This was a passable mystery. Perfect for those who have trouble reading or are learning to read as adults. I'm not a fan of short stories and find this fits with that category. That being said, the story did hold together and fits in with others in the Rapid Reads series.

Piano technician and jazz pianist Frank Ryan comes into possession of a partial manuscript of Beethoven's Tenth symphony after rescuing a deceased dog from a 9 foot Steinway at Miss Pieczynski's home. He would have preferred financial remuneration for his work. Miss P ends up dead. One of her students is one of the first to accost Frank. It seems like everyone is out to get him. It's a comedic mystery, but I found much of the humor to be a bit course. It is part of a Rapids Reads series and will probably interested the intended audience of ESL readers. This review is based on an advance reading copy loaned to me by a friend rather than one received directly from a publisher for review purposes. ( )

I really like these short mysteries published by Raven Books. I have read a number of them now and they are just the thing for light reading but with something to think about.

Frank Ryan is a piano tuner by day and a jazz musician by night living in Nanaimo, BC. He's seen all kinds of things stuffed in pianos but the dead dog in piano teacher Miss Pieczynski grand piano is one of the worst. Miss P. (as everyone calls her) seems distracted, even more so than usual. When she decides to pay him with an old piece of music Frank isn't too impressed as he would rather have money. When he gets it home and discovers that it is an original score from 1825 which appears to be handwritten by Beethoven he gets excited. Trouble is other people are looking for this piece of music. Miss P. is discovered dead in her apartment and it was not natural causes. Frank not only has to decide what to do with this rare find but also stay alive with at least two thugs after him.

Brian Harvey is a marine biologist by training but he is a great writer too if this book is anything to judge by. I loved some of his imagery. Here is how he describes playing a duet with the saxophone playing bar owner Kaz "We rode that tune like hawks on hot air, wingtip to wingtip." I hope to see more of Brian Harvey and Frank Ryan. ( )

Beethoven's Tenth is the second Rapid Reads novel I've read -- actually, I didn't realize this was one of the series until I received the book. Both the books I've read are short enough to read in one sitting, include a lot of action and dialogue, and are fun to read. I think they'd definitely hold the interest of the audience they're aimed at: ESL students, readers enrolled in literacy programs, young adults, and (as their blog says) "reluctant readers of all ages."

I mostly enjoyed this one. The narrator/protagonist was flawed but attractive and easy to empathize with. The story had just enough twists and turns to keep me turning pages, and the plot was clever but not terribly complicated. Aside from one long and rather unfortunate episode featuring a septic system caper, the book was a fast, fun read. Recommended, with reservations (yeah, that septic system yarn was a turn-off). ( )

Only when learning from an earlier reviewer that Beethoven’s Tenth, by Brian Harvey, “is part of the Rapid Reads line of books aimed at adult ESL readers and adult readers with lower levels of literacy," did this reviewer feel far more positively about the author's writing. As a consumer of more complex mysteries, such as the writings of Jo Nesbo, the plot was of minimal interest but one which would probably hold much appeal, particularly for young adults and ESL readers. ( )