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The Composer Is Dead [With CD (Audio)]

by Lemony Snicket, Carson Ellis (Illustrator), Nathaniel Stookey (Music)

4.09 · rating details · 590 ratings · 165 reviews

There's dreadful news from the symphony hall—the composer is dead!

If you have ever heard an orchestra play, then you know that musicians are most certainly guilty of something. Where exactly were the violins on the night in question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too boisterously?

In this perplexing murder mystery, everyone seems to have a mo

...more

Library Binding, 40 pages

Published March 3rd 2009 by HarperCollins (first published March 1st 2008)

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Jul 08, 2009

Kathryn rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of music and/or wit

Recommended to Kathryn by: Angie

Shelves: childrens-picture-books, very-favorites, music

Oh, WOW! I LOVED this book!!!! I love the entire creation--the words, the illustrations, the music. It is AMAZING! First of all, it is so very, very FUNNY! Humor is always so subjective but this just absolutely clicked with me. OMG! Witty stuff here. I love the personalities that Snicket assigns to the various instruments. For example, the "The violin section is divided inot the First Violins, who have the trickier parts to play, and the Second Violins, who are more fun at parties....moreOh, WOW! I LOVED this book!!!! I love the entire creation--the words, the illustrations, the music. It is AMAZING! First of all, it is so very, very FUNNY! Humor is always so subjective but this just absolutely clicked with me. OMG! Witty stuff here. I love the personalities that Snicket assigns to the various instruments. For example, the "The violin section is divided inot the First Violins, who have the trickier parts to play, and the Second Violins, who are more fun at parties." The inspector asks them what they were doing the night of the murder. "We were performing a waltz," said the Violins. "We played graceful melodies so the ladies and gentlemen could spin around and around and aroud until they felt dizzy and somewhat nauseous. This kept us busy all night." The inspector suspects they murdered the composer for making them play waltzes all night. "Don't be ridiculous," say the Violins, "Violins are the stars of any orchestra. If we killed the composer, we would have to find work at square dances or in romantic restaurants." Oh, gosh, good stuff here! ;-> I don't want to give any more away! The accompanying CD, read by Snicket with music by Nathaniel Stookey performed by the San Francisco Symphony is also outstanding. I admit that I tried to read/listen simultaneously but the audio version takes a LONG time to get through due to all the (excellent) music so I stopped the audio half way through. Personally, I felt a bit of the humor in the quick repartee (as I read it) between the inspector and the various instruments was lost with the sometimes drawn-out conversations with musical interludes on the audio version. Opinions may vary, but I'd recommend reading the book first and then listening to the CD as a bonus treat, maybe take that time to look at the illustrations again or just appreciate Snicket's fun delivery style.

While this is a delight in and of itself, it could also be hoped that it would inspire kids to want to go to the symphony or listen to more classical music.

I really do think this is a "children's book" that most adults with a sense of humor and/or appreciation for the symphony will enjoy.

Thank you so much, Angie, for the recommendation!!!(less)

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Oct 28, 2008

Monica Edinger rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: childrensliterature

Yesterday I played the CD of this to my fourth class and showed them the illustrations (from the F&G I got at last week's HarperCollins' spring preview). It is terrific!

When I told the kids we were going to listen to something by Lemony Snicket several announced that they'd HATED the Unfortunate Event books. But of course --- these are fall fourth graders, after all, and I suspect those that disliked the books only picked them up (as 3rd or even 2nd graders) because friends were l...more

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Jan 12, 2009

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Remember the days when kids would learn about the different instruments of the orchestra by attending mandatory orchestral performances of Peter and the Wolf? Well, go to bed, old man! Kids today don’t have time for stories of wolves and boys and lucky/unlucky duckys. Not them. No, these days to grasp a child’s attention fully it takes nothing short of murder. Cold-blooded, tastefully adapted, deeply illustrated murrrrderrrrr (roll them r’s about your tongue). A shot has been cast across t...more

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Mar 05, 2009

Jamil Thomas rated it

Shelves: music, picture-books

Opening exerpt:

"The Composer is Dead.

"Composer" is a word which here means "a person who sits in a room, muttering and humming and figuring out what notes the orchestra is going to play." This is called composing. But last night, the Composer was not muttering. He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing.

This is called decomposing."

