annieb123's Review of A Fatal Overture (Ella Shane Mystery, #3)

by Kathleen Marple Kalb

During the first winter of the twentieth century, Gilded Age trouser diva Ella Shane refuses to dim the lights on her dazzling show business career for marriage—even to a dashing British duke. But the versatile mezzo-soprano may have to put it all on the line once murder takes center stage in Kathleen Marple Kalb’s theatrical third historical mystery set in 1900 New York City…

New York City, 1900. Renowned opera singer and theatre company owner Ella may have both much to gain and much to lose by getting engaged to her courtly long-distance love, Gil Saint Auburn. But there’s little time for romance or resolutions with Gil’s aristocratic mother and aunts visiting Greenwich Village—especially when the ladies discover a dead man in the bathtub of their hotel suite.

The victim’s disturbing background and subsequent demise at the elegant Waverly Place Hotel leave the group puzzled beyond the obvious certainty of an unnatural death. Adding to the confusion and mounting fear, danger explodes through Ella’s close-knit circle after a friend makes a stunning confession and Gil becomes a fresh target for violence.

Now, with a London tour run fast approaching, prenuptial worries weighing heavily on her heart, and an intricate Joan of Arc aria to rehearse, can Ella decide what she’s willing to sacrifice before confronting a relentless criminal bent on watching her entire life go up in smoke?

A Fatal Overture is the third Ella Shane historical cozy mystery by Kathleen Marple Kalb. Released 29th March 2022 by Kensington, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Set in the early 20th century, Ella is an opera diva and engaged to British royalty. Whilst they're ironing out the basic conditions of their married existence as a couple (she has no intentions of giving up her career which his family sees as deeply problematic), murder and attempted murder intrude in the negotiations threatening to upset the apple cart forever.

Although the author is good at providing backstory, I would recommend readers begin with the earlier books in the series. There's a fair bit of character development which will be missed by hopping into the series here.

Quite a significant proportion of the action in this installment is spent on descriptions of food and clothing, to the detriment of the mystery. For readers who enjoy cozy drama with a side of mystery, this will suit. The mystery itself was mostly straightforward and mostly investigated off-page.

All in all, it's well written and the author has a good grasp of descriptive prose and plotting. The dialogue is a bit anachronistic in places (especially the British aunties/mother), but overall harmless and good fun.

Three and a half stars. Eminently readable.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

16 December, 2022: Started reading

16 December, 2022: Finished reading

16 December, 2022: Reviewed