The provided text is comprised of excerpts from a novel, "A Curtain Falls," by Stefanie Pintoff, beginning with the author's acknowledgments before transitioning into the mystery narrative. The plot follows Detective Simon Ziele as he investigates a series of murders targeting actresses associated with Charles Frohman's theater syndicate in early 20th-century New York. Ziele is aided by his friend, the intellectual Alistair Sinclair, and Sinclair’s daughter-in-law, Isabella, as they track a killer who leaves behind cryptic, poetic letters and attempts to frame the actor Timothy Poe. The investigation culminates in the discovery of the killer, Robert Coby (aka Jack Bogarty), who is seeking revenge on Frohman, resulting in a dramatic confrontation, the death of Ziele's father, and the eventual resolution of the case.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.