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Tito Amato #3
Cruel Music
Tito Amato returns from an operatic tour expecting to relax with his family. Instead he finds his merchant brother Alessandro imprisoned on a trumped-up smuggling charge, a capital crime in 1740 Venice. The senator who controls Alessandro's fate is determined to have a Venetian as the next pope. He forces Tito to Rome to sing at the villa of a powerful, music-loving cardinal who will control the coming papal election.
Spying as he serenades Cardinal Fabiani and his guests, Tito peers into the dark mirror of Roman politics. Pope Clement XII is sinking fast, and two candidates emerge as leading contenders for St. Peter's throne. Will Fabiani support the highborn Venetian whose secret passion is tinkering with electrical experiments? Or the humble cardinal with the gift of healing and a mysterious past?
The discovery of a beautiful corpse in Fabiani's garden complicates Tito's mission. Fabiani believes that a member of his household killed the young maid in a fit of madness, but Tito follows clues that indicate a more complex motive, assisted by his irrepressible manservant Benito and Englishman Gussie Rumbolt. From the heights of the Janiculum Hill to the muddy waters of the Tiber, from a cozy Trastevere cookshop to the chilly corridors of the Quirinal Palace, the trio wrestles with events that could change the course of history. Can Tito stop the killer and affect the election before Pope Clement takes his last breath? Or will Alessandro face the scaffold?
Spying as he serenades Cardinal Fabiani and his guests, Tito peers into the dark mirror of Roman politics. Pope Clement XII is sinking fast, and two candidates emerge as leading contenders for St. Peter's throne. Will Fabiani support the highborn Venetian whose secret passion is tinkering with electrical experiments? Or the humble cardinal with the gift of healing and a mysterious past?
The discovery of a beautiful corpse in Fabiani's garden complicates Tito's mission. Fabiani believes that a member of his household killed the young maid in a fit of madness, but Tito follows clues that indicate a more complex motive, assisted by his irrepressible manservant Benito and Englishman Gussie Rumbolt. From the heights of the Janiculum Hill to the muddy waters of the Tiber, from a cozy Trastevere cookshop to the chilly corridors of the Quirinal Palace, the trio wrestles with events that could change the course of history. Can Tito stop the killer and affect the election before Pope Clement takes his last breath? Or will Alessandro face the scaffold?
303 pages, Library Binding
First published September 1, 2006
4 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Beverle Graves Myers
9 books24 followersBeverle Graves Myers made a mid-life career switch from practicing psychiatry to full-time writing. She's happy to report that her personal mental health is the better for it. A love for Italy, opera, and traditionally written mysteries combine in her Tito Amato novels featuring an 18th-century singer/sleuth. The latest title is WHISPERS OF VIVALDI.
Bev also writes stories that often stray from mystery to creepy. These have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Woman's World, Spinetingler, and Crime City Central (audio). She's earned nominations for the Macavity Award, Kentucky Literary Award, and Derringer Award. Bev, husband Lawrence, and Carlo, the world's laziest beagle-basset hound, have recently relocated to south Florida.
Series:
* Tito Amato
Bev also writes stories that often stray from mystery to creepy. These have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Woman's World, Spinetingler, and Crime City Central (audio). She's earned nominations for the Macavity Award, Kentucky Literary Award, and Derringer Award. Bev, husband Lawrence, and Carlo, the world's laziest beagle-basset hound, have recently relocated to south Florida.
Series:
* Tito Amato
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 21, 2016
LOVED the portrayal of Baroque-era Rome and its underground pagan scene! My only complaint is
August 19, 2008
Tito Amato is looking forward to a nice relaxing vacation after a recent tour. Alas, this is not to be. His brother Alessandro is arrested for smuggling salt, a capital crime in Venice. It is, of course, a trumped up charge, meant to make Tito pliable to a venture he would otherwise never consider. Senator Montorio, the State Inquisitor, has a stake in the papal election which will occur just as soon as the current pope, Clement, dies. Montorio wants Tito to spy for him in the villa of Cardinal Fabiani.
So Tito goes to Rome. He becomes involved in the death of a serving girl, Gemma. It is probable that he has been set up for the murder, should a patsy be required. The plot is as convoluted as one might expect when papal politics are the milieu.
The one bright spot for Tito is all this mess is that Liya is in Rome. Liya has changed her name and her religion, and named her illegitimate son Tito. As big Tito is a castrato, one knows that little Tito is not related. Big Tito is delighted at the honor, and hopeful that this time around he and Liya can work out their differences.
This is the third in the Baroque series featuring Tito Amato. I don’t know enough about Rome to know if the details of geography are correct; the atmosphere rings true. Tito has grown since INTERRUPTED ARIA, which is always a plus for a series character. Graves makes historical mysteries interesting and provocative, exploring some timeless motives and characters. Graves, in the very last paragraphs of CRUEL MUSIC, has given us the probable scenario for the next book in the series. If it as well written as the first three, readers will not be disappointed.
