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Homer Kelly #10
Divine Inspiration
Jane Langton returns with her "most inventive and exhilarating Homer Kelly mystery" (New York Times Books Review). At a church in Boston, an abandoned baby suddenly appears. Who is he? Organist Alan Starr and Homer Kelly team up to find out--with possibly deadly results.
406 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
34 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Jane Langton
72 books129 followersLangton was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She studied astronomy at Wellesley College and the University of Michigan, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1944. She received an M.A. in art history from the University of Michigan in 1945, and another M.A. from Radcliffe College in 1948. She studied at the Boston Museum School from 1958 to 1959.
In 1961 Langton wrote and illustrated her first book for children, The Majesty of Grace, a story about a young girl during the Depression who is certain she will some day be Queen of England. Langton has since written a children's series, The Hall Family Chronicles, and the Homer Kelly murder mystery novels. She has also written several stand-alone novels and picture books.
Langton's novel The Fledgling is a Newbery Honor book. Her novel Emily Dickinson is Dead was nominated for an Edgar Award and received a Nero Award. The Face on the Wall was an editors' choice selection by The Drood Review of Mystery for 1998.
Langton lives in Lincoln, Massachusetts, near the town of Concord, the setting of many of her novels. Her husband, Bill, died in 1997. Langton has three adult sons: Chris, David and Andy.
Series:
* Hall Family
* Homer Kelly Mystery
In 1961 Langton wrote and illustrated her first book for children, The Majesty of Grace, a story about a young girl during the Depression who is certain she will some day be Queen of England. Langton has since written a children's series, The Hall Family Chronicles, and the Homer Kelly murder mystery novels. She has also written several stand-alone novels and picture books.
Langton's novel The Fledgling is a Newbery Honor book. Her novel Emily Dickinson is Dead was nominated for an Edgar Award and received a Nero Award. The Face on the Wall was an editors' choice selection by The Drood Review of Mystery for 1998.
Langton lives in Lincoln, Massachusetts, near the town of Concord, the setting of many of her novels. Her husband, Bill, died in 1997. Langton has three adult sons: Chris, David and Andy.
Series:
* Hall Family
* Homer Kelly Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 19, 2024
This is another of the better Homer Kelly mysteries from Jane Langton. The story is set in Back Bay, Boston, in a fictional church and has as much to do with murder as with church organs. An organ builder is going in to work on rebuilding an organ that has been damaged by fire. On the way, he finds a baby crawling up the steps! He determines that the baby came from an apartment next door, and there the mystery starts. The parents are missing; father is dead, but where is mother? At the same time, the organist takes a hastily arranged leave of absence and doesn't appear again till near the end of the book. In the meantime, the organ builder, Alan Starr is appointed substitute, much to the chagrin of the underemployed organists in Boston who have applied for the job. Meanwhile, Alan Starr is on a mission to find the mother, another Boston organist. Along the way he also finds one of the former greats of the organ world, Bob Oates, who is an alcoholic. He decides to rehabilitate him, and when organs at other Boston churches are mysteriously vandalized, Oates is blamed. Homer Kelly seems connected to everyone in Boston, and he gets called to help find the missing mother, and find out who is vandalizing the organs. There is quite a lot going on here, but because it is a cozy mystery, only the bad people die, and the good people have lives put back into order by the end.
Besides learning about organs, the book also explains how the Back Bay was created from land filled in, and the buildings are anchored by huge timbers that must be kept wet at all times or they will turn to dust and the buildings above them will crumble. This issue will also factor into the story.
All in all, an enjoyable read, well written.
Besides learning about organs, the book also explains how the Back Bay was created from land filled in, and the buildings are anchored by huge timbers that must be kept wet at all times or they will turn to dust and the buildings above them will crumble. This issue will also factor into the story.
All in all, an enjoyable read, well written.
March 1, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in April 1998.
This is a rather unusual detective story, featuring a detective who apparently turns up in a whole series of Jane Langton books, ex-policeman Homer Kelly. The plot concerns sabotage of the organ at a church in Boston, Mass., starting with a fire and the simultaneous disappearance of an organist living in an apartment block next to the church. Even though Homer Kelly is the series character, he isn't the hero of the book; that honour goes to the organist who installs a new organ at the church to replace that destroyed in the fire.
His interest in the vanished organist and her abandoned baby lead to a wealth of complications over about a year (hence the book's structure based on the liturgical year), well handled by Langton who leaves you guessing until just before the end. The book is illustrated with pictures of Boston and excerpts from the organ chorales of Bach, which fit in with the book's structure and help develop the sense of atmosphere.
