Murder in C Major

Joan Spencer, the spirited and independent widow determined to make it on her own, has moved back to the quiet town of Oliver, Indiana, where she had spent part of her childhood. Life Starts out wonderfully for her there: Her Adorable whiz-kid son flourishes in the local high school; her old friendships get revived; she catches up on gossip; gets a new job; and, best of all, lands a chair in the viola section of the Oliver Civic Symphony. But before you can say allegro con molto, Joan's newly found harmony is disrupted by the bizarre death of the boorish first oboist, George Petris, who dies mysteriously at rehearsal during the big oboe solo in the Schubert.There are all too many people with a motive for killing George; the oboist was universally despised. Still, the cause of death remains obscure and no one wants to believe it was murder. But when the orchestra's prized flutist is found in her home with her throat slashed, that's two too many dead musicians. The hunt for the killer begins.The clues to these murders baffle the police. The answers seem locked up in George Petris' oboe-but they can't locate the instrument, let alone the murderer. Joan Spencer gives a virtuoso performance as an amateur sleuth working with her fast-talking son and the aloofly handsome policeman Fred Lundquist. Fred and Joan get closer to the killer - and to each other - in this absolutely delightful treat of a novel full of intrigue, suspense, small-town flavor and welcome combination of sophisticated wit and deft charm.