I enjoyed Beverle Graves Myers' debut mystery novel immensely -- lush, vivid and very, very absorbing, "Interrupted Aria" turned out to be the kind of mystery novel that both intrigued and entertained, and that was very good read.
In eighteenth century Europe, the castrati (male singers who, for the sake of their beautiful voices, were castrated as boys) occupy contradictory positions in society: on the one hand they are much sought after and feted; but on the other hand they are also, privately, often viewed with disgust and embarrassment by the very ones who prize their talents. For Tito Amato, a young castrato, having to cope with both the scorn and the adulation is taxing and confusing -- for while he enjoys singing and the effect that his amazing voice has on his listeners, he also loathes the fact that it was this mutilation to his manhood that has made him so sought after. Which makes his return to Venice all the more bittersweet. How will his family greet him? Will they embrace after so many years of separation, or will they, too like others, be repulsed and embarrassed by his condition? And on top of it all there are his suspicions about the so-called accident that resulted in his castration...
But most of this fades into the background as Tito finds himself emersed in the goings on at the Teatro San Stefano -- the strange accidents that are plaguing the company and the rivalry between the company's likable and talented star, Adelina Belluna (who also happens to be the mistress of the company's patron, Domenico Viviani), and Caterina Testi, her testy rival. And when on opening night, the Adelina keels over and dies just before the second act, everyone suspects poison. Was Adelina poisoned by enemies the rich and powerful Domenico Viviani, or by her jealous rival, Caterina? And when Tito's friend, a fellow castrati who disliked Adelina immensely, is arrested for the crime, Tito realizes that it will be up to him to discover who killed Adelina and why. Will Tito be able to uncover the truth in time to prevent the execution of an innocent man? Or will more powerful and corrupt forces put a halt to his investigations?
Smoothly paced and told in an engaging and vividly descriptive narrative style, "Interrupted Aria" was a treat to read. The authour's depth of knowledge and love for her subject matter was readily apparent, and made reading this mystery novel all the more fun. Also adding to the complexity of the novel is the private anguish and bitterness that Tito feels about being a castrato, and his fear that his castration didn't come about because of an accident, but because of something more venal. So that while the mystery at hand was not all that suspenseful (very few plot twists), all the intrigue and complex relationships that the characters had with each other, made "Interrupted Aria" a very compelling and engrossing read indeed. All in all, an excellent 4 star read.
