In the second book in a historical mystery series featuring Lorenzo Da Ponte, the Italian librettist who worked with Wolfgang Mozart, Laura Lebow sets Sent to the Devil (#582) in a Vienna torn by political unrest over the Turkish War the Emperor has pledged to fight on behalf of Catherine the Great of Russia. To make matters worse, a series of horrific murders striking at Vienna's prominent citizens have plagued the city. Lorenzo is working on a re-write with Mozart of Don Giovanni for the Viennese cast when he begins to receive mysterious coded messages. Could they possibly be tied to what is going on in the city?
Mozart, Da Ponte and Salieri, the theater manager, are all hoping that Vienna remains calm enough to allow them to actually present their opera before the theaters are shut down. Because Da Ponte was able to solve a previous murder for the police (detailed in The Figaro Murders.) he is once again reluctantly drafted to aid Count Benda appointed to lead the official investigation. When one of the victims turns out to be a retired priest and close friend of Da Ponte, he bows to the inevitable and vows to catch the fiend responsible.
My husband and I both found the Viennese setting of interest since we had been there recently. Most of what was the backdrop to Da Ponte's life there is still easily recognizable to the modern day visitor. Besides, we seem to be following the opera Don Giovanni around the world, having attended a performance of it in the Sydney Opera House, and having made a pilgrimage to the theater in Prague where it received its debut.
Mystery, history, high drama, murder all add up to an enjoyable outing. I look forward to the further sleuthing adventures of Lorenzo Da Ponte.
No comments:
Post a Comment