OVERTURE TO MURDER

The curtain comes down on murder in Overture to Murder, the third novel of the Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series. Julia heads to the San Francisco Opera, this time with her significant other, former NYPD detective Larry Somers, and their five-year-old daughter Rebecca. Julia is under inordinate amounts of pressure as she replaces the ailing concertmaster, Ben, who has suffered serious injuries in a suspicious hit and run accident, which Julia suspects might not have been accidental. Then one prominent company member becomes the victim of a grisly murder, and Julia  cannot resist becoming involved in the investigation. As in her previous sleuthing at the Metropolitan Opera and Santa Fe Opera, Julia once again discovers that fiery artistic temperaments, and danger lurking in the dark hallways and back stairways of an opera house, provide a chilling backdrop for murder. This time, however, it’s not only her own life that is in peril.

. . .

“As in her two previous mystery novels, Erica Miner's Overture to Murder beautifully balances the real world of opera with elements of intriguing and frightening fantasy. In this newest tale danger becomes palpable; the dénouement, nail biting. The author's descriptive writing skills are once again in top form, as action is quickly propelled to the exciting climax. One need not be a Wagner aficionado to become fully immersed into this taut whodunit narrative. Miner's love and knowledge of opera is quite evident as she weaves parcels of the Ring into this contemporary Bay City murder mystery.” 

~ Richard Stilwell, Metropolitan Opera baritone

“Set in fabled San Francisco, Overture to Murder is a thrilling opera-based mystery! At the end of the shocking first chapter, I was hooked. If mystery readers were not opera fans before reading this delicious novel, they may well become aficionados after finishing it. Unfolding around Wagner's majestic Ring cycle, the author and her violinist protagonist play all the right notes as the mystery deepens, constantly building suspense like a fugue. As the story crescendos, Wagner's cavalry, the Valkyries, soar in to help resolve the devious and murderous events that kept me on the edge of my seat all through the book. Bravissimo! I want an encore.” 

~ Curt Colbert, award-winning author

“Good things come in threes, and Overture to Murder is an open love letter to the city of San Francisco, with insight into the world of opera, and an enthusiastic exploration of the never before or since epic that is Wagner’s The Ring. This is a mystery with Easter eggs for music lovers, humor, and a bravura performance from author Erica Miner.” 

~ Gabriel Valjan, author of the Shane Cleary Mysteries

“Divas and deadly secrets share center stage in Erica Miner’s Overture to Murder, a classic mystery tale set at the San Francisco Opera House. Underpinning the plot of this delightfully twisty novel is a full-scale Wagnerian opera production that provides an apt metaphor for the action and a chilling backdrop for murder. The stakes could not be higher for violinist Julia Kogan, whose pursuit of a killer is rendered with all the immediacy of a live performance. Precise details, inside information about the glamorous world of classical music, and a cast of finely drawn characters propel the action from the opening curtain to the final bows. The suspenseful and surprising finish to this tale of mystery, music, and mayhem is a page-turner. Highly recommend.” 

~ Lori Robbins, author of the Master Class

and On Pointe Mysteries

“Erica Miner brings to her writing vast experience as a violinist, including  twenty-one years with New York's Metropolitan Opera Company. Miner's Julia Kogan mystery series is superb and a treat to read. Overture to Murder, third book in the series, takes the reader into the behind-the-scenes world of San Francisco opera. If you're looking for intelligent, suspenseful and well-written mysteries, this series is for you.” 

~ Harriette Sackler, Agatha Award-nominated short story writer

“Set against the elegant backdrop of the San Francisco Opera, this smart, suspenseful mystery weaves a tale as intricate and compelling as Wagner's Ring. Author Erica Miner’s decades as a violinist for the Metropolitan Opera lend authenticity to every page, immersing readers in the vibrant, pressure-filled musical world she's inhabited. Just as important, Miner's brought back amateur sleuth Julia Kogan, a young violinist who finds herself investigating the most murderous opera in San Francisco history. With its masterful blend of suspense, music, and drama, OVERTURE TO MURDER is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts and opera lovers alike. I especially loved the opera details she includes.” 

~ Mally Becker, twice Agatha Award-nominated author

of The Revolutionary War mysteries.