Invitation to a Murder
by Rufus King

Invitation to a Murder Book Cover — Invitation to a Murder Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

Present Day Multicultural Casting Interior Set Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes

Synopsis

Against the background of a centuries old estate on the coast of Southern California, Lorinda Channing, the current head of a great American family, plots the perfect crime.

Believing that one of her three heirs is attempting to murder her, she evolves a trap which requires the cooperation of a weakling doctor, whom she bribes into giving her a potion that will counterfeit death.

The doctor, is, at the crucial moment, suddenly tempted by incredible wealth and, to his own and the audience's belief, buries his patient alive But she returns, and her ingenious trap is sprung.

At the moment of her complete triumph, it is discovered that, as with all criminals, she has made one single slip.

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Estelle Channing about 20. A beautiful young girl, ingenous and sincere.	—	—	about 20. A beautiful young girl, ingenous and sincere.
Horatio Channing about 35. A sinister person. Although a gentleman, he gives the impression that he is capable of anything in the line of larceny or crime.	male	—	about 35. A sinister person. Although a gentleman, he gives the impression that he is capable of anything in the line of larceny or crime.
Martin a perfect servant of about 40 who moves noiselessly about the room and performs his duties with all the ease of the old family retainer.	male	—	a perfect servant of about 40 who moves noiselessly about the room and performs his duties with all the ease of the old family retainer.
Pedro a swarthy young Latin man of about 25.	—	—	a swarthy young Latin man of about 25.
Peter Thorne a brisk, successful lawyer of about 30 with a lawyer's well-ordered mind.	—	—	a brisk, successful lawyer of about 30 with a lawyer's well-ordered mind.
Lorinda Channing a tall, dignified woman of about 35 or 40 years of age. She has a compelling and hypnotic personality.	female	—	a tall, dignified woman of about 35 or 40 years of age. She has a compelling and hypnotic personality.
Doctor Linton about 35. A mediocre practitioner. He has none of the coolness of the successful physician, but on the contrary he is sensitive, sympathetic and not a little neurotic.	male	—	about 35. A mediocre practitioner. He has none of the coolness of the successful physician, but on the contrary he is sensitive, sympathetic and not a little neurotic.
Walter Channing about 40. A weak-looking type, distinctly effeminate although not obviously so. One knows that he is a person of culture and of the world.	male	—	about 40. A weak-looking type, distinctly effeminate although not obviously so. One knows that he is a person of culture and of the world.