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showell's review against another edition
3.0
The writing was better in this book than in Cut to the Quick (also by Ross). But it still is one of those books that are all too easy to put down and come back to later. Not really a good quality in a mystery.
mybooksinabag's review against another edition
slow-paced
4.5
Terrific story but took a while to get there.
ktaylor1164's review
3.0
I'm glad I read this, and sad that it marks the end of the author's work. That said, this final installment dragged terribly--the first several chapters made sense later, but at the time they seemed slow and overly detailed. And again, Kestral ends up in a romance that I don't remotely buy. The plot itself was interesting, however, and I enjoyed the twists and turns later in the story.
blackwaterlilly's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thunguyen's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book right after reading Whom the gods love and dived into the first part which brought us back in time, starting with the background story of the murder. New set of characters, new location not in England but all the way in Italy (Milan and Lake Como), and a good 4 years before the "present" Julian Kestrel. To be honest, I was bored because there was no mention of Julian himself, so the reading became quite sluggish. Then one night, I decided to find out what kind of music Julian could have played on his piano in 1820s, as we all know he's a music lover and a decent pianist, which was a rare thing for gentlemen of that time. So it happened that I got sucked into watching YouTube videos about classical music and abandoned the book for a whole month.
The results of this sojourn were:
1. I found out that the Julian Kestrel that was frozen in time would never know and play my most favourite piece Liebestraum No. 3 by Franz Liszt as it was 25 years too early for that. But I can always imagine him a gentleman in his 50s, survived a whole lot more investigations, and still found the time to check out new music sent over to England from friends in the Continent. Readers can always dream.
2. I now understand that "The Devil in music" is the tritone in music theory, which generally stands for dissonance. I like the idea of "tritone" here and throughout the whole book, I can see the theme of 3 different Julians struggling to make peace within himself, Julian the investigator who thinks like a German, Julian the lover who flirts like a Frenchman, and Julian the music lover who understands music like an Italian. These are all dissonance to Julian the English dandy. But beautiful music is beautiful no matter what the composition is, and beautiful soul is beautiful because of the struggles within. I am so glad that we've got to know so much more about Julian's history before the series came to an abrupt end.
3. I bought a piano and started learning to play. One day if anyone happens to ask me why I started learning a musical instrument rather late in life, I will have the pleasure to answer "Because I read a murder book".
Music aside, back to reading. Murder committed, forward flashed to present day Julian Kestrel, entered new set of characters, traveled to the original crime scene, now we have an Italian country house murder setting. Half of the book gone, not much really happened except flirting, feels like the investigation hadn't pick up a single thread and there was no solid suspects list. How would this murder ever be solved? And who the hell was the freaking mysterious Orfeo? To be honest, all of this dragged on for a bit too long for me, so when we came to learn the criminal's identity it feels a bit "out of nowhere". Of course, a major part of "what Julian knew" was naturally hidden from readers as the plot demands for, which makes it a massive change from previous books where readers can move along solving the puzzles.
Personally, I only started to be drawn emotionally into the story at the point where Lucia had her drama about courage, and Francesca and Valeriano had their drama about love. I know that in each one of the Julian Kestrel book, there is the theme of abusive masculinity and abused victims. It was glad to see in this book the abused not only didn't end up dead but more than that they even had their happy endings.
With a diet of strictly red herrings served through out the book, I've only figured out the twists right before their revelations. And what twists they are! Just simply an amazing plot! I'm so glad we had a chance to learn so much more about Julian before it all ended.
This is the song that Orfeo sang when his identity was revealed:
Dalla Sua Pace
Last night, I wept for the loss of an amazing series.
Rest in peace, Kate. Thank you so much for the books.
The results of this sojourn were:
1. I found out that the Julian Kestrel that was frozen in time would never know and play my most favourite piece Liebestraum No. 3 by Franz Liszt as it was 25 years too early for that. But I can always imagine him a gentleman in his 50s, survived a whole lot more investigations, and still found the time to check out new music sent over to England from friends in the Continent. Readers can always dream.