This is a rather unusual detective story, featuring a detective who apparently turns up in a whole series of Jane Langton books, ex-policeman Homer Kelly. The plot concerns sabotage of the organ at a church in Boston, Mass., starting with a fire and the simultaneous disappearance of an organist living in an apartment block next to the church. Even though Homer Kelly is the series character, he isn't the hero of the book; that honour goes to the organist who installs a new organ at the church to replace that destroyed in the fire.
His interest in the vanished organist and her abandoned baby lead to a wealth of complications over about a year (hence the book's structure based on the liturgical year), well handled by Langton who leaves you guessing until just before the end. The book is illustrated with pictures of Boston and excerpts from the organ chorales of Bach, which fit in with the book's structure and help develop the sense of atmosphere.
September 26, 2012
Young organist Alan Starr, going to Boston's Church of the Commonwealth one evening, finds a young child crawling up the stairs, with no adults around. Alan bonds with young Charlie, whose mother, also an organist, seems to have deserted him. This is one of the strange incidents taking place among the church family from Christmas to Easter, which will eventually include a murder, two romances, and--but that would be a spoiler! Delightful as Langton's books always are.
February 29, 2012
Langton brings to life the arcane world of church organists in her familiar Boston setting. A thoroughly enjoyable mystery.
October 1, 2017
This book is a mystery, but it's a mystery for the same reason as many of the other books in the author's Homer Kelly series...there are crimes present, there is a detective ambling through the scenery, and there is a solution, more or less, to be found. But, truth to tell, Langton's Homer Kelly mysteries, once firmly ensconced in the genre, have by subtle degrees moved out of the mainstream and created their own little sub-genre, sort of a cross between cozy murder and Spoon River. Overall, that's a good thing, though it might leave some traditionalists scratching their heads.
"Divine Inspiration" is a good example. We have a kidnapping (probably), a few arson cases (most likely) and eventually a suspicious death (sort of). Likewise, we have Homer Kelly, former detective in the D.A.'s office (though he kept his ID card), following leads, asking questions, and chasing down coincidences and red herrings, but he's usually in the background, playing second fiddle to church organist Alan Starr and sometimes his own wife Mary. But even Alan, the semi-protagonist of the book, often takes backseat to the churches and organs researched and illustrated by Langton.
At the heart of the book, however, we have not the crimes committed, nor the mysteries investigated, nor even the churches, organs and music depicted, but the personalities whose lives make up the intricate tapestry woven by Langton in a narrative that is often lucid and evocative, and frequently brilliant. We are presented with the lives of parishioners, musicians, construction workers, civil servants, blaggards, and others, depicted in exquisite detail like rare Italian cameos.
Not a book for mystery fans craving action or even those looking for cozy crimes, but very much aimed at those who appreciate literate mysteries, fine music and writing so lovely as to weep over.
"Divine Inspiration" is a good example. We have a kidnapping (probably), a few arson cases (most likely) and eventually a suspicious death (sort of). Likewise, we have Homer Kelly, former detective in the D.A.'s office (though he kept his ID card), following leads, asking questions, and chasing down coincidences and red herrings, but he's usually in the background, playing second fiddle to church organist Alan Starr and sometimes his own wife Mary. But even Alan, the semi-protagonist of the book, often takes backseat to the churches and organs researched and illustrated by Langton.
At the heart of the book, however, we have not the crimes committed, nor the mysteries investigated, nor even the churches, organs and music depicted, but the personalities whose lives make up the intricate tapestry woven by Langton in a narrative that is often lucid and evocative, and frequently brilliant. We are presented with the lives of parishioners, musicians, construction workers, civil servants, blaggards, and others, depicted in exquisite detail like rare Italian cameos.
Not a book for mystery fans craving action or even those looking for cozy crimes, but very much aimed at those who appreciate literate mysteries, fine music and writing so lovely as to weep over.
August 25, 2022
This mystery lived up it its name. It was truly mysterious. The major part of the plot was reported only in short italicized paragraphs. All explained at the end, but mysterious for the rest of the book. One of the amazing things about it was the level of detail that went into describing organs -- their stops, their construction, their repertoire, the players. I was disappointed because there was no "Acknowledgements" section at the end. I was curious to know where she got so much information about organs.
It was a multi-layered plot with great characters, as I always expect from Jane Langton. I've been reading the Homer Kelly series in order. This was #10. They are all captivating, but I enjoyed this one especially.
It was a multi-layered plot with great characters, as I always expect from Jane Langton. I've been reading the Homer Kelly series in order. This was #10. They are all captivating, but I enjoyed this one especially.
