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Dead, Mr Mozart
First edition hardcover with unclipped dust jacket, in very good condition. Jacket edges are slightly creased, board spine foot is bumped, and page block and page edges are tanned. Binding is sound and pages are otherwise clear throughout. LW
181 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 15, 2023
In Bastable's alternate-history mystery, we have Mozart surviving into his sixties and making his home in England. His musical fortunes haven't been all that for a while, but the anticipated coronation of King George IV is going to provide an ideal opportunity to dust off some of his best operas and to write a new one in honor of the coronation season. Just as he has everything set--with patronage from Lord Hertford to mount the opera season and one brilliant, experienced singer and one brilliant young singer (both beautiful women) to lead the company--an element of intrigue is introduced. Those who support the new King are eager to find a way to thoroughly discredit his estranged Queen and those who support Caroline of Brunswick are out to foil any such plans. Hertford is in the King's camp and has found a witness who could definitely make England too hot to handle for Caroline. If the witness lives to testify....
One of the most deadly dull mysteries I have ever read. I have thoroughly enjoyed nearly all of the mysteries Barnard wrote under his own name. All but one garnered three stars or more. But this....Mozart, one of the most interesting composers, is a flat character. I'm not sure why Bastable thought it an excellent idea to come up with an 1820 England where Mozart is still alive and churning out potboiler music as a living, but I think it would have been kinder to leave him in the grave. He (Mozart) is also a gossip for hire--Lady Hertford wants him to send reports on her husband's business in the opera house and for a small purse full of coins he's willing to do so. Casting him in the role of amateur detective also falls short of the mark. He's not very good at it and he's not even very interesting as a poor detective. The mystery plot itself is also not much--you think there's going to be all this political intrigue surrounding the new King George and his controversial Queen, but that just sortof fizzles. The murder is pointless. The detective work is pointless. And the extension of Mozart's life for this story...pointless. If you haven't tried Barnard's work before, I would suggest you try something written under his own name.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
One of the most deadly dull mysteries I have ever read. I have thoroughly enjoyed nearly all of the mysteries Barnard wrote under his own name. All but one garnered three stars or more. But this....Mozart, one of the most interesting composers, is a flat character. I'm not sure why Bastable thought it an excellent idea to come up with an 1820 England where Mozart is still alive and churning out potboiler music as a living, but I think it would have been kinder to leave him in the grave. He (Mozart) is also a gossip for hire--Lady Hertford wants him to send reports on her husband's business in the opera house and for a small purse full of coins he's willing to do so. Casting him in the role of amateur detective also falls short of the mark. He's not very good at it and he's not even very interesting as a poor detective. The mystery plot itself is also not much--you think there's going to be all this political intrigue surrounding the new King George and his controversial Queen, but that just sortof fizzles. The murder is pointless. The detective work is pointless. And the extension of Mozart's life for this story...pointless. If you haven't tried Barnard's work before, I would suggest you try something written under his own name.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2025
This is an alternative history mystery novel set in London in 1820. It reimagines Mozart's life, depicting him as an aging composer who stayed in England after a childhood visit, only to become entangled in murder and intrigues during King George IV's coronation. The writing is often very funny (at the expense of preening opera tenors and pretentious composers), but there are a lot of very unlikeable characters in this and this version of Mozart is not particularly appealing to me. He's not so much a detective as someone in the thick of things that events happen to. The plot twist with Betty Ackroyd was well-paced, but the one with Therese Hubermann-Cortino was obvious from early on. All-in-all, a light and fun read but not a book I would re-read.
August 30, 2012
This mystery combines many things that I enjoy: Mozart, period setting, opera/music references, and an engagingly imperfect lead character/narrator. In this alternative history, Mozart never left England after visiting as a child, and had grown into an old (or at least middle-aged) dandy and gossip. He regrets his father's choice to stay behind and laments the great renown and success he would have had, had he returned to Europe, made poignant by our knowledge of what really happened to him, an early death in straitened circumstances (although at the peak of his creativity).
