Paul Adam (1) (1958–)

Second reading, 10 years (10/22) after the first. My favorite part of the book is not the mystery but the backstory. An antique violin is stolen and the person who had it in his posession. a lutherier is killed. A friend, also a lutherier begins an investigation. In the process history of violin making in the 15th and 16th century is worked in, and that's what I enjoyed the most.

I really enjoyed this book. It is in that lovely sub-category of mysteries that includes a bit of well-researched historical trivia as part of the plot, in this case a bit of biographical trivia about Paganini and his violin, il Cannone, along with stuff about violin-making and about Paganini's music. The characters are nicely crafted and the murder mystery blends well with the historical elements. I looked up some Paganini videos on youtube to listen to while reading, and it was especially show more fun to watch concerts where real violinists were playing il Cannone, while I was reading about this famous violin (though I prefer a richer, less whiney tone than that of Paganini's violin, it turns out).

I was a bit annoyed at how old-fashioned and sexist the protagonist is, despite his attempts at egalitarian chore-sharing with his girlfriend, but it does fit with the fact that he is supposed to be an older Italian man. show less

This mystery involves a valuable violin and multiple murders in contemporary Italy.

Shortly after playing a short composition by Beethoven with his friends Tomaso Rainaldi, a retired professional musician and sometime violin teacher, and Antonio Guastafeste, a local detective; Gianni Castiglione, an elderly luthier (that is, a craftsman of stringed instruments), receives a suspicious call at his Lombardy countryside home from Rainaldi’s wife Clara. His friend hasn’t come home and he is show more soon found stabbed near his abandoned car. Guastafeste, a generation younger than narrator Castiglione or Rainaldi, returns when he’s assigned to the case. Because Castiglione’s technical knowledge makes him useful as a valuable resource, he accompanies Guastafeste on his investigation, which begins with Venetian violin collector Dottor Forlani. The curious collector lives in squalor but spends a small fortune on instruments. They learn that Rainaldi had contacted Forlani about acquiring a valuable violin known as the “Messiah’s Sister.” Not long after their visit, Forlani is also murdered by a nefarious and mysterious persona as ruthless as he is determined. The mystery’s trail, which includes old letters and older tombs, leads Gianni through a network of auction houses and black-market dealings across Italy and western Europe, reaching its denouement at Casale Monferrato, the cement capital of Italy.

Well-paced storytelling perfectly suits the subtle pleasures of this tale. The author offers plenty of European history and an immersion in a subculture of the classical music world as well as a pleasant mystery. show less

I really enjoyed this book. It is in that lovely sub-category of mysteries that includes a bit of well-researched historical trivia as part of the plot, in this case a bit of biographical trivia about Paganini and his violin, il Cannone, along with stuff about violin-making and about Paganini's music. The characters are nicely crafted and the murder mystery blends well with the historical elements. I looked up some Paganini videos on youtube to listen to while reading, and it was especially show more fun to watch concerts where real violinists were playing il Cannone, while I was reading about this famous violin (though I prefer a richer, less whiney tone than that of Paganini's violin, it turns out).

I was a bit annoyed at how old-fashioned and sexist the protagonist is, despite his attempts at egalitarian chore-sharing with his girlfriend, but it does fit with the fact that he is supposed to be an older Italian man. show less