One Actor - Another Show

Paul Rapsey's eighth novel, and seventh in the Port Anne Mystery Series, The Twisted Maple , has just been released. Although the official book launch will not take place until 2027, the book is currently available through Amazon Books as both an e-book and a softcover. If you have read any of Paul's other novels, you will likely recognize some of the delightful characters as well as meet many new ones. The story is described as a layered mystery, taking place over nine decades. It is located mostly in the fictional town of Port Anne and the fictional village of Grandvue-au-Rive. The astute reader knows these locales are loosely based on the Town of Annapolis Royal and village of Granville Ferry in Nova Scotia. As with his other novels, the story is as much about the varied and complex characters in it and the wonderful historic locale as it is about the mystery that slowly unfolds. Paul's books are written in an easy to read style and are conversational in nature. They can...

The Rosseau Memorial Town Hall was packed for the first in a series of interwoven music and literature events. The event took place in early July.  Paul Rapsey delivered a delightful theatrical monologue from six chapters of his latest book "A Partriche in a Peer Tree". And the eight members of the Wind River Music Orchestra performed a selection of wonderful Baroque pieces between sets.  The audience of over thirty people sat fully engaged throughout the one hour performance. The free event was sponsppred by the Town of Seguin, Ontario.

Paul Rapsey will be reading from his latest novel in combination with the Whispering River Music Orchestra on Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Town of Rosseau Memorial Hall.  This exciting blend of literature and music is not to be missed. Paul's "readings" will be delivered as dramatic monologues from six diverse chapters in his book "A Partriche in a Peer Tree", and each selection will be mixed with wonderful music by the orchestra.  This is Paul's eighth novel. He is an accomplished author, actor, playwright and filmmaker. And he has been a summer resident of Muskoka -  Parry Sound most of his life. The event is sponsored by the Municipality of Seguin and a number of local businesses. All welcome.

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.

Paul Rapsey, will be releasing his fifth novel, “ A Market for Mystery ”, at the Mad Hatter Wine Bar in Annapolis Royal on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  What does a local farmers’ and traders’ Market and a certain Town Crier have to do with mysterious art thefts and a few suspicious deaths? As with his previous novels, Rapsey’s book is as much about the delightful characters in it and the quaint small-town Nova Scotia setting as it is about solving the curious mysteries that slowly unfold with the turning of each page. Come and hear this wonderful storyteller read from this book and enjoy the company of others while sipping a glass of wine. 

The Mad Hatter Wine Bar was packed to the rim on Wednesday, April 8 with an enthusuatic crowd of literati. They came for the Book Launch of Paul Rapsey's  fourth novel "Deadly Sea Weed".  Paul read choice selections from the book and delighted the audience with his animated and humorous rendition.  The Book Store quickly sold out of its copies of this and other books by Paul. The books are all available online through Amazon Books.

I just finished "Deadly Sea Weed". I couldn't put it down. I was often shocked, and laughed outloud many times.  It's a really fun read. I loved it. Congratulations.  Pay Scott, Warkworth, Ontario

Paul Rapsey's independent film "Desperately Seeking Samuel" has been nominated for the Bonne Chance Film Festival in Paris to be held later this year. This no budget film has received quite a bit of attention in the independent film festival circuit. It is an accomplishment to have been selected by so many festivals, although it has won only one award to date.

 I was cast as King Berenger in Ionesco's "Exit the King". When I first read this script through, I thought immediately that it was about the end of all things. The end of the world. My character was an everyman: the good, the bad and the ugly of humanity. And in a sense, I think, that is a correct assessment. But, even more, it is about our fear of death. And our unwillingness to accept its eventuality. Because we don’t come to terms with it, we often waste our lives. I think it was Mark Twain who wrote that “Youth is wasted on the young”. Sometimes I think life is wasted because we fail to recognize how short it will be. As my character says when informed early on in the play about his impending death, “But I know that. Of course I do. We all know it. Remind me when the time comes.” Yes. We do all know it somewhere in the recesses of our mind. But it stays there as our life unfolds. However later on, Berenger exclaims: “I fear that what is to end one day, is end...

BOOK LAUNCH: AT THE MAD HATTER   Paul Rapsey’s fourth mystery novel, Deadly Sea Weed , has now been released. Like his first three novels, the story takes place in sleepy, small-town Nova Scotia. It is as much about the delightful characters in it as it is about the mystery that slowly unfolds. Although the tale involves some serious issues, it is written in the author’s easy conversational style and in a lighthearted manner. One can feel his love of Nova Scotia and its people. The book launch in Nova Scotia will be held  on  Tuesday, April 8, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  at the Mad Hatter Bookstore in Annapolis Royal. Paul will do readings from the book. Come and listen to this wonderful storyteller and enjoy a glass of wine while you are there

  BOOK RELEASE: Paul Rapsey’s fourth mystery novel, Deadly Sea Weed , has just been released. Like his first three novels, the story takes place in sleepy, small-town Nova Scotia. It is as much about the delightful characters in it as it is about the mystery that slowly unfolds. Although the tale involves some serious issues, it is written in the author’s easy conversational style and in a lighthearted manner. One can feel his love of Nova Scotia and its people. The book is available from Amazon Books as both a soft cover and as an e-book. However, because of Paul’s busy schedule, (he is starring in Eugene Ionesco’s “Exit the King”) the formal book launch in Nova Scotia will be on April 8, 2025 at the Mad Hatter Book Store in Annapolis Royal from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.   

"The Little Wooden House" (2024) has just been jury slected for consideration by the LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival (USA). The script was originally performed live by Paul Rapsey in May 2024. The filmed version came out in the summer of that year. This is the story of loss and discovery. Although it is a fictional story, it is based on a real incident that occured while the playwright was on holiday in Cuba.

Paul Rapsey's independent film, Desperately Seeking Samuel , has just been jury selected for inclusion in the Alpine Frame Film Festival (Switzerland). The film has already been included in a number of other festivals in Marseille and Montmartre, France; Mallorca, Spain, and Moscow, Russia. It won a merit award in the LGBTQ Unborderered International Film Festval (USA). This is a essentially a dramatic monologue, or rather two monologues starring Paul Rapsey, and Gillian Ormerod; and introducing Katie Yeoman. In a sense, it is an allegory about a decent into "hell" and "resurrection". Paul performed a stage version of the play in Granville Ferry in 2023.

Paul Rapsey's fifth novel, " A Market for Mystery " is set for release in March 2025. A book launch will not be held until later in the spring.  The working Title of "A Market for Murder" turned out to be unavailable because there is already a book by that title in the United Kingdon.

Paul Rapsey's fourth novel, "Deadly Sea Weed" is now set for release at the end of January 2025. A book launch will likely be held locally in early spring.  A final cover has been decided on and is shown here.  Cover design by Paul Rapsey.