Customer Reviews

Murder in the Pit

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I was immediately pulled in to the glamorous world of the Metropolitan Opera House. From the glitterati - the well-dressed patrons exchanging diamond-covered handshakes - to the large glass windows framing the picturesque fountain in Lincoln Plaza; to the Chagall murals decorating the lobby, everything about this world was wonderfully written by a true "insider."

We begin with Julia Kogan, a very talented violinist who has worked her fingers to the bone to become the youngest member, at twenty-two, of the famous orchestra. Julia lost her father when she was quite young, and was literally taken under the wing of Abel Trudeau - the brilliant and famous conductor who took Julia's insatiable appetite for music and became the ultimate mentor - guiding her to the "top" of their world. Beside her in the pit, sits Sidney Richter - an older member of the orchestra who is her absolute best friend. A man who, like Abel, has supported her and helped her to attain her goals.

When Julia walks through the revolving glass doors off Broadway and into the Opera House for her very first opening night, she meets up with all the wonderful characters that make up this cozy mystery. Before the show can commence, Abel gives to her a beautiful pin and oddly written sheet music that he wrote himself to commemorate this once in a lifetime event in Julia's life. As the lights dim and the chandeliers ascend into the ceiling, the orchestra begins, and Abel offers his favorite student a wink and a smile.

As a gunshot suddenly rings out, the fabulously wealthy audience members cringe in their seats. And a confused Julia finds herself staring up at the man who'd raised her, watching him fall over...covered in blood. Soon everything that was completely sane and sensible becomes a labyrinth of lies and secrets. Sidney is hauled away by the police for a frame-up of monumental proportions. As his life hangs in the balance - accused of a crime he didn't commit - Julia teams up with an investigator whose love of the operatic world equals her own.

Together they sift through the suspects that include a general manager who likes to ingest chemicals in order to keep her going; a cute stagehand who draws little hearts beside Julia's name on the musicians' sign-in sheet; a personnel manager who waves his baton in the air, wishing with his heart he could be a conductor; an understudy who's not only gorgeous but extremely talented, and wants nothing more than to vault himself into super stardom; and, literally, a cavalcade of diva's, managers, performers, musicians, and stagehands. Each rung of the societal ladder is discussed, as the author deftly sets up and delivers the inside world of colorful characters that make up the illustrious Met.

As a lover of classical music and a patron of Tanglewood when I was younger, I was extremely happy with all the in-depth knowledge that Ms. Miner has delivered. She was actually a violinist at the Met, so she certainly knows the world of which she speaks. Because of this background, as well as quick-witted writing, Ms. Miner has put together a very solid mystery with a cast of characters who were an absolute joy to read.

Until Next Time,
[...] Reviewer, Amy Lignor

Murder in the Pit is a tight mystery that kept me guessing, but it's the cast of characters and the behind-the-scenes look at opera that makes this book stand out. From earnest, hard-working protagonist (Julia) to the snide divas (several, including the hilariously bitchy office manager, Patricia) to the policeman with a penchant for opera (Larry), the characters bring this ferociously competitive world into focus.

If you like a good mystery, this book is for you. If you like opera, this book is for you. If you like both, it's a winner.

But even if you don't like mysteries, this book is a great place to start. I found the action compelling enough to keep me guessing, and I never once felt like the author was toying with me, which is a problem I have with many mystery writers. Perhaps it's because Miner reveals so much about opera that I don't feel as if she's keeping information from me. How she managed to do that...is a mystery.

Mystery lovers, music aficionados rejoice. Here is a new potent thriller for you, set in the world famous musical atmosphere of New York City. I just finished reading this latest exciting novel by Erica Miner and thought the insight look into this part of NY was eye opening and the plot was developing at a fast pace. I could not put this book down until I turned the last page. Very entertaining, spellbound and enjoyable.

"Murder in the Pit," the latest fascinating novel written by the multi-talented and award-winning Erica Miner, is a compelling murder mystery set in the luxurious Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. With its complex and intriguing plot, the novel is filled with cinematic details surrounding a cast of wonderfully distinctive characters, including musicians, conductors, singers, managers, stagehands and even an opera-loving police detective. Having performed for many years as a first-violinist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra herself, Erica brings her own musical experiences and writer's skills to create a novel that will be loved not only by all ardent opera fans and mystery story aficionados, but by anyone who enjoys excellent writing, great characters, witty dialogue, realistic details and a plot that keeps you on edge from beginning to end.

