Reviews

Rhapsody in Black: An Elena del Carral Mystery by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra

littlemissmaudlin's review

4.0

This is the first book in the Elena del Carral Mystery series. As soon as I read the blurb, I was intrigued, since I love ballet. I enjoyed this mystery novel, which reminded me of the movie Black Swan, with its suspense, drama, sabotage, secret romance, and of course the highly competitive world of ballet and dance. This is not a cosy mystery but I really enjoyed the way the characters were written and the way the plot unfolded. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

roxsannel's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Elena del Carral is a prima ballerina and an up-and-coming choreographer who is based in Monaco with the company Ballet Études, however, she has been invited to dance in a Gala Performance by the one and only Derek Micheals, the renowned owner of Terpsichore Ballet in New York City.

It is a great opportunity for Elena and so she jumps at the chance to perform, especially when it includes an audition for Black Rhapsody at the same time, it is a piece which was choreographed by René Fauchier, an outstanding choreographer who is known worldwide for his complex, yet beautiful creations.

The only problem is that Elena holds a secret close to her chest which involves the elusive and unfinished Black Rhapsody, so when she arrives, it is in the midst of a bit of trouble. When Elena drops her bombshell of a revelation however, things take a turn towards violence, and Elena has a mystery on her hands, but nobody can believe that she is not involved when one of their own is viciously attacked and Elena just happens to be the one to find them.

 Will Elena be believed as she proclaims her innocence in the heinous act, or will the escalations continue and put more than just reputations on the line? This is a wonderfully choreographed mystery where secrets, lies, revelations and dance combine to create a story well worth reading. 

shannlynn's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

I am blown away with this amazing book! It is filled to the brim with suspense and mystery. I love ballet so seeing it woven into this incredibly book was wonderful. Our main character, Elena, is in for some very interesting secrets as she accepts the invitation of a lifetime. I thoroughly enjoy thrillers that are heavy with suspense, and this author knocked it out of the park. It was like a rollercoaster of twists and turns that I never saw coming! You’ll have to read to see for yourself what surprises are in store for Elena. If you enjoy mysteries that keep you guessing, this one is your next read! 

tarajohnson's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

Rhapsody in Black is an Elena del Carral Mystery full of mystery, suspense, action, danger, intrigue, tension, and secrets. It is set against the backdrop of the ballet world where the reader is quickly immersed in the cutthroat world of ballet dancing complete with accidents, threats, sabotage, and hidden agendas. The story centers around Elena, who is a ballerina and choreographer as she is invited to perform for Black Rhapsody, which will enhance her career. Elena quickly realizes why she left the ballet world behind because nothing seems to have changed and it has only become more sinister and deadly. The story is full of twists and turns, interesting characters, and a unique storyline that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the final scene. 

emilyhei's review

4.0

Elena del Carral has been invited audition for Black Rhapsody, initially she is thrilled with the opportunity until she realizes that something is amiss.  Once Elena drops a carefully hidden truth, she finds herself immersed in mystery that puts another in danger as well as herself.

Entertaining mystery.   I liked Elena, she is not a real warm fuzzy character, but I liked that. She is a woman who takes no nonsense and I really enjoyed her direct way of talking.  I really enjoyed the ballet aspect of the story it kept me captivated.  Great read.

fosully's review

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

 

Rhapsody in Black is an intriguing ballet-themed mystery. Elena del Carral has returned to the ballet company she grew up with to participate in a Gala Performance. She reflects on the reasons she left the ballet company (and the country!) in the first place. Her return is complicated by the secrets she holds, and the array of secrets the other dancers are keeping.

I found this story immersive. The descriptions of dances might paint a clearer picture for those familiar with ballet terminology but I still enjoyed imagining the costumes and dances. Then there is all of the behind-the-scenes details, from rehearsals and preparations for performances to the administrative side of the ballet.

The characters are also great! Elena has a good group of friends who are happy to be reunited with her, and there are some interesting rivalries and personality clashes between the dancers. I’m interested in Elena’s brother, the film composer. I hope he gets to make an appearance in another book!

This book gets five stars from me! I’d recommend it to ballet lovers who are mystery fans, and mystery readers who are interested in learning more about ballet.

tytanmom23's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Rhapsody in Black: An Elena del Carral Mystery (Rhapsody In… Series, Book 1) by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra. I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one. Its full of mystery, intrigue, murder and suspense. Its the story of Elena who has been asked by Derek Michaels to dance at a Gala event at the Terpsichore Ballet in New York City. She has also been invited to try out for the Black Rhapsody ballet that is by the famous Rene Fauchier and its such an honor. Elena accepts the invitation knowing that it will only increase her success as a dancer and her dream of being a choreographer. Elena does have a secret that is linked to the Black Rhapsody and it could come back and ruin everything. This book reminds us that Ballet is not only beautiful but it has a dangerous side and when Elena's secret comes back to haunt her their could be murder, deceit and danger. Such a fun suspenseful mystery set in the gorgeous world of ballet. 

bilberrysweet's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The reader is swept into the world of ballet through the eyes of the main character, Elena. I'm not familiar with ballet, and this  this was an interesting story. This cozy mystery is filled with drama, scheming, sabotage, secrets, and a little bit of romance. 

faithfulgirl4's review

mysterious fast-paced

4.0

 The reader is introduced to the world of ballet through the eyes of Elena. For someone who is not familiar with ballet, or any dance forms really, this was pretty interesting. This story is filled with secrets, twists, turns, a little bit of levity, and lots of intrigue. It was hard to put this one down and I look forward to future books in this series! 

arthistorygirl's review

5.0

Rhapsody in Black: An Elena del Carral Mystery is the first in a new series. The author uses her mother as inspiration for the main character, Elena, a world class ballerina and choreographer. Elena is invited to participate in a Gala performance by the founder of the Terpsichore Ballet, but also invited to audition in the unfinished ballet Black Rhapsody. What might sound like an exciting opportunity quickly reminds Elena of why she left the ballet world. 
The story is filled with the wonder of the performing arts, intrigue, murder, obsession, and more. I always enjoy books diving into the dark side of ballet and this did not disappoint. Though many view this as a beautiful artform the story gets into the dark side of what could happen behind the curtain. I enjoyed the story telling and learning about Elena. It was interesting to see how everything fit together as the story progressed. The book is a fairly quick paced read and is worth the read. I look forward to the next book in the series to see where Elena takes us next time.