Charles Patterson, impoverished musician in 1730s Newcastle-upon-Tyne is accused of stealing a valuable book and a cherished violin. Then the apprentice he inherited from his flamboyant professional rival is found gruesomely murdered. As the death toll mounts Patterson starts to fear for his health and sanity -and it becomes clear to characters and readers alike that things are not quite as they seem. Colourful historical crime with an authentic background and unusual twist, from an expert historian/musicologist. ""An offbeat whodunit set in 18th-century Newcastle-upon-Tyne. . . Sure-handed use of period detail.""--Publishers Weekly. ""There is an element of the paranormal here that adds to the fun. Reader who like Deborah Grabien's ""Haunted Ballad"" series might like this unusual book.""--Library Journal. ""A masterpiece of period fiction that delights while it provides an intriguing puzzle that keeps the reader riveted until the end."" Early Music America