Farewell (House Party) stages a shrewd story of famous actors, a predatory theater critic, and an old, dilapidated mansion. In 1965, Jasper de Vole wins the opportunity to write an authorized biography of the Harts, a notorious acting family. Rex and Dora Hart have both died, and their gifted daughter, Margot, disappeared from public sight after an onstage breakdown during a performance of Othello. Jasper is only able to speak with Rex’s sister, Freddie, who once lived in the family’s Wilderhall mansion, which has been left to ruin after Dora fell from the stairs to her death in 1937. It frustrates Jasper that he’s limited to talking with Freddie and the family’s “fearsome” housekeeper, Mrs. Plunkett, because his real goal is to learn what happened to the “inhumanly” beautiful Margot. Jasper tries to mask his intentions as he ingratiates himself with Freddie and Mrs. Plunkett, and Farewell amusingly depicts his craft with a mix of campy dialogue and snide interior monologues (“He hated it when biographers started their books with... ‘the family fossils’ ”). But as Jasper discovers more family secrets beyond Margo’s whereabouts, his curiosity broadens. This blend of mystery, humor, and drama goes down easy. (Self-published)