The Mousetrap has arrived in Norwich on its 70th-anniversary tour and it is clear why it has stood the test of time as the West End's longest-running play.
This thrilling murder mystery was penned by Agatha Christie and it has been performed tens of thousands of times since opening in 1952.
The UK tour stars Only Fools and Horses' Gwyneth Strong and EastEnders' and Grange Hill's Todd Carty.
It is set at the fictional Monkswell Manor, some 30 miles from London, in the middle of a snowstorm in the 50s and it follows newlyweds Mollie and Giles Ralston (Joelle Dyson and Laurence Pears) who have just opened their guest house.
Before the first guests arrive, the wireless radio is playing out the latest news bulletin of the murder of Maureen Lyon in London, loosely based on a real-life case of child cruelty.
Slowly but surely, an eclectic mix of guests who seemingly have nothing in common arrive, with Strong as the critical Mrs Boyle, Elliot Clay as the hyperactive Christopher Wren, Carty as Major Metcalf, Essie Barrow as the mysterious Miss Casewell and Kieran Brown as the flamboyant Mr Paravicini.
Before long, a link between the London murder and Monkswell Manor is identified and Detective Sergeant Trotter (Joseph Reed) arrives to sniff out the criminal in their midst.
It kept the perfect tempo, with audiences lured into a false sense of security until the second act (a chance for one cast member to put their feet up) when chaos ensued and secrets were revealed.
The standout performance came from Clay as Christopher Wren as he riled up the other guests with his exuberant personality and persistent singing of nursery rhymes, including Three Blind Mice which has a particular poignance in the show.
Carty was a far cry from his famous roles as the upper-class major and it was a secondary twist at the end which added an extra layer to the solving of the whodunnit.
The set was expertly done, with a series of doors linking rooms like a Cluedo board and it looked like real snow was falling from behind the window.
The Mousetrap has been so successful not only because of Christie's words, but also the countless talented ensembles along the way - and audiences vowing to keep the secret.
The Mousetrap runs until January 28.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here