A whodunit isn’t just an effective way to engage readers in a mystery, as Amy Poeppel shows in her entirely charming new novel, Musical Chairs. It’s also a great way to open a rom-com ... Poeppel brings love and humor to her characters’ relationships, as well as betrayal and lies and so many disappointments, professional and personal. And secrets, many of them having been kept for years ... The visuals of Bridget’s house and Edward’s castle are vividly rendered. If readers find themselves feeling the heat and humidity of a sweltering East Coast July, this is no accident. The list of characters is long and defies full summary ... The mysteries unfold over the course of the novel and at a pace that works for all the plot revelations. Poeppel is equally adept at posing and paying off these 'will its' as she is at sustaining the whodunit throughout her delightful novel.
... this charming story begins like a lovely overture, an introduction that gets you used to the rhythm and feeling of the piece. Slowly you become entranced and rapt in the characters and plot of this beautifully composed novel ... Poeppel does a lovely job narrating the story through the third person points of view of not just Bridget and Will, but also their children and many other fascinating characters ... a lovely look into the world of classical music. There is romance, intrigue, secrets that need to be aired, and an ending that isn’t a surprise at all, but rather is a lovely finale to a beautifully played concert.
Reading Amy Poeppel’s Musical Chairs is as fun as watching a Marx Brothers comedy, especially that scene in A Night at the Opera when everyone is squashed into the stateroom ... Poeppel’s people are a mess, but her writing is crisp and breezy. Where does everyone end up when the music stops? Read and find out.
... a charming comedy of errors full of unexpected revelations and unusual events. Poeppel’s...lighthearted family story casts a thoughtful eye on the intricacies of relationships while exploring the intersection of art and life. Readers of upmarket ensemble fiction with a dash of humor, à la Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney or Emma Straub, will enjoy Poeppel’s latest.
There is a large cast of characters, but they are all distinct individuals with their own personalities and voices who work together seamlessly in the novel as both soloists and supporting characters. Author Poeppel has created a story that is well thought out, well plotted, well written, and fully developed. A delightful novel that celebrates the messiness and joy to be found in real life.
Poeppel...charms with this witty small-town story ... Poeppel’s characters leap off the page, and as the plot bubbles along, the lingering question of the twins’ parentage is answered, and a rather unexpected solution is found for the Trio’s problems. Comedic relief is provided by an errant herd of sheep, a feisty parrot named Ronaldo, and the epically awful wedding-wear presented to Bridget for her father’s wedding. Poeppel’s whimsical tale offers plenty of surprises.
