Secret Lament
-
- 5,49 €
-
- 5,49 €
Description de l’éditeur
Italian actors… French spies… At least the thugs are English… Charles Patterson is not happy. It’s the hottest June for years, he’s stuck in musical rehearsals with a family of Italians, some local ruffians are after his blood, and someone is trying to break into the house of Esther Jerdoun, the woman he loves. When a murder is discovered, he fears Esther may be next. It’s time to ask some tough questions. Who is the strange man masquerading under a false name? Are there spies abroad in Newcastle? Why is a psalm-teacher keeping vigil over a house in the town? And can Patterson find the murderer before he strikes again?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Southey's entertaining third 18th-century mystery (after 2008's Chords and Discords) finds Newcastle-upon-Tyne musician Charles Patterson disgruntled that an Italian, John Mazzanti, has displaced him from his conducting job. That he must play the violin instead of his beloved harpsichord only adds insult to injury. The imperious Italian "was born to be murdered," but it's the dead body of Mazzanti's lovely but vocally challenged daughter, Julia, that Patterson discovers facedown on a cobblestone street one hot June night. Attuned to the spirit world, the acutely observant Patterson once again turns sleuth. Might the culprit be one of Julia's many suitors, or is the crime related to her father's secret dealings? While some may find the ghostly intrusions an unnecessary frill, vibrant characters, reminiscent of those in Beverle Graves Myers's Tito Amato series, make this historical a rewarding read.