2. I now understand that "The Devil in music" is the tritone in music theory, which generally stands for dissonance. I like the idea of "tritone" here and throughout the whole book, I can see the theme of 3 different Julians struggling to make peace within himself, Julian the investigator who thinks like a German, Julian the lover who flirts like a Frenchman, and Julian the music lover who understands music like an Italian. These are all dissonance to Julian the English dandy. But beautiful music is beautiful no matter what the composition is, and beautiful soul is beautiful because of the struggles within. I am so glad that we've got to know so much more about Julian's history before the series came to an abrupt end.
3. I bought a piano and started learning to play. One day if anyone happens to ask me why I started learning a musical instrument rather late in life, I will have the pleasure to answer "Because I read a murder book".
Music aside, back to reading. Murder committed, forward flashed to present day Julian Kestrel, entered new set of characters, traveled to the original crime scene, now we have an Italian country house murder setting. Half of the book gone, not much really happened except flirting, feels like the investigation hadn't pick up a single thread and there was no solid suspects list. How would this murder ever be solved? And who the hell was the freaking mysterious Orfeo? To be honest, all of this dragged on for a bit too long for me, so when we came to learn the criminal's identity it feels a bit "out of nowhere". Of course, a major part of "what Julian knew" was naturally hidden from readers as the plot demands for, which makes it a massive change from previous books where readers can move along solving the puzzles.
Personally, I only started to be drawn emotionally into the story at the point where Lucia had her drama about courage, and Francesca and Valeriano had their drama about love. I know that in each one of the Julian Kestrel book, there is the theme of abusive masculinity and abused victims. It was glad to see in this book the abused not only didn't end up dead but more than that they even had their happy endings.
With a diet of strictly red herrings served through out the book, I've only figured out the twists right before their revelations. And what twists they are! Just simply an amazing plot! I'm so glad we had a chance to learn so much more about Julian before it all ended.
This is the song that Orfeo sang when his identity was revealed:
Dalla Sua Pace
Last night, I wept for the loss of an amazing series.
Rest in peace, Kate. Thank you so much for the books.
roshk99's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed this mystery and did not anticipate the ending by a long shot. The details of Italy at that time make it all the more interesting.
siria's review against another edition
3.0
In the 1820s in northern Italy, the Marchese Lodovico Malvezzi—powerful, arrogant, music-obsessed—is found dead. That the Marchese was murdered is hushed up for some years, allowing the main suspect, a young singer known only as Orfeo, to disappear. When the authorities realise that a crime was committed, the famous English dandy and sleuth Julian Kestrel learns of it and travels to Italy to unravel the truth behind what happened, while also finding himself entranced by Lodovico's beautiful young widow, Beatrice.
The Devil in Music is stronger than the previous work of Kate Ross' that I've read, [b: Whom the Gods Love|351386|Whom the Gods Love (Julian Kestrel Mysteries, #3)|Kate Ross|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388532777l/351386._SY75_.jpg|1316308], and she was clearly improving as a writer before her untimely death not long after this final book of hers was published. Having a Regency-era country house murder mystery take place in Italy is a nice shake-up of the usual formula, since it lets Ross bring in elements of contemporary Austrian/Italian politics to add complicating factors. This wasn't a bad wintry holiday read. That said, parts of the plot/exposition/reveal are lumpier than needs be, and the core romantic relationships both fail to convince and feel like they belong to a book written much earlier than the '90s.
The Devil in Music is stronger than the previous work of Kate Ross' that I've read, [b: Whom the Gods Love|351386|Whom the Gods Love (Julian Kestrel Mysteries, #3)|Kate Ross|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388532777l/351386._SY75_.jpg|1316308], and she was clearly improving as a writer before her untimely death not long after this final book of hers was published. Having a Regency-era country house murder mystery take place in Italy is a nice shake-up of the usual formula, since it lets Ross bring in elements of contemporary Austrian/Italian politics to add complicating factors. This wasn't a bad wintry holiday read. That said, parts of the plot/exposition/reveal are lumpier than needs be, and the core romantic relationships both fail to convince and feel like they belong to a book written much earlier than the '90s.
ladyhighwayman's review against another edition
5.0
The Devil in Music is the best mystery novel that I have ever read and is the final book in the best mystery series I have ever read!
