Murder with Strings Attached

Mark Reutlinger

Feb 2021 · The Wild Rose Press Inc

About this ebook

Sometimes even the most carefully conceived burglary can take an unexpected turn. Florence Palmer has her eye on concert violinist Aaron Levy's priceless violin. Unfortunately, she finds it's already been stolen. Her surprise doubles when the virtuoso she'd planned to burgle offers to hire her to help him steal it back. But they're not the only ones looking for the missing violin. When Flo inadvertently becomes the prime suspect in a case of murder, she and Aaron need to clear her name. Will they find the real killer and get the violin back to its rightful owner without anyone else, especially themselves, being killed?

Ratings and reviews

Murder With Strings Attached is a rollicking and quick read, featuring an unlikely trio pursuing a stolen priceless violin. Cleaner-turned-burglar Florence "Flo" Palmer is caught redhanded by renowned concert violinist Aaron Levy, as she attempts to steal his priceless Guarnieri violin from his Seattle hotel room. However, she realises and Levy quickly confirms that the instrument in her hands is nothing more than a clever fake - the genuine article has already been stolen by someone else! Rather than turn Flo in to the authorities, Levy enlists her assistance to recover his beloved violin from the clutches of crooked billionaire James Edward Sanders, who intends swapping the violin for a valuable painting owned by another rich collector. Before long, a murder occurs, for which Flo becomes a suspect. The stakes raised, Flo and Aaron, together with Flo's feisty but non-criminal friend Sara, head south to San Francisco in pursuit of both the still-missing violin and the ruthless murderer. Straddling the cosy mystery and noir genres, Murder With Strings Attached features plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour and a sprinkling of romance. Flo, Aaron and Sara are all engaging and amusing characters. Some of the situations and dialogue are fairly camp, but that's not out of place in the genre, and adds to the reading enjoyment. I'd recommend Murder With Strings Attached to readers looking for a quick and enjoyable crime read without too much grit or heavy psychology. My thanks to the author, Mark Reutlinger, publisher The Wild Rose Press, Inc and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.