Nicely illustrated by Carson Ellis. Comes with an audio CD (reading + ...more

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Mar 25, 2009

Kori rated it

· review of another edition

It's like "Peter and The Wolf" except, Lemony Snicket. (I was going to say "better", but I realized that I actually like Peter and The Wolf".)

It's very clever, and the lady who illustrated the liner notes for most of The Decemberists albums illustrated this.

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Mar 26, 2009

Rebecca Trujillo Batty rated it

· review of another edition

Lemony Snicket has struck again....he is a genius...GENIUS, I say! Many you know that I loved The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket...and I recently blogged my review of his book, The Lump of Coal, which I loved,as well. I may venture to say that this is my favorite one of his books yet. It is a picture book that includes a free cd (if you happen to check this out at the library, be certain that the cd is there inside the front cover!!!). I read the book in a matter of minutes and i...moreLemony Snicket has struck again....he is a genius...GENIUS, I say! Many you know that I loved The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket...and I recently blogged my review of his book, The Lump of Coal, which I loved,as well. I may venture to say that this is my favorite one of his books yet. It is a picture book that includes a free cd (if you happen to check this out at the library, be certain that the cd is there inside the front cover!!!). I read the book in a matter of minutes and instantly loved it! After just a page or two, I was ready to tell my best friend that she MUST get this book, one way or another! A mysterious murder mystery where everyone is suspect! The composer is dead and the inspector interviews all members of the orchestra to find the culprit. As he moves from section to section in the orchestra, it is amusing the personalities that come to life. The list of composers in the story is long for those not very familiar with the classical world. Educational in so many ways! I read the book, then listened to the cd. The first half of the cd is sort of an audio of the book, with much more animation and commentary...very cute!!! The soundtrack that follows on the second half of the cd is good and quick! Even if you didn't like TSoUE, I think you will like this one!

What would a book review of mine be without a quote or two, eh?! Here goes, a little different this time. As the mystery gets underway, the inspector starts his interrogation with the strings. Violins first, of course, then he moved onto the cellos and basses and in my head I thought, "What about the violas, they are always forgotton!" To my utter surprise, this is how the story went: ""Well, I guess that takes care of the strings," the Inspector said. "Oh---the Violas! I forgot all about you." "Everyone forgets about us," said the Violas bitterly." I laughed right out loud and my mom looked at me quite funny. It was perfect! Then as the inspector continued on, I was quite amused by these lines from the percussion section, "We percussed. We employed xylophoniness and cymbalism."

To say the least, this book is a must have for every family that wants to expand the horizons of their children or even the parents, for that matter. It should also be included in all elementary music curriculum! Of course, this is just my opinion...read for yourselves and let me know what YOU think!!!(less)

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Mar 25, 2009

Theresa rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: children, musicians and music lovers

The first time I ever heard of Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead, was before this book was ever published. Mr. Snicket and his dear old friend, and composer, Nathaniel Stookey, had been commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to create a theatrical orchestral piece to encourage youth to become more involved with classical music. A sort of Peter and the Wolf for modern children.

This piece landed at the LA Phil (www.laphil.org) and I promptly took my budding cellist of a daugh...moreThe first time I ever heard of Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead, was before this book was ever published. Mr. Snicket and his dear old friend, and composer, Nathaniel Stookey, had been commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to create a theatrical orchestral piece to encourage youth to become more involved with classical music. A sort of Peter and the Wolf for modern children.

This piece landed at the LA Phil (www.laphil.org) and I promptly took my budding cellist of a daughter to see it. Delightful, witty, and a wee bit macabre. It begins with the discovery of a dead composer, in a coffin, being carried off stage. An inspector arrives on the scene and tries to discover who has killed the composer. He interrogates every section the orchestra, every very suspicious instrument. It really was well done. We were only sad that the book was not published yet and could not snatch it up that day. Although there were promises of a picture book and an audio CD to accompany it in the very near future.

Now the book is out, and the moment I saw it I bought it and played it for my younger child, who was much too young to join us for the live performance. She found it just as delightful. The illustrations by Carson Ellis wax nostalgic with their simple lines and muted colors. It looks as though it were meant to be pulled from the pages of a 1930s comic strip. Of course, the colors used as well as the water color technique are far more sophisticated than the printing capabilities of that time, making the illustrations simple and lovely. In my mind I saw something more along the lines of Edward Gorey, but perhaps his use of dark black lines would not be quite as appealing to younger readers, and I should not impose my vision onto those who are at least 20 years my junior. Afterall, this is for them, not me.

