“The captivating southwestern Irish countryside adds a delightful element to this paranormal series launch . . .an appealing protagonist” (Library Journal, starred review). With few other options, African-American classical musician Gethsemane Brown accepts a less-than-ideal position turning a group of rowdy schoolboys into an award-winning orchestra. Stranded without luggage or money in the … without luggage or money in the Irish countryside, she figures any job is better than none. The perk? Housesitting a lovely cliffside cottage. The catch? The ghost of the cottage’s murdered owner haunts the place. Falsely accused of killing his wife (and himself), he begs Gethsemane to clear his name so he can rest in peace.
Gethsemane’s reluctant investigation provokes a dormant killer, and she soon finds herself in grave danger. As she races to prevent a deadly encore, will she uncover the truth or star in her own farewell performance?
This is the “charming debut” of the mystery series that also includes Death in D Minor and Killing in C Sharp (Kirkus Reviews).
“[An] enchanting spellbinder of a mystery.” –Susan M. Boyer, USA Today-bestselling author of Lowcountry Book Club
“Just when you think you’ve seen everything, here comes Gethsemane Brown, baton in one hand, bourbon in the other. Stranded in an Irish village where she knows no one (but they all know her), she’s got just six weeks to turn a rabblesome orchestra into award-winners and solve a decades-old murder to boot. And only a grumpy ghost to help her. There’s charm to spare in this highly original debut.” –Catriona McPherson, Agatha Award-winning author of The Reek of Red Herrings
“Delightful: An Irish village full of characters and secrets, whiskey and music-and a ghost! Gethsemane Brown is a fast-thinking, fast-talking dynamic sleuth (with a great wardrobe) who is more than a match for the unraveling murders and cover-ups.” –Chloe Green, author of the Dallas O’Connor Mysteries
“Recipe for a thoroughly satisfying mystery novel: 1) Take the best elements of vintage TV series such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Murder, She Wrote 2) blend with fine whiskey and classical music 3) pour into the green, green landscape of Ireland. Murder in G Major is a smooth debut from brilliant newcomer Alexia Gordon.” –Daniel J. Hale, Agatha Award-winning author
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A delightful series opener featuring Gethsemane Brown, a gifted musician from the U.S. with a PhD in music looking for a job. She finds one in a tiny village in Ireland, where she is to pull together the school orchestra to win a grand competition at the end of the year. Not only that, but when she moves into the cottage of her hero, the brilliant composer Eamon McCarthy (deceased), she finds herself haunted by his ghost. He’s innocent of the murder / suicide the world believes he was involved in 25 years ago. Gethsemane decides she needs to help clear the name of the man who inspired her to become a musician.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a Midsomer Murders feel–a beautiful Irish village steeped in scandal, past secrets, and murder. Gethsemane is a strong heroine who lets nothing daunt her, not even the task of making a bunch of reluctant teenage boys into star musicians. The village is peopled with quirky characters who all have murky pasts, which will make for interesting reading in future stories. I have already purchased Book 2.
This was so interesting about a classical musician, Gethsemane Brown going to an an Irish countryside to help schoolboys in an orchestra. I liked the addition of the ghost, his story and the story of the town. I listened to this so much during the day and look forward to the next book in the series.
This was a cozy mystery with a nifty unique take! I kept seeing the beautiful covers for this series come up as friends read it and being a music lover, knew I had to read it. Gethsemane Brown is a talented classic violinist from the US who has moved to Ireland to take a teaching job at a rural school for high school boys. Their orchestra is in sorry shape and there’s a big competition coming up.
If you’re a music nerd, you will LOVE the music references and little bits about rehearsals and competitions.
There’s also the complication that in Gethsemane’s new living quarters, there seems to be a ghost (apparently, she can see the dead!) and he wants her to track down the person who killed him and framed it as a suicide 25 years ago. So, some amateur sleuthing to do. The beginning takes a bit to gain momentum, but once things got going, I really enjoyed this. Looking forward to book two.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery which was set in Ireland. The characters were well developed and Alexia Gordon does a great job interlacing the cozy mystery elements with a paranormal twist.
