Synopsis (from
the publisher):
At first it seemed like a series of accidents plagued Vienna’s
Court Opera. But after a singer is killed during rehearsals of a new
production, the evidence suggests something much more dangerous.
Someone is trying to murder the famed conductor and composer Gustav
Mahler. Worse, Mahler might not be the first musical genius to be
dispatched by this unknown killer.
Alma Schindler, one of Mahler's many would-be mistresses, asks the
lawyer and aspiring private investigator Karl Werthen to help stop the
attacks. With his new wife, Berthe, and his old friend, the
criminologist Hanns Gross, Werthen delves into Vienna's rich society of
musicians to discover the identity of the person who has targeted one
of Austria's best-known artists.
— ◊ —
— ◊ —
Requiem in Vienna
A Karl
Werthen Viennese Mystery
J.
Sydney Jones
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-312-38390-8 (0312383908)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38390-9 (9780312383909)
Publication Date: February 2010
List Price: $24.99
— ◊ —
Review: Attorney
Karl Werthen is barely in business, having just hung up his new plaque
("Advokat of Will and Trusts, Criminal Law, and Private Inquiries")
when he's called upon to look into the mysterious events surrounding a
series of accidents that have befallen the conductor of the Vienna
Court Opera, Gustav Mahler, in Requiem
in Vienna, the second mystery in this series by J. Sydney Jones.
It is June 1899 and while preparing for one of the final performances
before the summer recess, a heavy curtain, its hem lined with lead
weights, falls to the stage while Mahler is present. He escapes injury,
but a young diva isn't so lucky. This is but one of several incidents
that have occurred. Are these coincidental accidents, or is someone
trying to kill the conductor? Alma Schindler, one of Mahler's
mistresses, calls upon Werthen to look into the matter. Dr. Hanns
Gross, Karl's old friend and colleague, and (if he says so himself) the
empire's foremost criminologist, offers to provide secondary support
and work as a consultant to the case. Werthen inquires into the lives
of many of Vienna's musical society to find an answer as to who wants
Mahler dead, and discovers the list is lengthy. But the most promising
suspects also have solid alibis. He begins to wonder if his focus is
too narrow, that someone might not only want Mahler dead but has also
previously targeted -- and may in the future target -- other famous
Vienna musicians, some of whom have died under suspicious circumstances.
The best historical mysteries strike a good balance between the history
and the mystery. Here, Jones deftly and successfully combines the two
in Requiem in Vienna,
offering biographical information on Wagner, Brahms, Strauss and others
together with background information on the aristocracy of late 19th
century Vienna in a solidly plotted whodunit-style mystery story.
Adding to the appeal are descriptions of the city itself, which serves
as more than just a setting for the book, but also seems to take on the
characteristics of a silent partner to Werthen, indirectly assisting
him with his investigation. Requiem
in Vienna a very interesting and informative, well-paced novel,
and is highly recommended.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Requiem in Vienna and to St. Martin's Minotaur for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2010 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Requiem in Vienna? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
The
Empty Mirror
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), January 2009
ISBN-10: 0-31238389-4 (0312383894)
ISBN-13: 978-0-31238389-3 (9780312383893)
Requiem in Vienna
St. Martin's Minotaur (Hardcover), February 2010
ISBN-10: 0-312-38390-8 (0312383908)
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38390-9 (9780312383909)
Omnimystery keywords for Requiem in Vienna ...
Location(s) referenced: Vienna, Austria.