Erica's novel also brilliantly captures the parallel social worlds that co-exist and intersect in New York: from the illustrious and charismatic older conductor to the virtuosic and beautiful violinist ingenue; from glitzy fox-stole-and-diamond-wearing wealthy opera goers to gritty but talented street musicians; and from the highly emotional fantasy world of opera to the real-life crime of murder.

Through her unique writing style that blends words and music, Erica establishes and changes the mood and tempo of her novel through both musical and textual techniques, just as an opera composer uses the lyricism of music and the power of words to create the fantasy and emotional expressiveness of opera on stage.

In this her first foray--and we hope not her last--into the world of the murder mystery, Erica showcases how the fantasy of opera can mirror the reality of murder. May we all be lucky enough to read continuing sequels of the exploits of the young violin virtuoso Julia Kogan, who makes her novelistic debut in this book, which could definitely be a big hit on the big screen. In fact, "Murder in the Pit" has all of the film potential of bringing together the visceral excitement and timing of Hitchcock with the musical beauty and power of "Amadeaus." Now that's a movie!

If you are a mystery fan you will enjoy this entertaining read. If you are a music lover as well, rejoice! This book is a gift for those who know and love classical music, particularly opera. Erica Miner takes the reader into the pit and behind the scenes at the Metropolitan Opera and no detail is spared as she does so. Her years as a violinist at the Metropolitan Opera inject a reality into the story, the characters and the plot that would not be attainable by any other author. If you are an Met insider you will recognize the accuracy in the novel - if not, you will soon find yourself enveloped within the fascinating and little known backstage life of the most acclaimed opera company in the world.

"Murder in the Pit" gripped me instantly and I could not stop reading it. Since it is a pretty quick read it doesn't take long to reach the satisfying conclusion (the explanation of which I did not see coming.)

This book would make a great gift for lovers of mystery and/or lovers of music - I bought it for my dad and borrowed it as soon as he was finished. Encore, encore!

I recommend Murder In The Pit highly. The story is told from the point of view of a young, evidently quite attractive, woman who plays violin in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where the author perfomed for many years. What happens--the killing of a famous conductor in the pit--while slightly fanciful, is told with well written phrases and great attention to detail, something especially enjoyable to opera lovers and Met habitues. Many fun opera parallels abound to enhance the drama. I especially enjoy the author's writing style, and the quickness of character development. Read it on a plane ride, en route to see a Met perfomance perhaps.

The more sophisticated the entertainment, the more sophisticated its corruption. "Murder in the Pit" is a tale of murder in the opera as a violinist teams with an opera fan cop to track down those responsible for the murder of a famous conductor. What they find is that the opera isn't all about classical music and the orchestra, and much more lies beneath the surface. "Murder in the Pit" is a read that gives readers much to enjoy, a solidly recommended mystery.

Erica Miner has created a sense of place within NY's Metropolitan Opera as only an insider could. To the very personal and detailed backdrop of the Met Opera, she has added a strong plot--which keeps you guessing until the end--and a cast of well developed characters. A delight to read!

I loved the way you took passages from the various operas to use as essentially mood setters and titles for each chapter. Further, you have a great way of changing scenes - your scripting talent really comes through here. As for intrigue and tempo - this was superb - a great blend of music and words. You made a mystery into a concerto.

An insider's look at the magical and glamorous world of Opera, where murder, lust, jealousy, intrigue, drama play out not only on stage but also after the final curtain call. Erica Miner, a classically trained violinist who has performed with the New York Metropolitan Opera, writes a true page turner of a thriller with such flair and passion that each page builds up like a sheet of music filled with a diversity of perfectly tuned notes in a wonderful symphony played out by the most exhilarating conductor. Hopefully, Hollywood will notice Erica's unique story telling skills and turn this charming book into a major motion picture worthy of the classic Hitchcock era.