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Although the bodies pile up rapidly in this latest in the series of opera mysteries by Laura Lebow, the story feels surprisingly light-hearted. Along with the drum beat of war on the horizon, a serial killer on the loose is causing the citizens of Vienna to feel on edge and not much in the mood for opera.
This is unfortunate because a new opera is in the works. Court poet Lorenzo Da Ponte along with composer Mozart are in a race to complete revisions on a new opera, Don Giovanni. Although wrapped up in the opera's finishing touches and staging, Da Ponte soon learns that his close friend Alois, an aging priest has been killed. What could be the motive? And is his death connected to the similarly staged murder of an aging military leader?
All this turmoil and mayhem is set against the vibrant setting of Vienna, where royal balls, beautiful palaces, and romantic intrigue are very much front and center. At times, the deaths seem almost secondary to the glittering social life of the residents of this opulent city.
While reluctant to become involved in the investigation, Da Ponte cannot turn down the request out of loyalty to his friend. Are the murders politically motivated, as suggested by the police, or will Da Ponte find something altogether different once he begins studying the clues?
Several concerns strike Da Ponte, including the question of just how is the killer choosing his seemingly unrelated victims? Apparently, clues from Dante's Purgatory hold some of the answers.
The historical and cultural background to Lebow's novel are what really provide the entertainment here, although she throws in enough twists and turns along the way. When the killer is identified, it's nearly anticlimactic, a mere aside to the more interesting milieu of the business and social relationships that hold her story together.
§ Christine Zibas is a freelance writer and former director of publications for a Chicago nonprofit.
Reviewed by Christine Zibas, May 2016
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