Cadenza for Caruso
Worth buying if: you enjoy mysteries set in the opera world and references to Enrico Caruso recordings.
Skip it if: you want exhaustive character backstory rather than a tight, plot-driven music caper.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780312113285. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
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Summary
Barbara Paul's 1984 novella-length thriller follows a plot centered on a prized Caruso recording and the competitive, eccentric people around it, blending mystery, satire, and opera-world detail across 146 brisk pages.
Why this book now
Readers seeking witty, music-centered puzzles will enjoy this St. Martin's Press gem that foregrounds opera lore and collectible-record obsession.
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- you enjoy mysteries set in the opera world and references to Enrico Caruso recordings.
- you like Barbara Paul's crisp plotting and short, 146-page pacing.
- When you want vivid sensory scenes, the plot forces tough decisions quickly.
- you want exhaustive character backstory rather than a tight, plot-driven music caper.
- you expect contemporary settings or modern audio-tech detail instead of 1984 recording-collecting texture.
- You are specifically hunting for the newest framing rather than a backlist perspective.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780312113285
Worth buying if: you enjoy mysteries set in the opera world and references to Enrico Caruso recordings.
Skip it if: you want exhaustive character backstory rather than a tight, plot-driven music caper.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Light Short sit-downs
At 146 pages, this is a quick, single-evening read—tight plotting with limited subplots suited to readers who favor brisk mysteries over doorstoppers.
What stands out here
This St. Martin's Press 1984 edition highlights Barbara Paul's voice and the book's music-collector premise rather than bonus material or revisions.
Best way to approach it
Read attentively for verbal wit and opera references—small details about the Caruso recording and collectors' rivalries deliver key payoff.
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Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780312113285
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.