Cremona Mysteries Book 1

The Rainaldi Quartet

Original UK title: Sleeper

A murder-mystery about the search for a long-lost, priceless violin, The Rainaldi Quartet strikes a highly original chord in the canon of thrillers. Accompanied by two centuries of myth, music and mystery, it provides a fascinating glimpse into a closed world – played at a rhythm that is fast-paced, furious and unforgettable.

Tomaso Rainaldi, an elderly, unassuming violin maker in the quiet Italian city of Cremona is brutally murdered. His friend and fellow-violin maker, Gianni Castiglione, begins to investigate the death, discovering a link to the fabled Messiah violin, Stradivari’s most sublime creation, the Mona Lisa of the music world.

As Gianni probes deeper, he finds himself involved in a sequence of startling events that leads to another murder, a mysterious Englishman and an unscrupulous violin dealer. A train of events that careers across Italy and England as Gianni becomes a player in a game where musical instruments change hands for millions, where forgery is an art form and the preferred method of negotiation is murder…

Series: Cremona Mysteries

Formats available: Hardback, Paperback, Ebook

First published: 21/02/06

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Amazon.co.uk

Series: Cremona Mysteries

Formats available: Hardback, Paperback, Ebook

First published: February 21, 2006

Reviews for The Rainaldi Quartet

Elegant mystery…as haunting and beautiful as any classically composed requiem.

Entertainment Weekly

Though the whodunit is terrific it plays base to the rich textured musical perspective. The storyline harmoniously blends the music with the murder mayhem without slowing down or neglecting either. Paul Adam provides a virtuoso performance.

MBR Bookwatch

Sleeper has all the tension and flawless research of Adam’s Unholy Trinity combined with the breathless tension of his more recent Flash Point. Bravo! Can’t wait for more…

Amazon Customer Review

“An intelligent, civilised mystery… beautifully written, a real pleasure to read”

Sunday Telegraph, London

Tension that resonates like flawlessly tuned strings. The harmonics of the plot remain complex and sumptuously pleasing. The violin lore is not merely fascinating but educational as well; Adam’s research is impeccable. The cadenza and finale are, of course, splendid.

The Guardian, London

Riveting stuff that goes to the heart of the matter, explaining a passion which can consume as well as sustain. Proof that versatility such as his entails no thinning of quality. Adam writes elegant, richly informed and solidly plotted novels in which the excitement has been stropped on a block of know-how, giving a unique edge to the action. Sleeper is a deeply satisfying book which even finds room for an episode of grown-up romance. Adam handles that tender episode with all the care you’d expect. I think it’s called true feeling.

Literary Review

A distinctly atmospheric thriller.

Mail on Sunday

Beguiling mystery.

New York Times

A fascinating narrative that develops and swells like a beautifully constructed piece of music.

Chicago Tribune

Rich in detail about the history of violin making and music and the chicanery and fraud that often accompany them, the story is told with uncommon grace, clarity and wit.

Denver Post

Mystery fans and music lovers alike will be captivated by British author Adam’s excellent contemporary thriller. Adam has constructed this tale with all the care and craftsmanship that Stradivari put into his instruments, filling it to the brim with deliciously caustic commentary on Italian city life and fascinating historical and musical detail.

Publishers Weekly