In 1825 Italy, the news of the murder of the highly prominent Lodovico Malvezzi and the concurring disappearance of his protégé Orfeo has spread like wildfire all through Italy and beyond. The problem with this is, this all happened four years before! In 1821 the death of Malvezzi was declared by natural causes, for fear that his death by murder may cause a political uprising.
Upon hearing the news, Julian Kestrel, the infamous London dandy and amateur sleuth, decides to head to Italy instead of heading back home to London while on a trip to the continent. His friend, Dr. MacGregor, who is taking the trip with him, decides to head back to London on his own, but eventually shows up in Italy to help, fearing the Julian may run in to trouble.
Once Julian has settled in Italy, he reaches out to Lodovico's brother Carlo, to offer his services. Carlo readily accepts, but Grimani, the commissario readily dismisses him. However, the family decides that they would like Julian's help and Grimani begrudgingly 'puts up with him.'
Grimani has it set in his head that the missing tenor Orfeo is responsible for Lodovico's death and is a Carbonari, since he disappeared the same night that his mentor was murdered. Julian, of course, thinks that someone else may be responsible.
I've never met such a group of characters before. There are so many, that they are listed in the beginning of the book. We have Lodovico's widow Beatrice, his son Rinaldo, his brother Carlo, Rinaldo's estranged wife Francesca and her lover Valeriano, a visiting French scholar named de la Marque and a slew of others. And like the previous three installments, I saw nothing coming. One revelation at the end of the book almost made me fall of the bed. It was one of the most incredible twists in a mystery novel I've ever come across.
In 1825 Italy, the news of the murder of the highly prominent Lodovico Malvezzi and the concurring disappearance of his protégé Orfeo has spread like wildfire all through Italy and beyond. The problem with this is, this all happened four years before! In 1821 the death of Malvezzi was declared by natural causes, for fear that his death by murder may cause a political uprising.
Upon hearing the news, Julian Kestrel, the infamous London dandy and amateur sleuth, decides to head to Italy instead of heading back home to London while on a trip to the continent. His friend, Dr. MacGregor, who is taking the trip with him, decides to head back to London on his own, but eventually shows up in Italy to help, fearing the Julian may run in to trouble.
Once Julian has settled in Italy, he reaches out to Lodovico's brother Carlo, to offer his services. Carlo readily accepts, but Grimani, the commissario readily dismisses him. However, the family decides that they would like Julian's help and Grimani begrudgingly 'puts up with him.'
Grimani has it set in his head that the missing tenor Orfeo is responsible for Lodovico's death and is a Carbonari, since he disappeared the same night that his mentor was murdered. Julian, of course, thinks that someone else may be responsible.
I've never met such a group of characters before. There are so many, that they are listed in the beginning of the book. We have Lodovico's widow Beatrice, his son Rinaldo, his brother Carlo, Rinaldo's estranged wife Francesca and her lover Valeriano, a visiting French scholar named de la Marque and a slew of others. And like the previous three installments, I saw nothing coming. One revelation at the end of the book almost made me fall of the bed. It was one of the most incredible twists in a mystery novel I've ever come across.
local_hat's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
faintingviolet's review against another edition
4.0
When I started reading this one I was afraid that reaching the end of the Julian Kestrel books would be unalterably sad. There had to be so much left unsaid, or so I thought. In this fourth and final book Kate Ross outdoes herself and shows us the heart of her protagonist. Truly worth the investment.
http://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/the-devil-in-music-cbr4-48/
http://faintingviolet.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/the-devil-in-music-cbr4-48/