Devil's Trill

A Daniel Jacobus Mystery, Book 1

By: Gerald Elias

Narrated by: Jim Frangione

Devil's Trill - a mystery in sonata-allegro form - is the first-ever audiobook to integrate musical passages that provide clues to solving the mysteries!

Author Gerald Elias, a renowned concert violinist himself, performs the music. Blind, sharp-tongued violinist Daniel Jacobus, living in self-imposed exile in rural New England, is drawn into mysterious crimes in New York City. A stolen Stradivarius - a strangled teacher of child prodigies - Jacobus is not only the chief investigator of these misdeeds, he's the prime suspect! A police detective hot on his tail, Jacobus roams the bucolic Berkshires, hallowed Carnegie Hall, and tradition-bound Japan, searching for answers only he can see. With alluring student Yumi and jazz-loving Nathaniel at his side, Jacobus feels his way through self-doubt and darkness.

The shadowy spheres of classical music and steamy streets of the Big Apple give noir a new meaning in the first mystery novel in the gripping Daniel Jacobus series.

©2009, 2017 Gerald Elias (P)2017 Gerald Elias

Critic reviews

"slow burn suspense...Jim Frangione embodies the grizzled music-instructor-turned-gumshoe Jacobus. Violin performances by the author sprinkled throughout provide clues. A solid mystery!” ( AudioFile)

A Wonderful Listen

Ar first I thought this book might be a bit of a slog. However, it didn't take me long to realize how wrong I was. It takes time to develop character and Gerald Elias does a fine job developing his. As the cast of characters slowly evolve, we begin to see how well drawn they are and to what interesting people we are being introduced. He does it both through dialogue and exposition and Jim Frangione, the narrator, is brilliant in carrying the day on both. He has in his repertoire the many accents and voices required and puts them to good use in The Devil's Trill.

What's more, there is much to be learned here. It is clear that the author is passionate about music and that passion permeates the book. I replayed certain sections over and over again, just because they were so pleasurable to hear. And, as I said, there is much to be learned and much I wanted to batten down in my memory. The anatomy of the violin, as rendered by our hero, Daniel Jacobus, is particularly wonderful. The book is a bit of a travelogue, as well, but I won't spoil the fun by telling you to where we are borne.

The plot has many turns and keeps one guessing, and guessing yet again. Smarter people than I, may deduce the denouement but to me it was an utter surprise.

I couldn't bear to part with it and listened to it a second time in its entirety. The repeat was even better than the first time round. Obviously, I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful, exciting new mystery!

What did you love best about Devil's Trill?

I am a huge fan of classical music and to find a mystery set in the world I love was a great delight! This is a wholly original audiobook that will appeal to lovers of taut mysteries and great audiobook narration and classical music. The plot is great, the narration, by one of my favorite's, Jim Frangione is fantastic. It's a wonderful story and it includes music played by the author! it hasn't been done before - I was thrilled to listen to an early review copy of this and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jacobus for sure. He's cantankerous, smart, blind and loathes bullshit of any kind.

What does Jim Frangione bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings it alive - but it's not just the narration that does this, the violin playing is breathtaking and adds to the story - does not detract from it at all - and comes in at just the right places.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

For fans of mystery novels, the classical music world and top quality audiobooks this one's a must listen.

LOVED this incredible Audiobook Experience!

An experience is truly the only way to describe this WONDERFUL audiobook!

I've never heard anything like it- gorgeous violin music is intertwined in this thrilling mystery novel as an essential component of the story-telling. The music informs the story and is expertly played by the talented author- Gerald Elias.

The story itself, is mesmerizing and I can't wait for the next audiobook in the series!

Jim Frangione is the cream of the crop when it comes to narrators and his voice suits the story perfectly.

This is an experience not to be missed! I've loved all of the Alison Larkin Presents classics, but this is something truly new and wonderful! More please:)

Passionate About Music

I received a free copy of this audiobook. I've listened to the entire story, and (except for a few measures at the very end) there was NO music. This was disappointing, especially since other reviewers have mentioned how much the music adds to the experience. The verbal descriptions of the difference in playing styles and tones of various instruments is downright poetic, but it really would have helped if I could have **heard** the differences. Color me disappointed.

As for the spoken content of the book, it's a dual mystery--both a stolen violin and a murder. The "investigator" is a blind teacher who has his own passionate feelings about the missing violin and its use by a committee that sponsors a contest for young violinists. He is definitely not an objective observer, and his opinions about the music business, the pressures put on young artists, and the effects of contests and criticism on the future careers of these young people colors the work.

The pace of the mystery is sometimes slow, but not unduly so. The killer was a surprise. The narrator did an excellent job.

Fascinating and Thrilling

Both the author and narrator were new to me. I loved this mystery book and found the story totally original. The premise of the book being centered around a smaller classical instrument is thought provoking. As I am maturing I find that I am gaining music appreciation of the classical music genre. I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator, and /or publisher. My only wish would have been to have more music incorporated into the audiobook. I did play the Devils Trill sonata to get vibe for the book.

