This week, Susie Black’s Saturday Author Spotlight shines on cozy mystery author Kathleen Marple Kalb.
About the author: Kathleen Marple Kalb grew up in front of a microphone and a keyboard. She’s currently a weekend morning anchor at 1010 WINS New York, capping a career she began as a teenage DJ in Brookville, Pennsylvania. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat. She’s currently working on the next Ella Shane historical mystery.
A Fatal Finale, the debut title in her popular Ella Shane Mystery Series, is a period piece gem. Here is a blurb to whet your appetite:
When it comes to show business, Gilded Age opera singer Ella Shane wears the pants. The unconventional diva breaks the mold by assuming “trouser roles”—male characters played by women—and captivating audiences far and wide with her travelling theatre company. But Ella’s flair for the dramatic takes a terrifying turn when an overacting Juliet to her Romeo drinks real poison during the final act of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Weeks after the woman’s death is ruled a tragic accident, a mysterious English duke arrives in Greenwich Village on a mission. He’s certain someone is getting away with murder, and the refined aristocrat won’t travel back across the Atlantic until Ella helps him expose the truth. As Ella finds herself caught between her craft and a growing infatuation with her dashing new acquaintance, she’s determined to decode the dark secrets surrounding her co-star’s fatale finale—before the lights go dark and the culprit appears for an encore . . .
Here is what readers had to say about A Fatal Finale:
L. M. Finn: “To put it simply, I loved this story. It is well written, with heart and humor. Definitely a must-read and one I highly recommend.”
A. Abboud: “What a beautiful cozy mystery. The setting is interesting, the mystery solid, and the characters absolutely wonderful. These are people I look forward to spending more time with.
There are endearing characters who add to the coziness of the story. This romance fan is not about to leave out Ella’s possible romantic interest, the gorgeous Gilbert Saint Aubyn, Duke of Leith. Every character bursts with personality, and you cannot help but love them.
The author sumptuously presents the cultural/societal atmosphere of the time. The story has a deliciously historical flavor, but the main characters are forward-thinking. It’s the first novel I’ve read featuring an opera star, and I found that aspect to be very interesting as well. Of note, there’s a subtle, beautiful dignity and morality to the book that match the fineness of the characters.
When you can spend time with characters you love, enjoy a solid mystery, sigh over a hint of romance, learn a little something, and overall feel uplifted by a book, well, that’s saying more than a little something. Thank you for a great read, Kathleen Marple Kalb. I look forward to more Ella Shane mysteries!”
Tracy Fritts: “A Fatal Finale is a wonderful and enjoyable story. It was well written. It has a wonderful storyline. I loved reading about the characters. It’s a page turner.”
Joel Brehm: “This author knows how to set the stage and how to keep the action moving with both humor and pathos that leaves the reader ready for more at the end of each page. I was impressed by the way she maintained continuity while never neglecting a bright and cheerful detail, as observed by the first-person narrative, yet always moving forward with wit and determination. Brava, Diva, indeed!”
Arctic Poppy: “Finally, a female with wit and men who are not entirely hopeless. What more can you ask for in a period romance?”
Ethyl: “A charming and well-written mystery. The author knows a lot about opera and has created a cast of interesting characters. Look forward to more mysteries by this author.”
Digicard: “The characters are well-crafted and likable. A Fatal Finale has all of the ingredients necessary to make this a great historical cozy mystery.”
Cozy Mystery Book Reviews: “I am a fan of historical mysteries because it is interesting to read about a time before technology, DNA testing, and all that. It is fun to read about a much simpler time with no technology, where women were treated differently. And to see how a murder is solved. A Fatal Finale is a lot of fun to read. Readers will instantly get lost in the story and will enjoy how things were back in New York City during the 1800s. It will be a treat for all readers escaping back in time.”
Joanne Paulson: “I slipped happily and effortlessly into the operatic world of Diva Ella Shane and did not want to re-emerge. The pleasure of reading such an elegant, gorgeous cozy mystery, set in a time and place I know little about, will not leave me soon. To be clear, this is a mystery novel, but it is far more about relationships. And they are beautifully drawn. Such a literary work. I was particularly struck by the author’s knowledge of opera, and her decision to use Xerxes, a seldom-performed work by Handel, among the operas cited in the novel. I found myself happily humming it while reading this entrancing book. This is not a high-octane thriller sort of mystery, although some of the scenes are indeed thrilling. It is a historical cozy — unique, engaging, and bursting with characters I truly enjoyed getting to know.
On to book two.”
https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Finale-Kathleen-Marple-Kalb-ebook/dp/B07TV21T7J/ref=sr