- Paperback: 286 pages
- Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press; Reprint edition (30 Oct 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1590582241
- ISBN-13: 978-1590582244
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.1 x 1.5 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,059,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Interrupted Aria: Tito Amato Series, Book 1
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More About the Author
Product Description
Dick Adler, Chicago Tribune, March 21, 2004
The best thing about INTERRUPTED ARIA is how quickly we slip into the world Beverle Graves Myers has re-created.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Ross King, author of Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
Beverle Graves Myers brings eighteenth-century Venice shimmering to life in this fast-paced and unsettling mystery... A virtuoso debut.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Bad luck that my first glimpse of Venice was marred by an insult. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Bad luck that my first glimpse of Venice was marred by an insult. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.2 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent debut, 16 April 2004
By tregatt - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Interrupted Aria: A Baroque Mystery (Hardcover)
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.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating!, 10 April 2005
By L. J. Roberts - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Interrupted Aria: A Baroque Mystery (Hardcover)
Filled with lush description of Venice during Carnivale, its political and social structure, the inner workings of the opera company and Tito's relationships with his family, friends, colleagues and himself, this is a rich, wonderful book. I also found it a good mystery with a couple of twists and some good suspense. This is a series I shall definitely follow.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fascinating Read, 25 Jan 2005
By A. Lee - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Interrupted Aria: A Baroque Mystery (Hardcover)
Interrupted Aria concerns a Venetian castrato struggling to solve a murder mystery while uncovering secrets about his own past. The story begins with Tito Amato returning to Venice after many years of training at a music conservatory. Felice, his friend who is agonizing over the loss of his voice, tags along. Before the close of Tito's opera debut, a prima donna is murdered and Felice is arrested. There are several red herrings in this densely plotted mystery, and it won't give anything away to say that, in the detecting phase of the story, all Tito's sinister family secrets come tumbling out of the closet. This book is based on a piece of history that is seldom mentioned, but the characters, especially Tito are so intriguing that it all comes beautifully alive. I look forward to a sequel.
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