When Nannerl Berchtold receives a letter from her sister-in-
law telling her that her famous brother, Mozart, has been
murdered, Nannerl unsettles her already unstable marriage
and embarks on a journey to Vienna. Although his passing is
recent, it is thought Mozart's haunting melodies have made
him immortal. But Nannerl's visit to Vienna becomes a
dangerous game which Nannerl must play carefully if she
wishes to avoid her brother's fate.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is dead. His death has rocked the
core of Vienna's society. His passing is mourned by princes,
men of wealth, and even the Emperor of Austria. But when
Mozart's wife, Constanze, writes Nannerl a frantic letter in
which she states that Mozart believed he had been poisoned,
Nannerl is convinced that her brother did not die of natural
causes. Grieving the years she spent estranged from her
brother, Nannerl is determined to bring the murderer to
justice.
Nannerl's daring trip to Vienna is laced in secrecy, hidden
dangers, and shocking revelations. As Nannerl attempts to
put the pieces together which will lead her to the killer,
she discovers that her brother was involved in numerous
dubious actions any of which could have resulted in his
murder. Not only was Mozart rumored to have been carrying on
an affair with a married woman, but the affair resulted in
the disfigurement of the woman who was attacked by her
husband. The betrayed husband committed suicide after
mutilating his wife's face.
Nannerl is also astounded to discover that her brother was a
Freemason, an ancient and secret society shrouded in mystery
and hidden symbols. As Nannerl uncovers Mozart's allegiance
to the Freemasons, she discovers that the ancient society
were considered a threat to the Austrian empire. But
Mozart's supposed infidelity and rumored radical ideas about
government only touch the surface of the dangerous
conspiracy which may have lead to the murder of the world's
most talented and revered composer.
The Baroque world of Mozart's time is beautifully
resurrected through the exquisitely detailed writing of Matt
Rees. MOZART'S LAST ARIA not only brings the bustling life
of eighteenth-century Vienna to life, but Rees created an
impressively complex mystery which leaves Nannerl in a state
of disturbing paranoia as each character becomes a possible
suspect. Mozart fan or not, MOZART'S LAST ARIA is a splendid
mystery which stands on its own.
The news arrives in a letter to his sister, Nannerl, in
December 1791. But the message carries more than word of
Nannerl's brother’s demise. Two months earlier, Mozart
confided to his wife that his life was rapidly drawing to a
close . . . and that he knew he had been poisoned.
In Vienna to pay her final respects, Nannerl soon finds
herself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue—as the
actions of jealous lovers, sinister creditors, rival
composers, and Mozart's Masonic brothers suggest that dark
secrets hastened the genius to his grave. As Nannerl digs
deeper into the mystery surrounding her brother's passing,
Mozart's black fate threatens to overtake her as well.
Transporting readers to the salons and concert halls of
eighteenth-century Austria, Mozart's Last Aria is a
magnificent historical mystery that pulls back the curtain
on a world of soaring music, burning passion, and powerful
secrets.