Anyone who was intrigued by Mozart’s life, personal and professional, and his professional rivalries and jealousies (Salieri, anyone?) will enjoy this latest novel by award-winning crime writer Matt Rees. December, 1791, Nannerl, or more formally, Madame Maria Anna Berchtold von Sonnenburg, Mozart’s sister, learns her brother is dead and that he confided to his wife Constanze just months before, that he felt his life was in danger. Upon his deathbed, Constanze claims Mozart told her he had been poisoned, but died before he was unable to reveal his poisoner. Nannerl travels to Vienna to pay her final respects to her estranged brother, not realizing these respects will include finding her brother’s murderer as she becomes caught up not only in Vienna’s high society, but in the jealous world of composers and lovers that her brother was a part of. An accomplished musician in her own right, Nannerl is able to insinuate herself into many situations easily, even posing as her brother, not realizing she is putting herself in as grave danger as her brother was in before his death.
Richly imagined, Mozart’s Last Aria will appeal to fans of mysteries as well as those who enjoy well-researched historical novels whose main characters once lived and who have sparked imaginations over the years. Lacking is Nannerl’s motive for looking into her estranged brother’s death and other details, present in the setting of the story, that would make her a more rounded, well-imagined, even likable, character. The rich culture of Viennese society is made more elegant by the inclusion of details of the musicians and their works during this prolific time.
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