Nocturne Murder: Nocturne Murder

by Audrey Peterson

Book Overview

Jane Winfield comes home to find her lover dead, his head bashed in with a statue of Chopin. Accused of the crime, Jane must track down the killer herself--among a host of bizarre and brutal... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671661027
• ISBN13: 9780671661021
• Release Date: April 1988
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 253 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.8" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

satisfying musical mystery -

Jane Winfield loves London, and, in her circumstances, who wouldn't? She's doing research on a not-so-well-known composer from the mid-1800s, who may or may not have been influenced by his contemporary, Frédèrick Chopin. While looking for a place to live, she meets and becomes friends with the talented and engaging young cellist, Patch (for Patricia). At a concert, she sits next to a handsome older gentleman who engages her in conversation, and, as it turns out, he's not only the son of a famous conductor, but a renowned music critic in his own right. Max Fordham seems taken with the young American woman, and before long, they become somewhat complaisant lovers. Each of them, of course, has a past, which will entangle them in each others' lives in ways not previously considered. Max has a wife (although they're estranged, they still share the same roof) a daughter whom he adores, and a son he doesn't understand. Jane has a father and former lover in the US, while her dissertation advisor is in the UK. Patch's mother and step-father are well-known in musical circles, and even Jane's landlady will figure prominently in this tale. As will the landlady's son, James, a solicitor. The trouble arises when Max is discovered, dead, on the floor of Jane's living room. During the meticulously plotted and written story, each of the characters has a turn in the spotlight, some short and some for longer duration. Although I readily admit to a distinct partiality for musically-themed mysteries or other works of fiction, this book never failed to hold my interest. The characters were extremely believable, doing brilliant or stupid things as every human does from time to time. It is not fast-paced or crude in any way, just a purely lovely reading experience. I've ordered the next book by this author, but I don't it to be part of a series. We'll see.

keeps you guessing.

Pretty good mystery. Many characters == all with motives to have commited the murder. Story moves cleanly and most of the loose ends tied up in the end. Interesting enough that I was late for work so I could find out who did it. Will have to see what else the author has written. I like Rita Mae Brown and Jill Churchill mysteries -- this book was similar in feel.