A Fatal First Night

March 1, 2021
Death stalks an opera company. Ella Shane, an Irish Jewish New Yorker well known for her success in male roles, is appearing as Edward V in the brilliant new opera The Princes in the Tower. Although women don't have much freedom in 1899, Ella is determined to keep hers even if her determination endangers her romance with Gilbert Saint Aubyn, Duke of Leith, with whom sparks have flown ever since they met while solving the murder of his cousin. Within the opera company, which is run by several of Ella's friends and relatives from the Lower East Side, her cousin Tommy is especially protective of her reputation. When Albert Reuter, the singer playing Richard III, is arrested for murder, Detective Riley, another of Ella's cousins, catches the case. No matter what, of course, the show must go on. Gil's sudden appearance in New York on mysterious business gives Ella much to discuss with her best friend, newspaper reporter Hetty MacNaughten, who's covering the sensational murder trial of Amelie Van Vleet. While Gil goes about his business, Ella considers the costs of marriage for an independent woman who wants to continue her career. Gil finds a way to prove Albert innocent, but the trouble still haunting the theater forces Ella and Gil to play detective again. Romance, engaging characters, and a timely exploration of marriage and freedom make up for the meager mystery.

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April 9, 2021

In Kalb's second "Ella Shane" mystery (after A Fatal Finale), Irish Jewish opera singer Ella prepares for the debut of a new opera. She specializes in trouser roles; the new opera, The Princes in the Tower, tells the story of Richard III during the War of the Roses. Ella and her cousin Tommy Hurley, the composer Louis Abramovitz, and her costar Marie d'Artois navigate their opening-night jitters and enjoy great success. After that night's show, the male lead, Albert Reuter, is found hunched over a dead body. Ella does not think he's guilty; she must find a way to prove it, while keeping the show on schedule. When her aristocratic suitor, Duke Gilbert Saint Aubin, arrives from London on a business trip, things become more complicated. For Ella, solving the mystery now takes a backseat to dealing with romantic feelings and detailed rumination about balancing career and marriage--a difficult task in Gilded Age New York. VERDICT Readers who enjoy historical mysteries with a touch of romance will enjoy the period details and strong female characters, as well as Ella's colorful parrot, Montezuma.--Barbara Bibel, formerly Oakland P.L.

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