Reviews

The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer

karinlib's review

4.0

This is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. It isn't great literature, and not the best detective novel I've ever read, because I think he is making fun of detective novels. I see there are quite few books in this series, I will definitely be reading them.

January 3, 2018. I just realized that there are many more books in this series, so I decided to re-read the first 3 books. To be honest, this first book is just as good on the second read. I even upped the rating.

mjdolce's review against another edition

3.0

Fun, light read. Really fun for those in the church music profession. Good way to start my new 2016 reading challenge!

jennajlh's review

funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

0.5

I found this book deeply problematic in its treatment of women, feminists, and poor people.

judyward's review

3.0

This book about a detective (in a police force of three) and choirmaster of an Episcopal church, St. Barnabas, in a small moutain town near Boone, North Carolina. It is funny in a silly, silly way. I probably didn't get all of the musical jokes and it definitely helps to have had experience with an Episcopal church, the clergy--including a bishop or two--and the quirky characters that make up the congregation to fully appreciate the humor. Hayden Konig is a millionaire who has become a member of the police force as a second career and also serves as the organist and the choirmaster--one who keeps a loaded gun under the organ bench. I mean you never know what's going to happen during any given service. Much of the humor is directed toward women in the Episcopal Church--the new female priest, the members of the choir, members of the altar guild, and female worshipers. Although the author gets his digs in on the bishop too. I understand that this is the first of a series. I will definitely be checking out the rest of series in the near future. And maybe, just maybe, recommending this book to my Episcopal priest.

emjen16's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

ferrisscottr's review

3.0

I loved some of this book such as the mystery, the humor, the music references, the church insider jokes, the characters but I did not like the percentages spent on each.
I would have preferred more mystery, a lot less humor, a lot less music references, quite a bit less of the church insider things and would have preferred a lot more character development.
I thought the book was going to be a mash up of Lake Wobegon, Don Knotts and Agatha Christie - I was wrong.
I enjoyed it from time to time and would consider recommending it but only to a very specific reader.

majkia's review

4.0

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: Good

I confess I missed a lot of humor in this book, since it is based on Episcopal church happenings. But I did enjoy what I understood and found the main character a hoot, literally, when he gets his owl.

The mystery was pretty convoluted and was hard to solve which is a plus especially for cozy mysteries.

If you get all the musical and religious humor you’ll enjoy it probably more than I did.

rcpope's review

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

gretchenv's review

4.0

The mystery doesn't get swallowed up by the humor, but the humor certainly adds to the book. I am sure I missed some of the inside jokes because I don't have an extensive background in liturgical music. The author is kind of a Renaissance man, and his writing is adroit.

dejunker's review

5.0

I adore murder mysteries with humor. AND as An Episcopalian since my first year in Seminary (MDiv 2014), I adore the Episcopal liturgy jokes! Let’s hope this series doesn’t get too repetitive but I will get the next book at church on Sunday (note, I read this one Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). If I didn’t have EfM mentoring to do, I’d read two of these a week.