The book really cannot be read without the audio accompaniment. Lemony Snicket's narration is very funny. The music, which borrows heavily from the great masters, is dramatic and wonderful. Each instrument is a character in the story and the audio serves to highlight the personalities and duties of each piece of an orchestra. Allowing the listeners to really connect with the instruments and learn what it is they do individually that creates the enormous sound of a music piece.

I do appreciate that the CD that came with it has narrated tracks and then just the music. This allows for theatrical read-alongs for the family. Who gets to narrate as the Inspector next? Daddy? Mommy? Sister? Fluffy?(less)

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Nov 29, 2011

Michelle Witte rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Musicians & music lovers

Shelves: childrens, favorites, hooked-by-1st-page, mystery, picture-book, reviewed

Originally posted at Libri Ago.

★★★★★★★*

The moment I saw Lemony Snicket's name on the cover of The Composer Is Dead at the library the other day, I knew I had to read it. I knew it would be funny; what I wasn't expecting was this musical masterpiece.

The story is somewhat basic: a composer has been murdered, and the detective must sound out the man, er, instrument who committed the crime. The text, however, isn't what makes this book so amazing.

This...more

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Jun 25, 2010

Jeana rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: kids-books

I picked this book up at our local library after seeing it on the shelf. I thought Bianca would like it given how much she's into composing music. And this book is really funny. A composer is found dead and there's an investigation of who was responsible for the composer's death. They go through all the different instruments and sections in the orchestra who could be responsible. Bianca particularly liked the part where they forget about the violas, as everyone does. The french horn sectio...more

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Jun 21, 2010

Monster added it · review of another edition

Shelves: scary-books-for-kids

The Composer is Dead is a pretty sophisticated picture book. The plot is simple- the composer is dead, and the Inspector is interrogating the various instruments in the orchestra to find out who’s responsible. The humor, vocabulary, and need for context are not simple at all. I “got” the jokes, but I’m not the target audience for picture books. My four year old, who is in the target audience for picture books, loves music, and always wants me to identify the individual instruments in orchestral...moreThe Composer is Dead is a pretty sophisticated picture book. The plot is simple- the composer is dead, and the Inspector is interrogating the various instruments in the orchestra to find out who’s responsible. The humor, vocabulary, and need for context are not simple at all. I “got” the jokes, but I’m not the target audience for picture books. My four year old, who is in the target audience for picture books, loves music, and always wants me to identify the individual instruments in orchestral music, was totally baffled by the story. The vocabulary is complex and is not as explicitly explained as in Snicket’s other books, and the necessary context isn’t provided. What are musical notes and what do they look like? What are the names of the percussion instruments? What does a conductor actually do? What are all those names at the end of the book? The illustrations were often confusing. Which silhouetted instrument in the illustration is an oboe and which is a clarinet? Who are all the dancing people and why are they dancing? I did like the portrayal of the Inspector, whose appearance reminded me quite a lot of Hercule Poirot, but he actually didn’t look like a policeman, and that was confusing to my four-year-old as well. The lettering was good- major words like “AHA!” certainly got the proper emphasis and attention- but overall, the illustrations didn’t add much. What makes The Composer Is Dead really interesting is the audio CD that accompanies it, which actually plays music by the individual instruments as the Inspector interrogates them. This was fascinating and really brought the story to life. Unfortunately, trying to combine listening to the CD with turning the pages of the book was a real failure because of my son’s impatience. The CD and book just weren’t complementary. We have revisited the CD more than once because of his fascination with the music and instruments, but the book just isn’t going to be a success with the picture book audience. It’s even a pretty sophisticated title for the typical Lemony Snicket reader, although I’m pretty sure kids who love his books would be disappointed if it weren’t available. I’d say that, due to the kind of humor and irony ( I think most kids will miss the smarminess of the oboes) and the need for considerable context, this book and CD will be most effective with middle school music students- it would be a great way to introduce a research project into dead composers- and adults with some familiarity with classical music. Recommended for elementary and middle school libraries. (less)

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May 22, 2010

Sarah W rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: picture-book, music

This story, written by the same author as A Series of Unfortunate Events, provides a darkly humorous introduction to the orchestra. The composer is found dead and an inspector begins interrogating the different sections of the orchestra. The strings all had alibis; the woodwinds fend off the blame and pass the inspector on to the 'violent lot' of brass. The case's culprit is a twist I should have seen coming but didn't.

