One Actor - Another Show

Paul Rapsey's latest book launch was received with great applause from a packed audience at The Mad Hatter Wine Bar in Annapolis Royal on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Paul read from a selection of six chapters from his latest book, " A Partriche in a Peer Tree ".  The reading was delivered by Paul as six separate monologues. To call them dramatic monologues would be an understatement.  The engaged crowd came from all over mainland Nova Scotia: Halifax, Bridgewater, Kentville, Weymouth and from closer places like Beaconsfield, Karsdale, Graywood, Moschel, Lequille, Clementsvale, and of course, Granville Ferry and Annapolis Royal. As always, the staff at The Mad Hatter are to be commended for hosting this event. The venue is a welcoming gathering place for good wine and light food, good entertainment and good fellowship. [Photo by Eileen Rapsey]

Paul Rapsey's seventh novel and sixth murder mystery, A Partriche in a Peer Tree , has been released in e-book format and will be released in paperback on March 27, 2026. However, the formal book launch will not be held until Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The event will take place at the Mad Hatter Wine Bar in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  As with Paul's previous book launches, he will do a reading of selections from the book. Paul is a wonderful storyteller. His "readings" are more like dramatic recitals, true theatre. This story, like his previous mysteries, takes place in small town Nova Scotia on the shore of an historic tidal river. The locale, though fictional, bears a striking ressemblance to the historic town of Annapolis Royal and its environs. This is a layered mystery with fascinating, but sometimes flawed characters, as most of us are. Paul writes in an easy style and, although he addresses some serious issues, he coats them with a tinge of...

Paul Rapsey's third mystery novel,   The   Listing   Lighthouse , is being re-released in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2026 by Pegasus Publishing under their Vanguard Press label.  This has been a two-year process that has been frustrating and sometimes infuriating for Paul.  The novel was initially released by Paul in 2023. Since then, Paul has published three other novels on his own. He says that at the age of 75, he doesn't buy green bananas anymore. He can't wait two years for a book to be published by someone else. His seventh novel, and sixth mystery,   A   Partriche   in   a   Peer   Tree , will be released this coming spring.  All his novels are available through Amazon Books, or locally in Annapolis Royal at the Mad Hatter Book Store.  Stay tuned.

On December 2, Holly Sanford and the wonderful staff at the Mad Hatter Wine Bar hosted the launch of Paul Rapsey’s latest book, “ Adagio: in search of a fiddle ”. And 27 eager souls braved the dire winter weather forecast to come out in support of this prolific local author. What better place to watch the snow fall over the river than in the warm environment of the wine bar. Paul’s two twenty-minute readings, each more like a dramatic recital, captivated the audience. There was laughter, some wet eyes, as well as breathless silence as he delivered selections from the book. A period of questions, answers and animated discussions followed each reading. This was more than a reading; it was great theatre. And it was free! Stay tuned for the launch of Paul’s next book, “ A Partriche in a Peer Tree ”, in the late spring of 2026.

Christmas is coming and  Paul Rapsey, will be releasing a new novella, “ Adagio, in search of a fiddle ”, at the Mad Hatter Wine Bar in Annapolis Royal on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. This is not another whimsical murder mystery by Rapsey. No. This is the moving story of a fiddle over seven generations of the sometimes tumultuous lives of one Cape Breton family. It starts with a shipwreck on a stormy night in 1885 and travels through 140 years to the present. It is the story of struggle, sorrow and an awakening. It is a tale of heartbreak, resolution and forgiveness. The story is based on an earlier play by Paul, which was turned into an award-winning independent film: Fiddelity . Come and hear this wonderful storyteller read from this book and enjoy the company of others while sipping a glass of wine. Readings will start at 3:20 and 4:20 p.m.

An enthusiastic audience crowded into the Mad Hatter Wine Bar in Annapolis Royal on September 30, 2025. They came in droves to hear author Paul Rapsey read selections from his newest book, "A Market for Mystery". The word "read" is a misnomer as Paul performed the five selections by memory. The audience was captivated.  The Annapolis Royal Town Crier, whose namesake appears in the novel, was at the book launch. She participated with great humour in the opening selection.  There were  forty-seven people in attendance for the first reading and a smaller group of eight were there for the second reading. The two readings each lasted about 20 minutes.  Paul signed over thirty copies of his book and took a number of questions about his works and his method in writing them.  He is now working on his sixth mystery novel and has a novella coming out in the early spring of 2026.