The Mozart Conspiracy

January 3, 2011
British author Miriani makes his U.S. debut with the second in his series featuring ex-SAS warrior Ben Hope, a fast, exciting read in The Da Vinci Code tradition. Ben is on his way home from a mission when he receives a message from Leigh Llewellyn, an old flame and international opera star, saying she needs his help. Leigh is the sister of Ben's late friend, Oliver, who was at work on a book on Mozart when he died under mysterious circumstances. When Ben takes Leigh to the English countryside to guard her, deadly thugs attempt to kill them both. A lost Mozart letter, written in 1791 shortly before the composer's death and first discovered by Leigh's father, implicates a shadowy European group known as the Order of Ra, which remains a powerful secret force in Europe today. None of this matters much to either Ben or the reader as he singlehandedly kills his way to the top of the evil cabal.

World-famous Welsh opera singer Leigh Llewellyn seeks help from her ex-flame, Ben, to investigate the suspicious death of her brother, who was writing a book about the death of Mozart. After Leigh decides to complete the book, she herself becomes a target, and the listener follows the duo as they seek answers. Narrator Steven Crossley softens his tone and uses an authentic-sounding Welsh accent to voice Leigh's dialogue, while keeping the fast-paced exchanges between her and Ben easy to follow. Crossley's narration is perfectly timed, with Crossley refraining from racing through even the most suspenseful parts. K.J.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

September 15, 2011

In Mariani's sixth Ben Hope thriller, the British soldier-turned-security specialist finds himself looking into the murder of an old friend, whose famous opera singer sister was once his lover. A letter purported to have been written by Mozart leads Hope to a murderous organization run by a cadre of Europe's most powerful men. While Mariani offers several suspenseful, if not quite credible, set pieces, his tale is too derivative. Steven Crossley's somewhat patrician voice and delivery at first seem ill suited to such violent action, but Crossley excels at creating distinctive voices for the characters, especially a chillingly gruff sadistic killer. This should appeal to fans of Dan Brown, Lee Child, and Daniel Silva, whose works Mariani clearly has studied carefully. ["This series launch might appeal to male readers in the mood for a bit of fast-paced action without too much mental exertion," read the review of the Touchstone: S. & S. hc, LJ 2/1/11; the mass market Pocket pb will publish in December.--Ed.]--Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr. Lib.

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