This book uses a blend of sarcasm, word definitions, instrum...more

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Sep 08, 2009

Heidi rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audio, children-0-12, fiction, humor, saralyn-recommendations

I got this book only because I was intrigued by what picture book Snicket would come up with this time. To my surprise, I read it with great enjoyment. I thought it was very clever, and humorous besides. I also liked the personification of orchestral sections. I thought there was a great message at the end, too.

Luckily, before I about turned the book back in, I took a closer look at the cover. I read "Music By Nathaniel Stookey." "There's music?!" I thought. I won...more

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Jul 24, 2009

Shel Julian Kessel added it · review of another edition

Snicket, L. (2009). The Composer is Dead. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

9780061236280

Music teachers! Pay attention! This book is wonderful for you (and for others, but especially for you).

The composer is dead (just in case you couldn’t tell be the title). Since the death is suspicious, an investigator is called in to solve the mystery. He questions the various instruments that make up an orchestra, searching for the most likely sus...more

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Jun 20, 2009

Sarah-Greenbeanteenqueen rated it

· review of another edition

Ok, I will admit that I got through only four books in the Series of Unfortunate Events because I just couldn't take all the terrible stuff those poor Baudelaire orphans had to deal with! Even though I couldn't finish the series, I did like Lemony Snickett's humor, so I was eager to pick up this new picture book.

The Composer Is Dead is lots of fun and it had me laughing. I thought maybe I appreciated some of the jokes because my mom is a music teacher and I've grown up around classic...more

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Mar 27, 2011

Elena Gleason rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, picture-books, audiobooks

The Composer is Dead is a fascinating book that seamlessly weaves together narrative, illustrations, and sound. Lemony Snicket is, as previously demonstrated in his middle grade Series of Unfortunate Events books, incredibly clever and great at building tension. Like his novels, this book is hilarious but with an underlying hint of darkness that adds to the reading experience. Carson Ellis's watercolor illustrations are beautiful, sweeping works of art that evoke and complement the accompanying ...moreThe Composer is Dead is a fascinating book that seamlessly weaves together narrative, illustrations, and sound. Lemony Snicket is, as previously demonstrated in his middle grade Series of Unfortunate Events books, incredibly clever and great at building tension. Like his novels, this book is hilarious but with an underlying hint of darkness that adds to the reading experience. Carson Ellis's watercolor illustrations are beautiful, sweeping works of art that evoke and complement the accompanying music, and his silhouettes of the instruments remind the reader that this is a mystery and the musicians are all under suspicion. Despite the wonderful text and illustrations, this book would be nothing special without the amazing orchestral music that accompanies the text. Nathaniel Stookey's original music is tailored for the book, and I doubt that any more effective book on CD has ever been crafted. The music fits into the spaces behind and around Lemony Snicket's narration, and is obviously the centerpiece of this work.

There is no doubt that The Composer is Dead is a remarkable book. However, the audience for it is tricky to pin down. The jacket copy claims an audience of "Grades K up," but I would guess that most children so young wouldn't be patient enough to sit through the music. If there happens to be a young child with a love of classical music around, this book might be perfect, but many children would be bored. This seems more like the kind of book that a parent would love but would fall flat with kids.

This book reminded me pleasantly of the books on cassette I used to listen to when I was very little, only about ten times better. Reading The Composer is Dead was an extremely pleasurable experience, and I loved being able to enjoy the book on three different levels. I found myself studying the illustrations more carefully than I would if I had been reading along without Lemony Snicket's narration to slow me, savoring each new page. I found Lemony Snicket's text as laugh-out-loud clever as always, and I especially loved the music. I found myself wishing I had a child around to try the book out on, because I'm curious about how kids would react to this book. Overall, I absolutely adored this book, but I'm left more than a little puzzled about who the audience is meant to be.(less)

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Jul 09, 2009

Konya rated it

· review of another edition

I read this in a bookstore yesterday to see if it would appeal to any kids in the family, so in that setting, my rating is obviously on the book itself and no thought given to the CD inside. I thought the story was a good introduction to the orchestra for children, more so than Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf because of the explanations offered during the story rather than just a story itself. (Though, I still love Peter and the Wolf.) My only complaint is that the book also reinforced stereoty...more

