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“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 MysteriesThird Place Books is pleased to welcome back lecturer, writer, screenwriter, arts journalist, and former Metropolitan Opera Orchestra violinist Erica Miner to our Lake Forest Park store for the third installment in her Opera Mystery series, Overture to Murder. This event is free and open to the public.
For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!
About 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.
Praise for Overture to Murder. . .
“Anyone who loves the romance of opera and opera houses will enjoy Overture to Murder. Throughout the novel, Ms. Miner gives us a unique tour of the War Memorial Opera House, letting us in on the secrets, legends and gossip of both this venerable building and one of its most important occupants, the San Francisco Opera. She shares so many details that only a true insider can know, bringing the building to life and making it an essential character and source of enigma in this exceptionally well-crafted mystery.”
—John Boatwright, San Francisco Opera House Head
“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
“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
“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
Award-winning Seattle-based author Erica Miner believes opera theatres are the perfect places for creating fictional mischief! Drawing on her 21 years as a violinist at the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera, Erica balances her reviews and interviews of real-world musical artists with fanciful plot fabrications that reveal the dark side of the fascinating world of opera, guiding readers through a dramatized version of the opera world in her Julia Kogan Opera Mystery series. When she isn't plumbing the depths of opera houses for murderous mayhem, Erica frequently contributes reviews and interviews for the well-known arts websites www.BroadwayWorld.com, www.bachtrack.com, and www.LAOpus.com. As a music/opera lecturer, Erica has presented for numerous venues, including the Seattle Symphony; the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of California and the University of Washington; Edmonds College in the Seattle area; and Wagner Societies in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, North Carolina, and Sydney, Australia. Aside from writing and lecturing, Erica spends time admiring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with her French husband, her daughter, her grandkids, and their respective pooches.
Want a signed edition of the featured book, but can't make it to the event? Order through our website or over the phone, and write your request for a signature or personalization in the comments field at checkout. Please call the hosting store if you're placing your order within 24 hours of the event.
Third Place Books Events Code of Conduct: Third Place Books is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of event attendees and guest authors, during both online and in-store events. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to refrain from engaging in inappropriate behavior and harassment of any kind throughout the course of this event (i.e. racial slurs, profanity, hate speech, spam comments, etc.). Please note that any participants who engage in inappropriate behavior or harassment of any kind will be immediately ejected from the event.
For media or access inquiries, please email [email protected] or call our Lake Forest Park store at (206) 366-3311.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA, United States, Washington 98155
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