Joan Spencer wasn't that sure if moving back to Oliver, her hometown, was the best thing to do for her and her son but as it was, she really had no other choice. Since Joan plays the viola she decides to join the orchestra. This way she can meet new people and satisfy her love for music at the same time. Unfortunately the homecoming she gets isn't ideal. During only her second practice the oboe player. George Petris, drops dead from food poisoning. No one gives the death a second thought until one of the musicians insists what has happened is murder. The police investigate this claim and come to the conclusion the man was right. George was murdered. Joan is shocked and even more shocked to learn just how many suspects there are. To call George unpopular would be putting it mildly. With the help of the homicide detective, Fred Lindquist, Joan begins the search for a cold-blooded killer.

Murder in C major started off slow but picked up momentum a third of the way into the book. While I did enjoy Joan as a character, I couldn't see any real reason for her to be involved in the investigation. The best part of the book is how Frommer handles the relationships. Joan and her son are endearing together and I can't wait to see what is going to happen between Fred and Joan. While there were a few weak points to the book, overall it is definitely worth reading.