Chloe has a devil of a time unraveling the mysteries of Norway’s fiddle and dance traditions After her mother’s unexpected death, curator Chloe Ellefson discovers hidden antiques that hint at family secrets. Determined to find answers, Chloe accepts a consultant job in Norway, her ancestors’ homeland. She’s thrilled with the opportunity to explore Hardanger fiddle and dance traditions . . . and … . . and her own heritage.
Once their plane lands, however, Chloe and her fiancé, cop Roelke McKenna, encounter only disharmony. Chloe’s research reveals strong women and the importance of fiddle music in their lives. But folklore warns against “the devil’s instrument” and old evils may yet linger among the fjords and mountains. As Chloe fine-tunes her search for the truth, a killer’s desire to stop her builds to a deadly crescendo.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
Chloe was dealing with some information she found out about her mother when her mother unexpectedly passed away. While going through her mother’s belongings she finds some unique heirlooms hidden away. These objects raise more questions than providing answers. Her mother was getting ready to travel to Norway to study Hardanger fiddle and dance traditions. With her death, Chloe is given the opportunity to take her place and her fiancé Roelke McKenna agrees to go along.
Their trip gets off to a rocky start when someone tries to steal the backpack Chloe is carrying at the airport soon after they landed. Able to hang on to her belongs, they try to concentrate on Chloe’s research with the added opportunity to research her mother’s background. The fiddle has a rich heritage, both good and bad and Chloe is anxious to learn all she can. But when a young woman is murdered Chloe enlists Roelke police instincts to help her solve all the mysteries. When they realize Chloe is the killer’s target things get really intense.
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What I have loved about every book in this series is the way Kathleen Ernst melds her character’s lives with an extraordinary mystery while tying in a historic story too. This time she takes us to Norway to learn about immigrants that had migrated to Wisconsin in the 1920s. She takes her readers along with lead character Chloe on an adventure to learn about Norwegian history and the many facets like music and fiddling played in that history. The author’s research shines but it is all fictionalized in a way that is a pure joy to read.
Her words also permit readers to visualize clearly every place her characters travel. The outside museum, the trails, the hotel, the waterfalls, and to a spectacular place where Chloe learns so much. All the people they meet too are richly described and developed.
Chloe’s life takes place in the 1980s, no cell phones, no GPS, no Wikipedia, no internet, but she does have what I call “spidey sense”, certain places and things affect her physically. She learns much through her travels and experiences. I found myself fully immersed in this story wanting the learn right along with her. Both the present time and historic period had its own suspenseful mystery and some terrifying moments building to an unexpected ending.
Ms. Ernst is an amazing storyteller. Her imagination weaves a story filled with real history to take her readers on a delightful literary trip. The main characters are genuine, real and very engaging. It seems each book in this series becomes my new favorite because the author continues to top herself.
Fiddling with Fate takes two characters I care about on quite a journey. I loved every minute of it! Look for this book on my Best Reads List of 2019.
Each story is written to stand on its own but for maximum enjoyment, you should read them all.
After reading this, the tenth of the series, I want to take a trip to Norway. Past and present come together when Chloe and her fiance, Roelke, travel to Norway after her mother dies. Her mother was going to go to Norway to study the history of the Hardanger fiddle and to find out about her own past. Chloe takes her place and things become dangerous as soon as they arrive – somebody tries to steal her backpack. What could possibly be that important? When there are secrets, both past and present to be kept, desperation makes people do dangerous things. Dangerous enough to include murder. Dangerous for Chloe when it appears that she is the intended target of the killer.
There are so many things I enjoy about this series, beyond the characters of Chloe and her family and friends. I learn so much interesting history in each book. In this one, more than the fiddles, the time periods are the 1920’s and immigration and the 1980’s. Plus the pace is refreshing as this is pre-cell phones, internet, etc. and Chloe uses her instincts to investigate.
Fiddling with Fate is a riveting page-turner that culminates in a nail-biting ending… It’s a masterpiece.
[A] richly-detailed and multi-faceted mystery.
Norway, historical-research, suspense
Disclaimer: we geek history, live in Wisconsin, still have family in Norway, have some pieces of Hardanger and Rosemaling, and love fiddle music (think Greig).
At her mother’s funeral Chloe is given some information and resources to go back to Norway to fulfill a directive from her mother. Once in Norway Chloe and her beloved become involved in episodes of murder, attempted murder, theft, and some rather frightening psychic episodes in addition to enjoying the beautiful land of the Norse. Of course I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Midnight Ink via NetGalley. Thank you!