What do You think about The Rainaldi Quartet (2006)?
I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Adams knows his music history well, and constructing a plot around arcane facts pertaining to the craft of making violins in the 17th and 18th century is ingenious. So why four stars? The author is clearly British, so his use of British slang is understandable (for example, a messy apartment is described as a "tip," and one character says to another, "Have a go..."), but I did not "sense" the character were Italian or that he captured any sense of place. Nonetheless, I found it a most enjoyable romp, and I look forward to the comments of my Goodread buddies, Cyndee and Suzanne, both of whom are far more critical of mystery writing than I.
—DROPPING OUT
This is the 2nd book (though the 1st in it's series)that I've read by Paul Adam and totally enjoyed! The main character in this contemporary mystery/thriller is Gianni Castiglione, a luthier in Cremona, Italy (home to some of the best violin makers in history). One of Gianni's fellow informal quartet members is murdered and the reason seems to involve the quest for a priceless violin made by Stradivari. Gianni and his friend, a police detective want answers. I loved the Italian setting and the historical information about violins and violin collecting. I thought this was a well-written mystery with lots of interesting extras to absorb.
—Marcy
The story begins as four men in Italy meet as they have many times before to play music as a string quartet. One is a priest, 2 make violins and one is a detective. When one of the violin makers is murdered in his shop, the detective (Antonio) seeks the aid of the other violin maker (Gianni) to help determine if anything has been stolen from his shop. They discover that the murdered man had been in search of an undiscovered Stradavarius called the "Messiah's Sister". We follow along as they investigate both the murder and the search for the violin. The author does a magnificient job of interweaving the history and mystique of these violins, as well as the subculture surrounding them and determining their historical provenence. The author also goies into a detailed discussion about fakes and how they are made. The two travel to Venice and England in order to discover the truth. I enjoyed both the mystery and the musical subculture explored by the book.
—Michelle
