eBook, 368 pages
English language
Published Oct. 13, 2009 by HarperCollins.
The Ghost in the bone-white mask who haunts theAnkh-Morpork Opera House was always considered a benign presence -- some would even say lucky -- until he started killing people. The sudden rash of bizarre backstage deaths now threatens to mar the operatic debut of country girl Perdita X. (nee Agnes) Nitt, she of the ample body and ampler voice.
Perdita's expected to hide in the chorus and sing arias out loud while a more petitely presentable soprano mouths the notes. But at least it's an escape from scheming Nanny Ogg and old Granny Weatherwax back home, who want her to join their witchy ranks.
Once Granny sets her mind on something, however, it's difficult -- and often hazardous -- to dissuade her. And no opera-prowling phantom fiend is going to keep a pair of determined hags down on the farm after they've seen Ankh-Morpork.
Content warning plot/characer spoilers maybe?
I wanted to like this more than I did: witches, a Phantom-esque plotline, theater puns... but the anti-fatness really rubbed me the wrong way. I understand this is a huge factor in the motivation of Agnes/Perdita as a character. It just took the wind out of the story-sails and made the whole thing less enjoyable :(
It’s almost impossible not to spoil this one by reviewing, but I’ll say that when I was watching the Phantom of the Opera, I was hoping for non-mystical resolution.
This book is an exemplar detective story, Mrs. Plinge could have just as well be written by Dame Christie and screenplayed by Mr. Horowitz.
Maximum points for detective story and half-a-point extra for, again, keen philosophy and cinematic writing.
