Synopses & Reviews
"What Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did for Victorian London and Caleb Carr did for old New York, Sydney Jones does for historic Vienna."
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of the Queen Elizabeth I mystery series At first it seemed like a series of accidents plagued Viennas Court Opera. But after a singer is killed during rehearsals of a new production, the evidence suggests something much more dangerous. Someone is trying to murder the famed conductor and composer Gustav Mahler. Worse, Mahler might not be the first musical genius to be dispatched by this unknown killer. Alma Schindler, one of Mahler's many would-be mistresses, asks the lawyer and aspiring private investigator Karl Werthen to help stop the attacks. With his new wife, Berthe, and his old friend, the criminologist Hanns Gross, Werthen delves into Vienna's rich society of musicians to discover the identity of the person who has targeted one of Austria's best-known artists. Set during the peak of Viennas cultural renaissance and featuring some of the city's most colorful residents, Requiem in Vienna is a perfect historical fiction. Rich in description and populated by vivid characters, this is a mystery that will leave readers guessing until the very last moment.
Review
"Sophisticated entertainment of a very high caliber."--
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
PRAISE FOR
THE EMPTY MIRROR "Deftly melds fact with fiction in a novel that will appeal to mystery aficionados as well as history buffs."--
Richmond Times-Dispatch "Jones's absorbing whodunit succeeds both as a mystery and as a fascinating portrait of a traditional society in ferment."--
Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The greatest interest of the novel lies in its glimpses of the political passions and bizarre occurences of the era.... A colorful story that neatly combines fact and fiction."--
The Washington Post "Jones's novel boasts well-fleshed characters, a good sense of place, and solid plotting--all signs of series potential. This one bears watching."--
Booklist "A mystery full of famous names and historical events and starring the city of Vienna."--
The Washington Times “What Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did for Victorian London and Caleb Carr did for old New York, Sydney Jones does for historic Vienna."--Karen Harper,
New York Times bestselling author of the Queen Elizabeth I mystery series
"History and fiction cleverly combined by a master storyteller." --Michael Gregorio, author of Critique of Criminal Reason
Review
"Sophisticated entertainment of a very high caliber."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Jones uses Mahler and the world of Viennese music at the turn of the century as an integral keystone of his novel, exploring the remarkable political machinations of the musical world, and allowing us more jaded denizens of the 21st century to imagine the excitement, controversy and furor that would greet any new development in music. . . . Solidly made, flavorful and a delightful change of pace from your normal mystery routine.”--Bookgasm.com
Synopsis
Jones, who lived in Vienna for almost 20 years, deftly melds fact with fiction in a novel that will appeal to mystery aficionados as well as history buffs.
--Richmond Times-Dispatch on The Empty Mirror At first it seemed like a series of accidents plagued Vienna's Court Opera. But after a singer is killed during rehearsals the evidence suggests something much more dangerous. Someone is trying to murder conductor and composer Gustav Mahler, and lawyer Karl Werthen sets out to stop the attacks with the help of his new wife, Berthe, and the criminologist Hans Gross. With the recent deaths of Johann Strauss and Johannes Brahms, the investigators fear a madman is killing the great musicians of Vienna.
Set during the peak of Vienna's cultural renaissance, Requiem in Vienna is a perfect read for fans of historical thrillers.
About the Author
J. SYDNEY JONES is the author of thirteen books, including The Empty Mirror, the first in the Viennese Mystery series, the nonfiction Hitler in Vienna, 1907-1913, the guidebooks Viennawalks and Vienna Inside-Out, and the suspense novel Time of the Wolf. He currently lives near Santa Cruz, California. For more information, visit www.jsydneyjones.com.