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Apr 14, 2009

babyhippoface rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: kids-picture-books, humor, listened-via-audiobook

When the Composer is found dead, the Inspector interrogates the members of the orchestra, from the strings to the brass. They all maintain their innocence, and each has a comical alibi; the violins, for example, proclaim they would never have murdered the Composer, for if they had, they “would have to find work at square dances or in romantic restaurants.” Ellis’ pen-and-watercolor illustrations lend an old-fashioned feel. Darkly humorous in the vein of Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events ser...more

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Mar 09, 2010

Tamra rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: music lovers

Shelves: read-with-or-for-my-kids, picture-books

Book without CD gets 1 star.
Book with CD gets 5 stars.

Without the CD, this book is almost worthless, a word which here means "a complete and utter waste of time, even if it is mildly amusing and educational."

Fortunately, with the CD it's fun. The music is great, and hearing Lemony Snicket read it is a treat. It was a little slow for my boys (ages 6 and almost 4), but my daughter (age 8) liked it a lot and said, "I bet my music teacher at school woul...more

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Feb 10, 2010

g2 (lpi) rated it

· review of another edition

I'd heard about this at a recent college audition, and from the descriptions (which mostly consisted of hinting at a part, and then expressing shared sentiment about how awesome it was) my curiosity was naturally piqued. Being a musician myself, and being familiar with the various members of the orchestral family and their demeanors, I especially appreciated this gem.
It's good enough as-is, but it's improved immensely with the included disk. The first nine tracks are the author narrating...more

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Apr 30, 2010

Amber rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-fiction-books-for-litera, books-to-ask-for-christmas-and-birt

When Jessica read this last semester when we shared a book from our MTS, I fell in love with this book. I am a huge music fan. I play in an orchestra at my church and I love listening to music. This book is a great way to introduce students, any age to what an orchestra is about and all the different instruments in the classroom. This brings music into the classroom. Also, I would love to have this version, because the book has a CD that has the story, but also has just the music on it, which wo...more

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Mar 10, 2009

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

I see this book as a creative way to teach kids about the different sections of the orchestra. I listened to the CD and it totally made this book come alive for me. I upped my score by 2 stars. If you get this from the library, be sure the CD is with it and listen as you read!!

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Aug 20, 2009

Robyn rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, childrens

While children could read this book (especially the kids that loved the Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate... books) it also includes content directed more to adults.

If you have a child or an adult in your life that is involved in music - this is THE gift!

The Composer has been murdered!!!The investigator has been called in. In the course of the investigation the detective runs through the various instruments in the orchestra in a thoroughly charming manner. Extolling ...more

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May 02, 2009

Heather rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Orchestra students and people interested in instrumental music

Shelves: kids-and-teens

Fantastic! Marvelous! Wonderful!

The book is a companion piece, something to look at while you listen to the CD that's tucked into the front cover. It's an introduction to orchestral music for young people, in the form of a murder mystery. The composer is dead- who has killed him? Was it the strings? The brass? Those shifty woodwinds?

Lemony Snicket's narration is funny, the music is entertaining, and the whole package would make a very nice introduction to instrum...more

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Sep 03, 2011

Amy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, mysteries

While this book was entertaining for an adult, it was a little confusing for my niece. She says that she really liked all of the instruments in this book, but the resolution to the mystery was confusing and over her head.

The story was well written and well told, and from the adult point of view it was a clever tongue-in-cheek mystery tale. It was also pretty fun to read out loud. The illustrations were simple, but fun, too. I'd like to give this one three stars, but for a childre...more

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Apr 06, 2009

Molly rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: good-audio-books, family-reads, on-audio, picture-books

The composer is found dead, and none of the instruments (not even the long neglected Viola or the strangely accented French Horns) are above suspicion. This fun murder mystery draws readers (and listeners, more on that later) into the inner workings of an orchestra; highlighting the strengths and common uses of a variety of instruments. The witty one-liners throughout make the read very fun for parents. There is an accompanying CD which is a dramatic interpretation of the story. It runs for abou...more

