe vremi͡a Pirs organizoval fond reabilitat͡sii dli͡a li͡udeĭ, stradai͡ushchikh narkozavisimostʹi͡u, i pomogal im naĭti rabotu. V proshlom talantlivyĭ akter, on posle smerti brata pokinul Gollivud i uekhal na rodinu v Avstralii͡u, chtoby pomogatʹ neschastnym vernutʹsi͡a k normalʹnoĭ zhizni. Pirs schital, chto luchshee sredstvo dli͡a izlechenii͡a - ėto iskusstvo. Poėtomu on stroil teatry po vseĭ Avstralii i organizovyval vystuplenii͡a, v kotorykh uchastvovali ego podopechnye. Ėrnest beretsi͡a za rassledovanie i otpravli͡aetsi͡a v Katumbu, gorod, raspolozhennyĭ v Golubykh gorakh. V ego okrestnosti͡akh dolzhno sostoi͡atʹsi͡a rozhdestvenskoe shou illi͡uzionista Raĭlana Bleĭza, kotoromu Pirs tozhe kogda-to pomog vstatʹ na nogi. Odin iz uchastnikov ėtogo predstavlenii͡a, po mnenii͡u Kanningema, i estʹ ubiĭt͡sa. No razobratʹsi͡a v ėtom dele budet neprosto, vedʹ v Rozhdestvo u kazhdogo svoĭ sekret. Na russkom izdaetsi͡a vpervye!

Ernest Cunningham loves the classics of detective fiction, writes books on how to compose in the detective genre, and knows the deductive method clearly better than the local policeman. In a short time, he managed to solve two high-profile crimes and make a name for himself. Erin, Cunningham's ex-wife, turns to Ernest for help. She is accused of murdering Lyle Pierce, but she does not remember anything about what she did, although blood was found on her hands and face. At one time, Pierce organized a rehabilitation fund for people suffering from drug addiction and helped them find work. A talented actor in the past, he left Hollywood after his brother's death and went home to Australia to help the unfortunate return to normal life. Pierce believed that art was the best cure. Therefore, he built theaters all over Australia and organized performances in which his charges participated. Ernest takes up the investigation and goes to Katoomba, a city located in the Blue Mountains. A Christmas show by illusionist Rylan Blaze, who Pierce also helped get back on his feet, is due to take place in his neighborhood. One of the participants in this performance, according to Cunningham, is the killer. But it won't be easy to figure this out, because everyone has their own secret at Christmas. It is published in Russian for the first time!