I don't read a lot of murder mysteries, but the thought of a murder mystery set in an ancient manor house turned into a folk music retreat centre endeared itself to me. Not that I want murder to descend on Halsway! It was well populated with an interesting mix of characters, although my terribly modern perspective just finds all the secrets and jealousy and long term repercussions of children born out of wedlock just sad. Like, if only they had all been kind to each other and honest to each other. ( )

A murder at a weekend folk music course in a classic English country house style of mystery. ( )

I always enjoy Ellis Peters and this one is typical of the genre--an old fashioned whodunit. ( )

Being s folk music fan, I love the setting of this one, which is a folk music festival involving an encounter between a beautiful young women singer and an equally glamorous young male singer who engage in a kind of public musical lover's quarrel (in which she sings the song that gives its title to the story, wickedly clever filk) later there is a murder and Felse is involved. The lover's quarrel has a ner solution (which I recently realized echoes that of Iolanthe) but the solution to the mystery is much grimmer and the one aspect of the story I dislike. Otherwise I would give this 5 stars. ( )

A good but not great offering by Peters, but definitely worth reading. Very different from Brother Cadfeal, obviously in history and scope, but still good work from this author. ( )