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Mar 20, 2009

Bobby Simic rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: kidsstuff

Snicket's follow-up to his Series of Unfortunate Events is a humorous orchestra/music lesson masquerading as a murder mystery. This one didn't exactly grab me (maybe I should have listened to the accompanying CD?), but I could see how it could work well in the classroom, although I think "Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin" is better. A lot of the humor is funny but much of it will go over kids' heads, but this is Snicket after all, so that's not much of a surprise. Cool illustrations but I wond...more

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Jun 11, 2011

JaNeal rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, picture-books

Filled with Snickety-wit, tongue-in-cheek morbidity, exaggeration, and word play, this book is a fun read. I'm a big fan of stories based on non-fiction topics and this one really pushes the edge is a delightful way. The accompanying cd got a little long-winded (musically) for my 10-year old daughter and I, who wanted to move through the story. Still, I would love to see this book and the musical score performed live (or, in this case, is that dead?). I think it would be marvelous. I also l...more

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Mar 29, 2009

Dawn rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: All

Shelves: humor, young-readers

Absolutely delightful. This book is a shoo-in to replace both "Peter and the Wolf" and "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" when read along with the included CD. The music is original for this CD and the story, while simple, is engaging.

The basic plot is: The composer is dead and the Inspector must find out what happened by questioning each of the segments of the orchestra. Simple, yes, but well done and extremely amusing. I would definitely recommend...more

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Mar 16, 2009

Tlnorz rated it

· review of another edition

This is not the type of book that I would usually include in my list or my list of reviews but is was so good that I just had to add it in.
The story is similar to, "Peter and the Wolf" -- in is a vehicle to introduce children to orchestras. However, in my opinion, it is much better than, "Peter and the Wolf." It is verrrry funny and does a better job of explaining parts of the orchestra.
The book also comes with a CD, narrated by the author's publicist.
I ...more

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Aug 21, 2009

Alison rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: to-own, fiction, childrens, graphic-format, audio-book

The story starts, as you might imagine, with a dead composer. An inspector comes in and asks a few questions of the orchestra to figure out whodunnit. Certain remarks are made about the various instruments which are rather apt. Of my beloved instrument, the inspector asks, "What say you, French Horns? You have a strange accent." Their response? None. "The French Horns did not understand the question, and began murmuring a story about the Old Country." Teehee!
read more.....more

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About Lemony Snicket

Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler. Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (his best-known work) and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional character and a real person. This article deals primarily with the character.
...moreLemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler. Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (his best-known work) and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional character and a real person. This article deals primarily with the character.

As a character, Snicket is a harried, troubled writer and researcher falsely accused of felonies and continuously hunted by the police and his enemies, the fire-starting side of the secret organization Volunteer Fire Department (V.F.D.). As a child he was kidnapped and inducted as a "neophyte" into V.F.D., where he was trained in rhetoric and sent on seemingly pointless missions while all connections to his former life, apart from his siblings Jacques and Kit (who were also kidnapped and inducted), were severed. In the organization he met and fell in love with a peer named Beatrice, to whom he eventually became engaged. After a series of unfortunate events (after which the real-world series is in some ways named), he became falsely accused of murder and arson. Eventually the fallacies grew so much that The Daily Punctilio reported his death. Beatrice eventually moved on and married Bertrand Baudelaire, becoming the mother of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, the protagonists of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Fourteen years thereafter Beatrice and Bertrand were murdered in a house fire, leaving the Baudelaires orphans. Feeling indebted to his former fiancée, Snicket embarks on a quest to chronicle the lives of the Baudelaire children until they become old enough to face the troubles of the world on their own.

Snicket is the subject of a fictional autobiography, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography (which contains an introduction from a fictionalized version of Daniel Handler). A pamphlet, 13 Shocking Secrets You'll Wish You Never Knew About Lemony Snicket, was released in promotion of The End. Other works by Snicket include The Baby in the Manger, The Composer Is Dead, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, The Lump of Coal, and "13 Words". Snicket is currently writing a new children's series that is due out sometime in 2012.(less)

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Books by Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2)

The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3)

The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5)

The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #4)

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“Composer” is a word which here means “a person who sits in a room, muttering and humming and figuring out what notes the orchestra is going to play.” This is called composing. But last night, the Composer was not muttering. He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing.
This is called decomposing.” — 39 people liked it

“Wherever there’s a conductor, you’re sure to find a dead composer!” — 14 people liked it

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The Composer Is Dead [With CD (Audio)]

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