This Mozart is prey to the slightest flattery and, being the narrator, we have an amusing insight into his thought processes that, although he is relatively self-aware of his failings, he will still guilelessly walk into relationships and situations if he is sufficiently praised. There is the touch of a Poirot to Mozart: being both a foreigner and a dandy, but also a bit of the pícaro as he uses nearly any legal means possible to garner a living: pawning expensive trifles, sucking up to the gentry, and writing what he considers drivel.
In this story, Good King George III is finally released from his madness and the Prince Regent has become George IV. At this, "Prinny's" rejected royal wife, Caroline of Brunswick, has returned from exile in hopes of becoming Queen of England. Popular opinion is on her side as being a "wronged woman" while Prinny and the government are distinctly unpopular.
Lord Hertford, Mozart's Tory sometime benefactor, is supporting the new (but as yet uncrowned) King's bid for a divorce from her on the grounds of Caroline's licentious behavior. Lord Hertford thinks he is holding a trump card in a servant from the house where Caroline is guest who could be a witness for the King's case.
Mozart becomes unwittingly involved in this cabal - and it, of course, turns deadly. But in the midst of this intrigue and (minimal) danger, the author (Robert Barnard under a pseudonym - and you thought I said I was tired of him!) has secreted little humorous delights. Mozart has been composing an opera based on the Shakespeare play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and while that goes swimmingly, a title for it keeps writhing in the process. Mozart is continually aggravated by references to his re-orchestration of Handel's Messiah and comparisons to Rossini.
I found all of this delightful and the mystery was perhaps secondary, with the murderer tending to "monologizing" at the end so that even the least among us, brains-wise, could have all the pieces put together for us. This could have been meatier (it's under 200 pages), but I imagine the author wrote it with the left-hand.
This Mozart is prey to the slightest flattery and, being the narrator, we have an amusing insight into his thought processes that, although he is relatively self-aware of his failings, he will still guilelessly walk into relationships and situations if he is sufficiently praised. There is the touch of a Poirot to Mozart: being both a foreigner and a dandy, but also a bit of the pícaro as he uses nearly any legal means possible to garner a living: pawning expensive trifles, sucking up to the gentry, and writing what he considers drivel.
In this story, Good King George III is finally released from his madness and the Prince Regent has become George IV. At this, "Prinny's" rejected royal wife, Caroline of Brunswick, has returned from exile in hopes of becoming Queen of England. Popular opinion is on her side as being a "wronged woman" while Prinny and the government are distinctly unpopular.
Lord Hertford, Mozart's Tory sometime benefactor, is supporting the new (but as yet uncrowned) King's bid for a divorce from her on the grounds of Caroline's licentious behavior. Lord Hertford thinks he is holding a trump card in a servant from the house where Caroline is guest who could be a witness for the King's case.
Mozart becomes unwittingly involved in this cabal - and it, of course, turns deadly. But in the midst of this intrigue and (minimal) danger, the author (Robert Barnard under a pseudonym - and you thought I said I was tired of him!) has secreted little humorous delights. Mozart has been composing an opera based on the Shakespeare play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and while that goes swimmingly, a title for it keeps writhing in the process. Mozart is continually aggravated by references to his re-orchestration of Handel's Messiah and comparisons to Rossini.
I found all of this delightful and the mystery was perhaps secondary, with the murderer tending to "monologizing" at the end so that even the least among us, brains-wise, could have all the pieces put together for us. This could have been meatier (it's under 200 pages), but I imagine the author wrote it with the left-hand.
June 3, 2021
This is a sort of alternate history/crime mystery. If you don't like alternate histories don't worry about it: the only historical change is that Mozart is alive and well in 1820 and has been living in London since 1764. Nothing much is made of that in the story apart from his being there, composing music for the London opera houses, theatres and recital rooms. It is mainly a murder mystery coupled with deadly intrigue around King George IV's extramarital fecundity with the trial of his Queen, Caroline of Brunswick, hovering in the background.