So Tito goes to Rome. He becomes involved in the death of a serving girl, Gemma. It is probable that he has been set up for the murder, should a patsy be required. The plot is as convoluted as one might expect when papal politics are the milieu.
The one bright spot for Tito is all this mess is that Liya is in Rome. Liya has changed her name and her religion, and named her illegitimate son Tito. As big Tito is a castrato, one knows that little Tito is not related. Big Tito is delighted at the honor, and hopeful that this time around he and Liya can work out their differences.
This is the third in the Baroque series featuring Tito Amato. I don’t know enough about Rome to know if the details of geography are correct; the atmosphere rings true. Tito has grown since INTERRUPTED ARIA, which is always a plus for a series character. Graves makes historical mysteries interesting and provocative, exploring some timeless motives and characters. Graves, in the very last paragraphs of CRUEL MUSIC, has given us the probable scenario for the next book in the series. If it as well written as the first three, readers will not be disappointed.
August 13, 2007
CRUEL MUSIC (Historical-Italy-1740) – VG
Myers, Beverle Graves – 3rd in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2006, US Hardcover – ISBN1590582306
*** Pope Clement XII is dying and Venetian Senator Antonio Montorio is determined that his brother, Cardinal Stefano Montorio be the next Pope. To this end, the Senator has arrested the brother of Venetian castrati Tito Amato as leverage forcing Tito to Rome and into the household of Cardinal Fabiani on whom Tito is to spy and influence Fabiani to support Montorio once the old Pope dies. But Tito ends up a pawn of Fabiani as well when a servant is murdered and Tito is forced to dispose of the body, setting him up to be identified as the murderer. The only light is Tito’s situation is his reunion with Luca Cavalieri, the woman he loves.
*** This was a fascinating book. It brings the reader to a period in history where Catholicism, is in conflict with both paganism and science. But it is also a look at the politics of the time, both secular and within the Church and the blurred line between them. The character of Tito is a sympathetic one who is forced into an undesirable role in order to save his brother. It is fascinating to see how the character has developed with the series as has his relationship with Luca. The descriptions of 18th Century Italy are wonderfully done and you see the contrasts of the wealthy and powerful versus the ordinary and poor. I highly recommend this series.
Myers, Beverle Graves – 3rd in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2006, US Hardcover – ISBN1590582306
*** Pope Clement XII is dying and Venetian Senator Antonio Montorio is determined that his brother, Cardinal Stefano Montorio be the next Pope. To this end, the Senator has arrested the brother of Venetian castrati Tito Amato as leverage forcing Tito to Rome and into the household of Cardinal Fabiani on whom Tito is to spy and influence Fabiani to support Montorio once the old Pope dies. But Tito ends up a pawn of Fabiani as well when a servant is murdered and Tito is forced to dispose of the body, setting him up to be identified as the murderer. The only light is Tito’s situation is his reunion with Luca Cavalieri, the woman he loves.
*** This was a fascinating book. It brings the reader to a period in history where Catholicism, is in conflict with both paganism and science. But it is also a look at the politics of the time, both secular and within the Church and the blurred line between them. The character of Tito is a sympathetic one who is forced into an undesirable role in order to save his brother. It is fascinating to see how the character has developed with the series as has his relationship with Luca. The descriptions of 18th Century Italy are wonderfully done and you see the contrasts of the wealthy and powerful versus the ordinary and poor. I highly recommend this series.
January 7, 2011
Tito is forced to leave his beloved Venice for Rome. A Venetian nobleman is offering Tito's singing as a bribe for a powerful Cardinal, in an attempt to swing his voting bloc toward a Venetian who is a candidate for next pope. Tito goes - very angrily indeed.
The murder of a pretty servant of the Cardinal turns into a political time bomb. Gemma was entirely too clever for her own good. Tito couldn't handle alone all the pitfalls these problems offer, but a couple of his trusted friends turn up in Rome. The denouement has the rush of an uncontrolled slide down hairpin turns.
The murder of a pretty servant of the Cardinal turns into a political time bomb. Gemma was entirely too clever for her own good. Tito couldn't handle alone all the pitfalls these problems offer, but a couple of his trusted friends turn up in Rome. The denouement has the rush of an uncontrolled slide down hairpin turns.
August 15, 2007
Best yet...Tito is older and wiser and in deep trouble from page one! Romance returns (yay!) as he has to move to Rome to sing to a dying pope and get involved in murder and papal politics. Can't wait for #4 of this wonderful series.
July 1, 2009
Best of the Baroque Mysteries so far. The murderer was concealed until close to the end and there were several mysteries intertwined. I felt like the supporting characters had more depth, as well. Plus Tito really gets . . . oh, nevermind - wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.
July 7, 2008
Made me want to read the rest! He's a fascinating character!
November 27, 2012
Great read. Finished it in a day (with Kindle text-to-speech). Excellent plot. Not really much opera-themed plot but excellent character development and suspense.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
November 24, 2012
Good but not great. Never really grew attached to any of the characters.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews