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Binding: MM [picture disc]
Publisher: Worldwide Library
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Very Good. 0373263597 0373263597 From the Publisher Joan...
Very Good. 0373263597 0373263597 From the Publisher Joan Spencer's daughter, Rebecca, falls for a virtuoso violinist at an international competition in Indianapolis, and Joan is drawn into a swarm of violinists, their host families, and their unspoken rivalries. When a rare Stradivarius is stolen, and then the seductive violinist who owned it vanishes, Rebecca's amiable fiance is the prime suspect. With her own fiance, Lt. Fred Lundquist, working a fatal hit-and-run in town, it's up to Joan to uncover the simmering tensions beneath the players and to string together a theft, a disappearance, and a murder. Publishers Weekly Love's in the air in the fourth Joan Spencer cozy (after Murder & Sullivan). While Joan is planning her wedding with Det. Lt. Fred Lundquist in Oliver, Ind., her daughter calls from New York to say she's engaged to one Bruce Graham, a classical musician who will be participating in an international violin competition in nearby Indianapolis. Joan gets a chance to meet her future son-in-law when she's invited to a picnic given by the families who help to host the competition. Tragedy strikes when a German violinist slams his hand into a stone planter while trying to catch a Frisbee, ending his chances to compete. Then a Brazilian musician has her Stradivarius stolen immediately before her first concert. Gamely, she plays on a borrowed instrument, performing well enough to make the cut. Before the second round, however, she vanishes, and the police suspect Bruce of taking her instrument and being involved in her disappearance. Prompted by her daughter's assurances that Bruce is incapable of such crimes, Joan leaps to his defense and decides she must help Fred find the real culprit. Frommer's latest emphasizes Joan's gentle levelheadedness and Fred's devotion to her. It's a well-plotted tale, as the author keeps readers guessing as to whether Bruce is as sweet as he seems, and wisely picks up the pace once the culprit has been identified. The novel's highlights, however, are the exceptional descriptions of the musical performances, passages in which Frommer proves herself, at least for a moment or two, a Paganini of prose. (Sept. ) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information. Library Journal Widow Joan Spencer manages a civic orchestra in Oliver, IN, but she still has time for family. Her daughter's intended, Bruce, will vie for fame in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and Joan will look out for him--with help from her own fianc, police detective Fred. Events turn sour when someone steals a competitor's Stradivarius and police blame Bruce. Then the competitor herself disappears, while back in Oliver a hit-and-run murder baffles Fred. Small-town doings mixed with uptown music appreciation make for light entertainment with a shiver or two. For all collections. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine-Jon L. Breen Jane Spencer, small-town amatuer sleuth of three previous novels, faces a common parental experience: checking out her daughter's suddenly-introduced fiance, a charming and gifted violinist-but is he all he seems? The rich background, a quadrennial violin competition held in Indianapolis, combines with a strong puzzle and involving, mostly likable characters to create an enjoyable reading experience. Widow Joan's own romantic interest, as is true of so many cozy heroines, is a cop. Kirkus Reviews Widow Joan Spencer, accomplished violist and director of' the Senior Center in the tiny town of Oliver, Indiana, is all but engaged to Detective Lieutenant Fred Lundquist of the local PD (Murder in C Major, 1986, etc.). Now, a call from her daughter Rebecca, away at college, tells Joan about Rebecca's own new fianc? , Bruce Graham, who's coming to Indianapolis (near Oliver) to compete in the notoriously tough International Violin Competition. Meantime, Dr. Bob and Polly Osborne, Bruce's hosts in Indianapolis, invite Joan to a picnic. It's...
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