It is mainly played for laughs – at the expense of the world of classical music, King George, and the English aristocracy. The author is clearly a music buff with a fondness for Mozart and the book will appeal to fellow musicologists if one chooses to try and identify the renamed fictional works written in Mr Bastable's England with their Viennese originals. I am only a beginner and could manage Bastien and Bastienne being transformed into Victor and Victoria and The Magic Flute into The Enchanted Violin. I especially loved Mozart's opinions on theatre managers, operatic tenors, and the insistence of blunt speaking Northerners to praise the genius of Handel's Messiah to his face.
While Mozart's character as a grumpy 64 year old who sees the English as musically illiterate and intellectually challenged works very well, as a detective he seems out of place. It is difficult to imagine him having the physical strength to help dispose of the body of a murdered young woman by throwing her into the Thames and his attitude when threatened by an aggressive Davy, more than forty years his junior, doesn't ring true. Given the plot's violent happenings, the ending is a little tame. Yet overall it doesn't matter. It's easy reading for a quiet winter's evening and always raises a chuckle.
There is a sequel: Too Many Notes, Mr Mozart. The Kirkus review makes it sound like a very similar light-hearted tale and I will look forward to reading it when I can find a copy.
It is mainly played for laughs – at the expense of the world of classical music, King George, and the English aristocracy. The author is clearly a music buff with a fondness for Mozart and the book will appeal to fellow musicologists if one chooses to try and identify the renamed fictional works written in Mr Bastable's England with their Viennese originals. I am only a beginner and could manage Bastien and Bastienne being transformed into Victor and Victoria and The Magic Flute into The Enchanted Violin. I especially loved Mozart's opinions on theatre managers, operatic tenors, and the insistence of blunt speaking Northerners to praise the genius of Handel's Messiah to his face.
While Mozart's character as a grumpy 64 year old who sees the English as musically illiterate and intellectually challenged works very well, as a detective he seems out of place. It is difficult to imagine him having the physical strength to help dispose of the body of a murdered young woman by throwing her into the Thames and his attitude when threatened by an aggressive Davy, more than forty years his junior, doesn't ring true. Given the plot's violent happenings, the ending is a little tame. Yet overall it doesn't matter. It's easy reading for a quiet winter's evening and always raises a chuckle.
There is a sequel: Too Many Notes, Mr Mozart. The Kirkus review makes it sound like a very similar light-hearted tale and I will look forward to reading it when I can find a copy.
December 21, 2013
I would have to consider this an alternate universe novel. Here, Mozart has lived in London since he was seven and is now sixty-four. It's 1820 and the planning is on for the coronation of George IV.
Mozart sees it as his chance to mount a new opera. He hasn't composed anything of consequence in decades, merely trifles to amuse the public. A good bit of his meager income comes from performing while his patron and guests dine, what we might call elevator music these days.
But he gets caught up in backstage machinations among the nobles. George IV is looking to divorce his wife, Caroline, before the coronation ceremonies and Mozart is forced to hide a witness to some of her indiscretions in the theater he works.
Murder happens and he has to help dispose of the body. His patron was standing over the body, though he apparently wan't the killer. Then blackmail notes start arriving and he's forced, for his own protection, to find out what's going on.
Mozart sees it as his chance to mount a new opera. He hasn't composed anything of consequence in decades, merely trifles to amuse the public. A good bit of his meager income comes from performing while his patron and guests dine, what we might call elevator music these days.
But he gets caught up in backstage machinations among the nobles. George IV is looking to divorce his wife, Caroline, before the coronation ceremonies and Mozart is forced to hide a witness to some of her indiscretions in the theater he works.
Murder happens and he has to help dispose of the body. His patron was standing over the body, though he apparently wan't the killer. Then blackmail notes start arriving and he's forced, for his own protection, to find out what's going on.
June 18, 2015
This was an interesting, little book. Mozart involved in a murder cover-up? A little difficult to keep track of all the players with their various dalliances. It was a little light reading for the summer.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews