Reviews

Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn

stacey42's review against another edition

4.0

Daisy's neighbor Bettina is poisoned on stage while singing in Verdi's Requiem. Daisy & Alec are in the audience at the time.
Bettina was unfaithful, a diva & a spoiled brat who made her sister & husband's lives miserable as well as angering others aw well. So suspects abound.
Decent plot. Enjoyable read.

chrissa10's review against another edition

mysterious medium-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

3.0

ljackman's review against another edition

4.0

Familiarizing myself with Daisy and her investigative circle in this cozy mystery series; like her sister, Lucy and Alec's mother who takes care of Belinda and Alec's household. Very British.

If I had to wish anyone dead, Bettina would have been in my top 50. So many red herrings and almond-smelling liquids - and affair secrets.

I had a 98.88% inkling of who the murderer was this time... I am shaking off my cozy murder rust!

nettelou's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

3.0

bookminx's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

journeymouse's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

biddywink's review against another edition

4.0

Gosh, do I love cozy mysteries, especially when the characters are so likable. Yes, in this series there are a lot of class issues that get to me, but are explained away by the forward-thinking aspects and the caveat that this is set in the early 1920s England.

In this third installment, Daisy does not suspect the actual murderer, the husband of the horrible titular mezzo. However, as in the first book, the culprit is sympathetic and not brought to blind justice--unless divine justice of a sudden, timely heart attack counts.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more in the series.

gillbillian's review against another edition

3.0

This one was good. I liked watching the interactions between Daisy and Alec and I always enjoy Piper and Tom. The mystery was good, but not the best in the series. I did also like that it touched on some of the issues at the time (class differences, people lost in the war, prejudices of all sorts). It was a fun, quick read.

burningupasun's review against another edition

4.0

While I didn't love this book as much of the previous one, it was still a great read. The reveal of the mystery was a bit anticlimactic, honestly, but I didn't much mind that. For me, the draw of these books is that they're perfect historical cozy mysteries, for me. Great writing, well-developed characters (not just the mains, but the broad cast introduced in each book), that perfect hint of modernity with social issues that you know probably isn't realistic for the times, but is perfect for a modern reader, and of course (one of my biggest needs) a lack of ever-present sexual assault/harassment, which so many historical fiction/mysteries seem to feel they HAVE to include. Oh, and of course there's the main character Daisy, who really is that perfect plucky heroine that actually is clever and useful and doesn't always need to be saved by the male characters, etc. I just really like these books, basically.

kath_knits's review against another edition

3.0

Enjoyable, don't expect more than an easy escapism read, but sometimes that's just what you need.