With characteristic cleverness and sly wit, author Lemony Snicket examines the instruments in the orchestra in an informative and investigative way. This musical murder mystery offers a symphony of satire and pitch-perfect humor. From the opening page, readers learn that the Composer is dead. “He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing.” A pen and watercolor illustration shows a fancy-dressed, white-curly wig-wearing man face-down in a stack of scores while flies buzz overhead. Wry and outrageous observations abound as a finger-pointing Inspector interrogates the instruments about the Composer’s murder. Questioning the Cellos and Basses, he surmises their anger over playing boring compositions. “ 'On the contrary,’ the Cellos and Basses said. 'We don’t feel the need to show off like certain stringed instruments we could mention.’ ” Amusing personifications provide a façade for an introductory lesson on who’s who (and whodunit) in the orchestra. An accompanying CD features Lemony Snicket narrating the tale with full musical accompaniment. (Ages 8–15)

There′s dreadful news from the symphony hall-the composer is dead!

If you have ever heard an orchestra play, then you know that musicians are most certainly guilty of something. Where exactly were the violins on the night in question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too boisterously?

In this perplexing murder mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has an alibi, and nearly everyone is a musical instrument. But the composer is still dead.

Perhaps you can solve the crime yourself. Join the Inspector as he interrogates all the unusual suspects. Then listen to the accompanying audio recording featuring Lemony Snicket and the music of Nathaniel Stookey performed by the San Francisco Symphony. Hear for yourself exactly what took place on that fateful, well-orchestrated evening.