February 7, 2021
What do you say about a book like this that borders on kooky but isn't, that has characters that make bad decisions but you still like them, that informs the reader of the makings of an impending disaster the characters know nothing about? So descriptive of people and place and clever of plot and suspense. It's been a while since I've read a Jane Langton Home Kelly Mystery but they are good! Her line drawings are fun, too!
June 13, 2022
I read this some time ago (perhaps 2 or 3 years ago??) and have only a vague recollection of it, so my rating is a guess based mostly on having read and enjoyed several other books in this series.
I think I was a bit confused by some of the arcane details of organ construction and tuning, but that just means I should learn a bit more about them!
So, not a review, really so much as a note to myself that I had read this.
I think I was a bit confused by some of the arcane details of organ construction and tuning, but that just means I should learn a bit more about them!
So, not a review, really so much as a note to myself that I had read this.
February 15, 2024
My group really liked this book. I think the organ is the main character. Interesting, lots of history of a certain area of old Boston.. Homer Kelly seems only to be indirectly involved. A good read.
September 14, 2017
One of Langton's best, I think.
January 22, 2018
I loved the specialized milieu of church organists and choir directors.
December 1, 2021
Very charming mystery. I love how the author educates you about the region of the story as well as the focus of the story which involves the great church organs of Boston. Well researched!!
July 16, 2024
3.5 stars
July 18, 2016
#10 in the Homer Kelly series.
#10 - Homer Kelly series - An infant crawls in the dark, up the cold stone steps of Boston’s Church of the Commonwealth. It is a miracle that Alan Starr notices the child, so focused is he on the church’s new organ, whose pipes he is about to hear for the first time. He takes the baby in his arms and goes inside to inspect the magnificent new instrument, designed to the specifications of the church’s master organist, mentor to Alan and to Rosalind, the baby’s mother. When Alan takes the child to his neighboring home, he finds blood on the floor and no trace of Rosalind. In what should be the church’s finest hour, tragedy has struck. With the help of Homer Kelly, Harvard professor and casual sleuth, Alan combs the city for the missing mother. Together they learn that even God’s house can be a haven for the devil.
#10 - Homer Kelly series - An infant crawls in the dark, up the cold stone steps of Boston’s Church of the Commonwealth. It is a miracle that Alan Starr notices the child, so focused is he on the church’s new organ, whose pipes he is about to hear for the first time. He takes the baby in his arms and goes inside to inspect the magnificent new instrument, designed to the specifications of the church’s master organist, mentor to Alan and to Rosalind, the baby’s mother. When Alan takes the child to his neighboring home, he finds blood on the floor and no trace of Rosalind. In what should be the church’s finest hour, tragedy has struck. With the help of Homer Kelly, Harvard professor and casual sleuth, Alan combs the city for the missing mother. Together they learn that even God’s house can be a haven for the devil.
December 25, 2009
A very busy romp - quite fun. Homer is Langton's Miss Marple/Hercule Poirot and I found shades of Christie and Sayers in this book. She gets lots of threads going, and talks about Boston church architecture (not at the level of detail in Sayers' book about bells, but enough to be interesting). Her bad guys are really icky so its fine to dislike them thoroughly. Nice twistiness, too. Looking forward to the others - though need to space them. They are like very rich plum pudding - so much going on you need a break between.
February 23, 2009
Fantastic for organists, organ builders, and choir directors. She gets most of the details of our work basically right, with a few exceptions. The plot is ok, as long as you don't mind some hokey names and metaphors.
February 8, 2011
Suspicious goings-on in Boston's Church of the Commonwealth require the detective teamwork of Homer Kelly and his wife Mary. A cerebral mystery filled with lots of details about pipe organs, Bach's music and quotes from Martin Luther. Quite a bit of profanity as well.
April 9, 2015
Classy mystery with likable characters.
Big old church in Boston, organ music, Martin Luther, water level sinking under church and it may collapse.
Day care, foster child.
Organists Homer and Mary Kelly help solve mystery.
Big old church in Boston, organ music, Martin Luther, water level sinking under church and it may collapse.
Day care, foster child.
Organists Homer and Mary Kelly help solve mystery.
September 15, 2007
More about the sacred organ music than theology. Mysterious happenings at a nondemoninational church in New England.
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September 25, 2008I'm rereading this in those short snippets of spare time; there is an astounding amount of pipe organ trivia worked effortlessly into the telling of the story.
November 18, 2009
This Homer Kelly mystery is set in Boston's Back Bay, an enjoyable read with organ music, churches, an arsonist, an apparently abandoned baby, and a bit of romance.
July 20, 2024
A good Langton as usual. Cool stuff on organs.
October 25, 2012
towards 3.5
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews