MURDER AT THE ROYAL ALBERT Daniel Jacobus, Book 8

Alison Larkin's crystalline voice adds verve to Gerald Elias's eighth mystery featuring Daniel Jacobus, who is blind. Elias, who is a violinist and composer, as well as a writer, clearly adores classical music and finds its adherents wonderful and quirky. Larkin's expressive narration lets the eccentricity shine in this tale about a musician's death in the midst of Mahler's 6th Symphony. Jacobus and his musical companions, Yumi Shinagawa and Nathaniel Williams, partner and spar with an overbearing Scotland Yard detective as they try to discover why anyone would kill a sweet-tempered young violinist. Larkin's attentive pacing highlights the book's wit, and her characterizations leave one grinning. Occasional musical interludes round out the atmosphere, making for an altogether delightful listen. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]