The Devil in Music (Julian Kestrel Mystery)

An Italian nobleman is murdered in 1821, but the authorities announce the death as a heart attack, fearing political unrest if the truth were known. It takes four more years before the true cause of death is revealed, even to the deceased's wife.Julian Kestrel, an English "dandy" (and apparently in those days the word was not a disparagement), is traveling on the continent, and decides to try his hand at solving the murder. He is apparently experienced at such things, having been the hero of three (?) previous books by Ms. Ross, which I haven't read. So he travels to Italy, along with his somewhat curmudgeonly friend Dr. MacGregor, inveigles his way into the inner circle of the widow, and begins to detect.Ross does a fine job of portraying the post-Napoleonic period in northern Italy, as its political intrigues run rampant even while the rich and famous are enjoying their operas, their villas, and other perquisites of their status. The murder plot is one of the most complex I have ever encountered in a mystery (and I have read hundreds of them). In fact, once the murder is solved and all the "good guys" rescued from danger, it still requires another 40 pages to explain all the events in the story. Those last 40 pages strike me as very slightly clumsy, as Julian goes from person to person, interviewing them all until every t has been crossed and every i dotted. Perhaps Ross didn't realize until she got to that point in the story, that there were dozens of loose ends to be tied up.But the writing is excellent, the characters well drawn, and the motivations plausible. And again, the portrayal of the Italian society in that time period is particularly vivid and enjoyable. I second the grief of the previous reviewer who expressed disappointment upon learning of the death of the author, who apparently died while still in her early 40's. This book definitely made me want to go back and read the other Julian Kestrel novels, and I'm sorry that there won't be any more of them.

There is only one downside to this series - there are only four books, due to the premature demise of the author. The literary world is a poorer place for the loss of Kate Ross, who showed remarkable talent.The final installment of the Julian Kestrel series is Ross's most ambitious work - the settings are well-researched and beautifully rendered; the plotting is intricate, fantastical, yet ultimately believable; and the increased depth of characterization with which Ross imbues the main character is richly satisfying. Like all good writers, she left us wanting to know more about her fascinating protagonist.Julian Kestrel is an indelibly memorable character who remains with the reader long after the final page has been read. I can't recommend this series enough. I am a voracious reader and I still find myself drawn back to the finely-wrought world of Julian Kestrel and wishing we the reading public had not been so cruelly deprived of this vibrant, unforgettable and talented human being, Kate Ross.

I was so sorry to see this end. Liked the characters and the stories. I would recommend the short series to anyone. I can't understand why there is no kindle version. However, I found a used paperback in good condition for one cent plus shipping so in the end it was less expensive than the kindle version would have been and the wait was only a few days. RIP Kate Ross. ADDENDUM: I SEE IT IS NOW AVAILABLE IN KINDLE!!!!!!

I don't like to comment on the story-line of a book; however, I will say that this is an excellent series, albeit a brief one. Unfortunately, I discovered this author several years after she had passed away, but am happy to have made her acquaintance through these four gems.

This was a very good book. It kept you guessing all through it. You could really imagine yourself there.

Kate Ross's last book, ever. Too bad.

Kate Ross is ALWAYS good.

Held my interest.

This is a detailed, involving, exciting mystery, which kept me guessing throughout. There's plenty of historical and musical context which is never allowed to become overwhelming. The characters and their interplay is credible and fascinating. Who knows what Kate Ross would have written next if she had survived. 10 out of 10!

I was recommended this historic detective story as I was going on holiday to Lake Como. "Devil Music" is based in Lake Como and it was full of beautiful lake settings. I loved its portrayal of the 19th century villas and their wealthy inhabitants.

Loved all four books in the series only sorry there will be no more

Great detective book - somewhat on the Sherlock Holmes style. Lovely atmosphere of the Lake Como location. Would definitely read more by her.

First of all, I should like to make it absolutely clear that this is an amazingly told story with dazzling plot twists, a well-researched historical and geographical backdrop, and any number of things one could wish for in a mystery.There's characters you'll hate, then there's those you will love, both from the first line onward... And quite independent of the final outcome: don't expect all the good guys to be perfectly lovable, nice people, and vice versa. They're not, which is a very good thing for any novel.Ross knows how to create real characters... with only one, in my opinion really unfortunate, exception: her protagonist.Detectives, whether they're amateurs or professionals, need some weakness or at least some really strange quirks. Even the character of Sherlock Holmes, who is the epitome of the Perfect Reasoner, is "marred" by an unbelievable arrogance, not to mention his drug addiction. But back to Kestrel: he's just too allround perfect for me to entirely believe him: He is, of course, clever. But he's also handsome, knows how to dress (ok, that's a given), he's friendly and modest, knows his way around several languages and music (and boy, does he!), is relateable in terms of his social and political views, a brave 19th century McGyver, and finally, to round it off, has some painful secret in his past (which is not fully explained in the story)...For those familiar with the term, he bears an undeniable similarity to a so-called Gary Stu, albeit a tolerable one.For that reason, I rate this story only 4 out of 5 stars. What remains is a gripping tale that is very much worth reading.