The Figaro Murders
by Laura Lebow
Lorenzo Da Ponte Mysteries Book #1
GENRE : #HistoricalFiction #CozyMystery #MusicalWhodunit
My rating: ★★★★★
I liked everything about this mystery and I'd be ready to start reading it again right away!
_ 5 FULL STARS WELL DESERVED
__THE PLOT__
"Vienna, 1786. Lorenzo Da Ponte has one week to finish the libretto for The Marriage of Figaro for his friend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
But his life takes a dangerous turn when a simple act of kindness, trying to help his barber, leads him straight into a murder scene at a nobleman's house.
Accused of being a spy and a killer, Da Ponte is given a brutal choice: go undercover to find the real murderer or face the gallows.
Between high-society intrigues and the pressure of the Imperial Court, the poet must find the truth before the final curtain falls on his own life."
___________
MY OPINION
___AN IMMERSIVE HISTORICAL MYSTERY:
This is a must-read for true historical mystery lovers.
Unlike books that only focus on the surface—wigs and silver buckles, this novel captures the soul of 1780s Vienna.
As I turned the pages, I could see the magnificent palaces,the hidden courtyards, churches, and cathedrals, streets and squares that still stand today and that I know so well.
Having been born in Vienna, walking through these places with Da Ponte felt like a magical homecoming. I felt completely transported back to 1786.
___THE HISTORICAL BACKDROP:
The author masterfully weaves real historical figures into the plot.
Lorenzo Da Ponte, our "reluctant sleuth," was indeed the real-life librettist for Mozart.
Da Ponte was working alongside Mozart and the actual actor-singers who performed in the first shows. He also rubbed shoulders, and sometimes sparred, with real folks like Salieri, Casti, and the theater director Rosenberg ( real historical figures too ).
I loved being "behind the scenes" at the Opera, watching him work with Mozart on The Marriage of Figaro while dealing with the pressure of the Imperial Court.
Whether you are an opera fan or not, seeing him work on The Marriage of Figaro while dodging a murder charge is captivating.
There wasn’t a single dull moment for me. I enjoyed every bit and now I’m itching to dive into a biography of Joseph II and binge-watch operas by Mozart and other composers, starting with some YouTube videos right away.
___THE MYSTERY:
The intrigue is cleverly constructed , there are at least seven suspects, each with solid reasons to be the villain, so you won’t figure out who did it before the grand finale.
___THE MAIN CHARACTER ___
Da Ponte is a wonderful protagonist: a romantic, handsome man "in love with love," struggling to make ends meet in an expensive city.
In the book he’s around 37 years old and is a romantic man in love with love. He feels the pain of being exiled from his hometown and makes his living working for the Vienna court as a poet and opera librettist.
Even though he has a pretty fancy job, he doesn’t make much money and often struggles with the high cost of living in the city.
His rivals like to poke fun at him, but he’s humble and grounded while still confident in his artistic talents, enough to believe he can come out on top.
He isn't interested in being a detective; he’s an artist caught in a mess he’d rather avoid. Yet, he is man enough to keep his word and protect his friends, even at his own risk.
His unfortunate condition and his resilience inevitably lead us to love him.
He tells us the whole story in the first person, and he does it in such a gripping, natural way that I often found myself completely caught up in what he was feeling.
Of course, this is fiction, so we should keep that in mind. But I really appreciated the author’s historical notes explaining that the character’s personality is true to what can be gathered from Da Ponte’s memoirs. The same goes for some of the events and other characters in the story—they’re based on real history.
___THE SCENT OF OLD VIENNA ___
While reading, you can almost smell the damp ink and fresh parchment in Da Ponte's study, the heavy powdered wigs in the salons, and the invigorating aroma of hot chocolate and coffee from the elegant Viennese cafés.
___A PERFECT COZY COMPANION __
The writing is incredibly fluent; I finished it in just two days.
I read it while recovering from the flu, and along with my three beloved cats, it was the best company I could have asked for.
There’s a second book in the "Lorenzo Da Ponte" series that’s just as gripping.
But I was really bummed to find out that the author hasn’t written anything else ( except another 2 books series set in Paris, and featuring another protagonist) and seems to have vanished, no news, no recent books, and even the author’s website is gone.
If you’re curious about Lorenzo Da Ponte’s next sleuthing adventure, you can check out my review of book #2 here::
#BOOK 2 : SENT TO THE DEVIL "Lorenzo Da Ponte Series" by Laura Lebow book review
Thanks for reading my review. Writing in English, which is only my second language, is a personal challenge for me, so I hope you’ll be kind with any mistakes.
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