Sheet Music [Hardcover]

M.J. Rose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2003

From a seductive storyteller who dares to plumb the dark, passionate depths of the heart and soul comes an absorbing new erotic thriller that is also a gripping tale of psychological suspense.

SHEET MUSIC

Grief-stricken Justine Pagett fled to Paris after her mother’s death, but scandal forces her back to the States to redeem her tarnished reputation as a journalist. Commissioned to write a piece on the eccentric classical composer Sophie DeLyon, Justine finds herself part of a mysterious deception. At Euphonia, the exclusive institution DeLyon created to nurture America’s most gifted music prodigies, a malevolent presence is composing a deadly work. Threatening cybermessages meant to intimidate convince a determined Justine that fascinating secrets await her. But when Sophie suddenly disappears, Justine’s assignment to mine the story behind the legend becomes an even greater challenge.

The disharmonious DeLyon family seems more interested in Sophie’s estate than in her artistic legacy, and a group of devoted fans is fiercely defending the name of the enigmatic genius. Wrestling with her own demons while searching for the truth, Justine is clear about one thing: Someone is orchestrating a deadly deceit . . . from which no one will emerge unscathed.

An expertly crafted opus of obsessive passions and poisonous shame, of brilliant achievements and brutal deception, Sheet Music confirms M. J. Rose’s place at the forefront of today’s top psychological suspense writers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Justine Pagett, the heroine of this overwrought thriller by Rose (Flesh Tones), is an American journalist living in Paris, where she fled after her mother's death three years ago. When a scandal breaks over one of her exposes-the subject accuses her of seducing him to get the story-Justine hopes to revive her career by taking an assignment in her native New York. She is to write a profile of reclusive composer and conductor Sophie DeLyon. But some of Sophie's devoted students don't want her story to be packaged for mass consumption and try to sabotage Justine's project. On the eve of Justine's arrival at the DeLyon estate, Sophie disappears. While unraveling the mystery of Sophie's life and disappearance, Justine must face her father and sister, also living in New York, from whom she's been bitterly estranged since her mother's death. She also has to contend with her feelings for her ex-lover Austen Bell, a composer and cellist who is also Sophie's protege and ex-son-in-law. Austen is just the kind of man Justine wants to avoid-one that she may actually fall in love with, something she has been steadfastly avoiding since her mother died. The mystery plot is gripping, but it is often overshadowed by exploration of Justine's grief and angst. This emotional terrain is familiar, the more so because Rose tends to use obvious symbolism ("no matter what I eat, I am never full," Justine tells us). Rose's fans will be willing to unearth the suspense story buried in all this earnest soul-searching, but this lackluster effort is unlikely to win her new readers.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“M. J. Rose blends the dark eroticism of Anaïs Nin with the lusty cravings of Erica Jong.”
—KATHERINE NEVILLE
Author of The Eight

“I’ve been impressed with M. J. Rose since I read her debut novel. She not only has a good ear for dialogue, but she knows how to tell an intelligent and sexy story that keeps you turning the pages.”
—SUSIE BRIGHT
Author of How to Read/Write a Dirty Story

“ROSE AGAIN STRINGS A TAUT LINE OF SUSPENSE.”
—Kirkus Reviews




From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st edition (April 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345451066
• ISBN-13: 978-0345451064
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,563,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

M.J. Rose (www.mjrose.com) is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012.

Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.

Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com

The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.

She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheet Music, June 15, 2003

By 

Teresa Tencza (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sheet Music (Hardcover)

I love her books they keep you guessing and you keep on reading to find out what happens. The characters you read about are everyday people and you feel like you know them. I read 3 of her books and i like her writing. It is a great book and you can't put the book down. I recommed eveyone to read her books. I can't wait for her next one. Thanks

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read, May 21, 2003

By 

Laura L. Uphouse (Berkley, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sheet Music (Hardcover)

M. J. Rose keeps the reader interested to the point that they can't put the book down. Each book that she has written I find she gives each character a unique personality. You want to know what will happen in the next chapter with the character. I feel that anyone who picks up one of her books will be happy that they did.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right on the money!, September 3, 2003

By 

marcia mccullough (JOPLIN, MISSOURI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sheet Music (Hardcover)

Sheet Music brought back so many memories of my own mother, gone now for over 20 years! Rose's portrayal of the bond between mother and daughter is masterful!! I was 32 again and _was_ Justine -- smelling my mother's particular fragrances of powder and perfume, seeing her scarf of jewel tones, hearing phrases that I had pushed to the back of my mind. The recollections brought both laughter and tears.The prose is exceptional and underscored beautifully by the music that fills the book like surround sound fills a room. This combination created by the author for her Justine to finally greive and heal is insightful for the reader as well.Sheet Music is the first book I have read by M J Rose -- but it definitely will not be the last.