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I Didn’t Know The Killer
Death by Saxophone follows a radiology tech with a love for jazz who becomes embroiled in the unthinkable when a smooth jazz musician is found bobbing in the Verrazano Narrows. What were some sources that informed the development of this novel?
Well, I come from that area and know the vibe there, between the small restaurants and clubs with back rooms and spending time on the boardwalk and the handball courts. I grew up with all that. As far as music, I first came upon “bone records” as a thing from an article on the NPR website that I read around 2020 and I was fascinated by the whole idea. The Cold War and the fact that American music was forbidden in Russia (which was why bone records, also called “X-ray records,” were created) sparked the kernel of the idea for the book.
I enjoyed the mystery in this story. Did you plan it before writing or did it develop organically while writing?
Thank you! I planned the main arc but “organic” is a great way to describe how it unfolded. I didn’t know the killer till pretty deep into the process!
What were obstacles that you felt were important to developing Becka Rifkin’s character?
Traveling to Russia knowing it could become a real problem; political issues are brewing in 2016 that involve relations between the US and Russia, but Becka is determined to go there and see the bone records for herself. Plus, of course, her love interest. She can’t get this guy off her mind after all these years (they met when she was a teenager and he moved back home to St. Petersburg, Russia). When they reunite, she falls for him hard and becomes conflicted about going home but even more concerned about the secrets he doesn’t share. And there are plenty of those!
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on Volume 3 of my nonfiction series Tasty Jazz Jams for Our Times. It’s a book filled with interviews of contemporary jazz musicians and will be out later this year. My amazing designer created another beautiful cover, and I can’t wait to show it off!
As far as my next novel, it’s another murder mystery; a coming together of the classical music world and the jazz world after a new symphony by a famous composer is accidentally discovered, and somebody, somewhere, is more than willing to kill for it. The musical score has a hidden meaning written into it that, once revealed, puts the main character, a middle-aged cellist, in harm’s way. Like all my main characters, she’s tough, smart and believe me, flawed.
It will probably be out in 2024.
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Meanwhile, in the nearby neighborhood of Little Odessa, radiology tech Becka Rifkin is dying to reconnect with an old flame who moved back to Russia. Then he happens to mention a newly discovered bone record that just became available. Unable to turn down the chance to own this very rare collectible, Becka books her flight.
When Jerry Z is found bobbing in the Verrazano Narrows, Becka becomes embroiled in the unthinkable.
Death by Saxophone
Death by Saxophone by Debbie Burke is a story of intrigue and mystery that follows the life and death of jazz musician Jerry Zolotov. When Jerry Zolotov, more affectionately known as Jerzy, is found dead after falling off the Verrazano Bridge, everyone assumes it was suicide. But what if it wasn’t? What if Jerry wasn’t as well loved as he wanted to believe? Becka Rifkin, a jazz lover since childhood, finds out about these beautiful pieces of art known as bone records. These records, made out of x-rays in the cold war era, could be her demise. Were they the cause of Jerry’s demise as well?
The characters were complex and the author provided just the right amount of information about them. I did feel a stronger connection to Becka’s character rather then Jerry’s character, but they were both well-developed. I felt that the true star of this book was Becka Rifkin and I loved her character and her internal struggles, and I think readers will also love following her. Becka’s storyline was interesting and I developed a deep connection to her character through her love for music and the trauma she had been through. There was a complex history for every character, and it all tied together nicely.
I was shocked by the ending and the revelation of who was responsible for the crimes in this book. I was truly wowed by the mystery in Death by Saxophone. The author has obviously put much thought and detail into the storyline of her book and this helps make the book engrossing.
Death by Saxophone is a compelling noir mystery novel that fans of hard-boiled mysteries will enjoy. With a captivating main character and an engrossing mystery at its core, this is a crime novel that I heartily enjoyed reading.
Pages: 261 | ASIN: B0BMF4GBTM
LITERARY TITAN 