Bird Lives!

Evan Horne #4

by Bill Moody

The murder of a saxaphone player and the enigmatic message left at the scene of the crime draw musician-turned-amateur sleuth Evan Horne into the search for a killer targeting jazz musicians. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Music, Crime

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Bill Moody is a mystery author and professional jazz drummer. He is the author of Shades of Blue, Looking for Chet Baker, Bird Lives! and three other Evan Horne novels.

Reviews

[Mina Latifi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts of the book were great. Full of surprises and interesting. On the other hand, some parts were boring and you could predict the next thing that is going to happen.
I don't hate it, but I also don't love it.

[Carl Brookins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine novel in the Evan Horn series. A smoothly written psychological thriller. it’s tight, fast-paced, and should greatly please fans of this type of novel. It will also please fans of jazz music which today have nearly faded into oblivion.

We aren't talking about fusion jazz or the highly commercialized, big-venue stuff. In fact, the practitioners of those kinds of highly commercialized music are the targets of a killer, the killer who forces piano player Evan Horne to become a detective, on pain of more killings. Horne is reluctant but he allows himself to be cajoled into taking on the assignment, first by Cooper, his detective friend, then by the FBI which cannot match Horne’s knowledge of jazz, a key element in the story. Horne is really trying to make a comeback as a piano player after a serious injury. Cops and Robbers is not a gig he wants to play right now. The book is a compelling look inside the life of the performer who works the small clubs, as well as into the mind and psyche of a killer.

The title refers to Charlie "Bird" Parker, arguably one of the greatest saxophone players whoever lived. Moody evokes memories of a time when acoustic jazz was played in small smoky clubs all over the world to audiences of deeply dedicated fans who were as obsessed with their music as hip-hoppers are today. It was a time with roots from early Armstrong, from Coleman and Coltrane, when Brubeck and Joe Williams, Count Basie and singers like Chris Connor and Anita O'Day were on the charts.

But, whether the music and the artists draw you, or whether you like well-written crime fiction in any setting, here's a story that will draw you in and satisfy your need. Moody is a knowledgeable master of his element. I give this one a firm positive recommendation.

[John Savory · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent. one of the best Evan Horne mysteries imo.

[Mariana Fernandes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gostei do livro principalmente pelas referências ao jazz. Não tem muito de Bird nessa história, assim como não tem muito de Chet Baker na sequência dessa série, são mais citações em meio a uma investigação policial. O romance de Evan com Andrea é meio clichê, apesar de não ter um final feliz imediato. O FBI é tratado como uma piada, é passado para trás facilmente e não consegue resolver o caso sozinho, precisam usar um civil como isca. Entendo que a história toda é uma ficção e algumas partes acabam sendo forçadas para o principal acontecer. Apesar disso, é um livro interessante, criativo, bem pesquisado, o escritor era músico e consegue descrever bem os pensamentos, a dinâmica da banda em ensaios e apresentações.

[Tom]

I previously read and reviewed Moody's Looking for Chet Baker, and this earlier entry in the Evan Horne series is significantly better. Generally speaking, Moody's crime novels are well-plotted and the music content is outstanding, but his writing is a little dry and dull. Still strongly recommended to jazz fans.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot moves slowly with little action, but the interplay between Evan and Gillian is exciting. There is some humor in setting up the difference between classic and smooth jazz, and lots of fascinating jazz tidbits are shared. Evan Horne is a comfortable guy to spend some time with.