Music lover mystery

This book didn't have an audio sample but the summary looked like something I would like so I took the chance. I discovered that I don't have the music background to fully appreciate this book as the summary indicates. I enjoyed this well-written mystery and history and am sure I have met personalities as captured in the story. If you have a STRONG music history, training, and theory background, I recommend the book. I am still fascinated with many of tones of the story.

My voluntary review has not been influenced by the fact that I requested, and was given, this free review copy audiobook. This is a great way to find new authors, genres, narrators, and publishers that a person may not normally entertain.

Pitch perfect!

As a lover of audiobooks and music and mysteries, I believe this production deserves a standing ovation! Beautifully read, Mr. Elias' darkly comic mystery is laced with musical authenticity as we eagerly follow our hero, the gruffly endearing Jacobus, through the underbelly of New York's elite classical music scene. A great binge-listen!

MUSIC MURDER LAUGHS

Would you consider the audio edition of Devil's Trill to be better than the print version?

Yes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jacobus because he is forthright and witty and believable.

Which scene was your favorite?

The violin shop with Jacobus, Yumie, and Goldbloom.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Jacobus's mini lesson with Cameron Vander.

Any additional comments?

As a blind, amateur violinist myself, I fully enjoyed Devil’s Trill when it was first published. I scanned it with OCR software and liked it so much that I scanned the next three books in the series and purchased the fifth one. In the audio version, violin excerpts performed expertly by the author are interspersed in relevant passages and provide an added bonus to the text.

Daniel Jacobus, protagonist, rails against corruption in the music business including youth competitions, music critics, violin dealers and more. The story has intrigue and many good laughs -- even amidst grand theft and a murder, which Jacobus must solve because he is a suspect. Elias’s dialogue is clever, especially to the transplanted New Yorker in me.

As a violin pedagogue, Jacobus has moral and musical depth. He makes sure we know the difference between musical artistry and technical dexterity. This is meaningful to me and is likely instructive to readers irrespective of their connection to classical music.

Jim Frangione’s masterful narration showcases his vocal facility. Through his many voices and dialects, he gives the characters life. He really captures Jacobus, at once sardonic and very likeable. Like the book, this production is hard to put down. I hope Audible will produce the other books in the series.

Fantastic! You just gotta!

I am far from a performing arts kind of guy. I've harbored no interest in the underpinnings of big business that makes the music world go around. I cant relate to a desire to put an intensity of emotion into the simple vibration of a string or to mortgage my house in order to posses an old well used musical instrument. Well at least I wasn't, haven't, couldn't, and wouldn't before being transported into this world by the author and given an intimate look into the lives of those who are fundamentally consumed with these things.

The mystery builds and the clues take shape. As the listener you are along for the ride in this one! This is really a fantastic story. Better than most in my opinion. I enjoyed the diversity of characters and the cultures that so evidently shaped them. The main character is raw, gruff and angry, but he still won my support and I cheered him on. The beginning of the story with it's tale of the celebrated violin and the piece of music it played was captivating and I could see the scenes vividly play out in my minds eye. I was hooked in a very good way. It was wonderful from beginning to end so far as I am concerned.

I'm still not musical, so the book didn't produce any miracles in the at regard. But, I can appreciate a whole new world that keeps the fine arts moving and making money, and I can imagine and feel the emotion and passion a great artist can pour into his masterful performance. I can even now look at some old well used musical instrument and wonder at the lives and hopes and dreams it has served in it's past.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review, and i'm glad I was. I never would have chosen to add Devil's Trill to my Audible library and would have missed out on the whole experience. I would recommend this story to anyone. If you get it and feel differently about it than I have expressed, please leave a comment below mine. I'm would be interested to hear if your experience of Devils Trill was similar to mine.

Missing Music

Any additional comments?

I'm not sure why but my version of the book doesn't have the music in it. Even the violin music that is played in the audio sample is not in my book. Which is a disappointment. This is not a book that I was drawn to immediately by the cover. The description is what caught my attention. I was intrigued to listen to a story accompanied by classical music. Even though in my audio is missing the music for some reason I still enjoyed the story.

Even without the music this was a creative, very entertaining and interesting mystery/thriller. This is not just a classical music lovers mystery. This is for anyone who likes a well told story with a great narrator. The story pulls you in from the start with a complex and twisting story-line keeps you guessing. This is not your average easy to figure out in the first few chapters mystery.

Not being a regular listener of classical music this was a new area for me. I enjoy audiobooks the most when I learn something new. Who knew the world of classical music could be so intense and competitive.

Jim Frangione did a fantastic job with the narration. Great voice. Clearly spoken with a smooth even pace. Great character voices as well as accents. His voice draws you in with a kind of hypnotic cadence. He was the perfect narrator for this story. He has always been one of my favorite narrators.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.