I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery. Gethsemane, a musician, has found herself in Ireland needing a job. She accepts a position at a school needing someone to help win a local music contest. The job comes with a cottage once belonging to a famous musician. The cottage comes with a ghost asking her to solve the mystery of his wife and his death. I really liked the small town Irish setting and the characters. The mystery was good although I was able to figure out the who did it. I am looking for word to reading more in this series. Enjoy this entertaining cozy.
Alexia Gordon created my favorite character in Gethsemane Brown. This lady rocks! She’s a music playing tippling woman with a winning new series. Gethsemane Brown is my newest heroine. I know you’ll love her too.
Alexia Gordon created an original character in Gethsemane who even drinks a bit. A great beginning for this new writer with a series destined to be a winner. Gethsemane Brown is my newest favorite character. This new cozy series will garner many fans. Check this out; I know you’ll love it.
“Murder in G Major” earns 5+/5 Ghostly Cold Case Mysteries…Engaging Fun!
Being an ex-pat on the “Emerald Isle,” the land of leprechauns, pubs, and whiskey, seems a dream fulfilled, but Alexa Gordon’s heroine finds an empty pot o’ gold at the end of this rainbow. Gethsemane Brown, thirty-six-year-old ex-pat in Dunmullach, Ireland, a talented musician with a doctorate from Yale, has taken a position at St. Brennan’s School for Boys as a teacher of general and instrumental music and conductor of the honor’s orchestra. This wasn’t the job that she sought, but that job went to the conductor’s mistress. However, she refuses to return home in defeat; she would rather be unemployed or teaching at an out-of-the-way boys’ school, than deal with the criticism of her mother and sister. But, things go from bad to very bad when her luggage is lost and her money stolen; then very bad to worse discovering she has six-weeks to turn a mediocre boys’ orchestra into competition winners; last, worse to worst when she discovers she has an unusual roommate at the quaint Carraigefaire cottage in which she resides…the ghost of her musical idol long dead for twenty-five years in a murder/suicide. How could anyone pass up on this engaging tale!
Ghosts? Although telling people that the infamous Eamon McCarthy is “dead and well” and living in the cottage with her might garner some sympathy, she can’t risk looking the fool. However resistant to even acknowledge her non-corporeal companion, he pleads with her to help uncover the truth and hopefully allowing him the opportunity to move on. He would not have murdered his wife Orla, and suicide? Never! So, in between her music classes, efforts to turn prankster boys into an award winning orchestra, navigating small town gossip, and trying to discover what McCarthy’s nephew is up to concerning the cottage, she investigates incompetence in the Gardaí (Irish police), missing evidence, another cold case link, and a few more curious deaths.
Wow! Totally entertaining! So much to engage the reader beyond the cold case of a murder/suicide. Alexa Gordon has provided a clever twist with the ghost of Gethsemane’s musical idol asking for her help, but it isn’t juvenile hocus-pocus…it works! It works as an endearing friendship and love of music and…whiskey. A very engaging mystery reminiscent of any Agatha Christie tale, clever twists and turns adding possible suspects and motives, excellent descriptions and dialogue including several intriguing musical references, entertaining characters with some really, really quirky figures, and plenty of gossip, pranks, and banter to bring about a smile.
I chose to listen to the audio version of this story enriched by the voice artistry of Jessica Carroll. She goes well beyond the traditional reading out loud to include a British accent for the third-person narrative, an excellent American accent for Gethsemane, and a plethora of entertaining Irish brogues. Her talent gave voice to the emotions, personalities, young, old, female, but the male voices were lacking a bit…just a bit. No matter what version you choose, Alexa Gordon’s already engaging story is 5-star entertainment, and the audio version I’d give a big thumbs up! But don’t stop here, there are two more books!
This book was a good solid read. I’d totally try another future book by this author!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/V9X2DfpvDaI
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-murder-in-g-major-by-alexia-gordon-a-gethsemane-brown-mystery-book-1/
I liked the setting and the story gripped my imagination.
Love this series!
This debut mystery, set in Ireland, has music, heart, lots of laughs and an outstanding protagonist in Dr. Gethsemane Brown. A simply super book.
As a former orchestra mom, this book had immediate appeal for me. Add in a perfectly charming ghost, a quirky village in a rural Irish setting, a sassy sleuth who wields sarcasm like a weapon, and colorful secondary characters, and you’ve got a fun, engaging cozy mystery I didn’t want to put down! Perfect read for a rainy afternoon!