Where Mr. de Muriel shines is in his creation of this world. The smaller characters all are well rounded, and the author clearly did his research, as he brings the time and place to life with well-placed details. I could feel the difference between the fog of metropolitan London and the smoky coal-filled air of Edinboro. Each locale, from the most grimey pub to the stately homes of the rich felt real. Mr. de Muriel’s love of Victorian fiction also comes through as he uses several tropes of the genre to solid effect. More impressively, Mr de Muriel accomplished this without burying me in details.
Equally evident was the author’s love of music, and musical lore and traditions. The life of musicians, and the people who make their instruments and all detailed with care and grace. Without giving away too much I can say that music plays a key role in every facet of how and why these crimes were committed, as well as providing the detectives with several key clues that keep their investigation from failing. It’s refreshing to see an author grasp and utilize a facet of a novel to such effect, and makes The Strings of Murder worth your time. |
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July 2020
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