Joseph Haydn Mystery book #1
by Nupur Tustin
My rating: ★★★☆☆
I love mysteries that revolve around the most famous composers of the 18th century in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and around the great Habsburg dynasty.
That period fascinates me and if in addition to the mystery I also find historical notions and the setting is so well described that it's able to transport me to that place in that time, then the book is really good to me and I rate it 5 stars, especially if I become attached to the characters and miss them after finishing the story.
But this is not the case ! :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(
I had great expectations with this cozy mystery:
- to start it has an amazing cover, one of the best among the mysteries I've read starring great composers of the 18th century and with a similar setting.....
And THE PLOT IS SO PROMISING:
- the plot involving one of the greatest Austrian composers (Franz Joseph Haydn) and his family (wife and brother), the rich and sumptuous court of Prince Esterházy and the preparation of a musical event on the occasion of the visit of the great empress Maria Theresa. - the synopsis of the mystery also seemed very interesting: the disappearance of a very gifted but very grumpy violinist and with him the disappearance of a precious violin.
_____ WHAT I LIKED :
The only thing I appreciated about this "historical whodunit" is the author's initial introduction of the many characters who actually existed in the story.
For each of them, not only is the name written in full and with a real noble title (if they were aristocrats), but it is also explained what role they played in history and some character characteristics that distinguished them.
In addition to this, the author has added a short, but still interesting final HISTORICAL NOTE, which explains some things regarding the creation of the mystery, which is naturally purely fictional, but inspired by a real character and events that actually happened.
___ What I LIKED LESS and dampened my enthusiasm (hence 3 stars):
- THE CHARACTERS: although well introduced by the author in a long (but interesting) initial list, none of them were developed in the book.
Of each character I can understand who has a good nature and who doesn't, just through that list, while the dialogues they pronounce are only sterile phrases that do not convey any emotion to the reader nor are they able to give him the perception, in an in-depth manner, of the the soul of each character.
I know that Haydn's wife is an ungrateful shrew and that one of Haydn's brothers always tries to mediate between them and this is clear from the dialogues only because previously the author explained this in the list of characters...
The dialogues are always the same, very repetitive, the same sentences and the same situations.
- THE SCENES: the story is set in Eisenbach in 1766, but it could be anywhere and at any time... I didn't breathe the atmosphere of that place and that time as I did in many other good books.
- REPETITIVENESS and FLAT PLOT: the first 25% of the book took place between the rehearsal room where the violinist behaved rudely and at Haydn's house where he told about this and everyone wondered why.
The second 25% is Haydn's constant thinking about what he could have done differently and what he must do now that the violinist is gone...
When a kind, charming but mysterious character appeared 40% of the way through the book, I thought things were finally getting interesting but they didn't. It's all very boring. The characters always ask themselves the same questions and cannot find answers.
- SOME BIG MISTAKES that an author should pay more attention to when writing about historical settings.
I'll mention just one:
at a certain point the writer says that Haydn takes his pen out of his jacket pocket and corrects the score...
OH MY GOD!!!
Even the chickens know that in 1700 THEY WROTE WITH A NIB AND INK POT, they certainly couldn't keep it in their pocket.
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IN CONCLUSION: Perhaps the series could be nice for young adults, but I don't recommend the series to adults who are fans of mystery books because they would be disappointed.
I have read many series of cozy mysteries with historical settings that are much more captivating and engaging and from which I have even learned historical notions that I didn't know.
Many thanks for reading my opinion and please forgive my English since it's not my native language. :-)
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