Chorus of Detectives, A

Opera Mystery #3

by Barbara Paul, Chris Kayser (Reading)

Christmas season at the Metropolitan Opera in 1920 features Enrico Caruso and Geraldine Farrar in a varied schedule of mostly Italian operas. For members of the Metropolitan chorus, however, the season's main feature is danger. An urn falls on the head of a soprano chorister in Samson and Delilah; a tenor from the chorus is found hanged in a dressing room before the evening's performance of Mefistofele; in I Pagliacci, a trapdoor drops open and three singers fall through.

Several people come under suspicion: Giulio Setti, chorus master from Milan, whose career rides on the success of the season; general manager Giulio Gatti-Casezza and his assistant Edward Ziegler, both of whom must negotiate the chorus's demands for more money; and Alessandro Quaglia, conducting for his second year and still in the shadow of the great Toscanini. Although Caruso and Farrar begin an investigation of their own, more deaths occur. Caruso sings La Juive on Christmas Eve (his last performance), the stars arrange an elaborate trap, and the killer is unmasked.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Historical Mystery

MP3 CD

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Barbara Paul is an American writer of detective stories and science fiction. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1931 and was educated, inter alia, at Bowling Green State University and the University of Pittsburgh.

A number of her novels feature in-jokes: for example Full Frontal Murder borrows various names from the British TV series Blake's 7.

Reviews

[Maureen Hetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third of a series and loved them all. metropolitan opera stars of the 1910s era solve murders the relate to or happen at the opera. For opera lovers it is a perfect opportunity to get a sense of what happens backstage and at rehearsals. And creative differences so exist and cause shouting matches. Absolutely captivating for me!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. This book got tedious at times, but the peek backstage at the opera was interesting, even for a non-opera buff, and the characters were amiable enough.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Paul is the best

I read this series years ago, and it continued to call to me. This book is perhaps the best of the trilogy. I love it

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cast of characters in this mystery was so huge, I had a hard time keeping everybody straight

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third in a set of three books set in the Metropolitan Opera in the "Golden Age," but you won't miss anything if you haven't read the prior two books--this can stand alone. The books aren't standouts stylistically nor are they a whodunnit with a jaw-dropping solution worthy of a Christie. In those respects the books are quite ordinary, and it wouldn't occur to me to list Paul's Opera Mysteries as the best of mystery fiction. But they are fun, and have a secure place on my bookshelves. I'm sure a great deal of the reason I love them is that I am an Opera fan, and can't help but be greatly entertained by a mystery set in the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in the early 20th century that so vividly renders its time and place. The first book, which I haven't read, was centered on Caruso as detective, and the second was told by American opera soprano Geraldine Farrar. In this mystery, where members of the Metropolitan Opera chorus are being murdered one by one, the young Rosa Ponselle is added to the mix of characters.

I liked this novel less than the previous book, which was told first person, while this is third person with multiple perspectives. Even though she's present and prominent as a character, I missed Farrar's gossipy voice which leant so much humor to Prima Donna at Large. This is also not as light-hearted as the previous book. Set in 1920, the first World War has been over for two years, but "resentments and hard feelings" from it still linger in the international company and the careers of Caruso and Farrar are close to their end--this outing has a more melancholy tone as a result. But this is still a very entertaining mystery, particularly if you're an opera fan.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in December 1920 because opera superstar Enrico Caruso's final performance was a matinee on Christmas Eve at the Metropolitan Opera. (He died the next year.) The title refers to opera superstars, including Caruso and Geraldine Farrar, who solve murder case at the opera. Five members of the chorus are murdered from about two weeks before Christmas. The opera stars narrow the suspect list and investigate each one separately. It was nice that they would gather periodically to discuss their findings so the reader could follow what they had uncovered. Thought this was a Christmas mystery since it takes place in December, but there are only minimal references to Christmas. This is not a Christmas mystery, and in fact Dec 25-27 are completely skipped; after Caruso's matinee on Dec 24 the next action starts on Dec 28. For opera fans, especially of Caruso and Farrar, only.

[Ione · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series. It is important to read them in order, as one builds upon the other. The plot revolves around identifying and stopping a "mad" man who has been randomly attacking members of the Opera's chorus. The police have been called in, but the members of the opera decide to solve the crime themselves. So we have Geraldine Ferrar, Enrico Caruso and other Metropolitan singers snooping around trying to catch the killer before he strikes again.
No, it is not great literature, but it IS a fun, off-beat story. And while it is fiction, it is also full of real-life incidents in the history of the MET and of the singers.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Booooring. I mean, Barbara Paul is a fine writer, and I love some of her mysteries, but this one was just dull, much more focused on the real life opera stars she has turned into her main characters than on the mystery. Also the Epilogue was depressing.

A lover of opera and especially the stars of opera in post Great War New York would probably enjoy this a lot more than I did.

[Sallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy these books with 2 of my favorite early 20th century opera singers, although Enrico Caruso doesn't play as much of a part in this one, since he is sick. Thank You Julie Chuba for selling me this and the other books in this series!

[VerJean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read all the way through, but was a bit disappointed.
Hesitate to give anything a 1 star, but this is not one I would read again.
Read in 2005.