Teaser Tuesday -- Carola Dunn's Requiem for a Mezzo

The Book & Tease

The Meme

Amazon Description

In March 1923, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple takes a break from her writing to attend a performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Albert Hall with Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher. The tickets are a gift from Muriel Westlea, Daisy's neighbor and the sister of Bettina Westlea, who will be singing the mezzo role. What should be a pleasant afternoon is quickly disrupted when, during the performance, Bettina falls dead on stage--killed by cyanide poisoning. While it is quickly determined that Bettina's on-stage glass of liqueur was laced with the poison, discovering the person responsible will not prove to be an easy task. 

Bettina was neither well liked nor well behaved, and many of her colleagues, associates, and even her family had good reason to want her dead. Daisy, determined to help Detective Chief Inspector Fletcher whether he wants help or not, decides to do some investigating on her own. But with so many suspects, the murderer may well go free....

Mini-Ramble

I'm about 2/3 of the way through Requiem for a Mezzo right now and it is by far my favorite of the first three Daisy Dalrymple books. That may or may not have absolutely everything to do with the fact that it heavily features my beloved DCI Alec Fletcher. Okay, so it's not only because of Alec .... although he does play a mighty big part in it. Of course, more of Alec also means more of Sergeant Tring and Constable Piper and I adore them both, as well.  Mostly, though, the story kept me going. In spite of having a whole lot of characters with a whole lot of overlapping and sometimes conflicting stories, this installment has flowed better (and faster) for me. I still have no flipping clue as to "whodunnit" and look forward to finding out .... and to losing myself in more of Daisy & Alec's further adventures (I have the next one already lined up for April)!