Hello, lovely readers —

Music has always been a quiet conspirator in my storytelling. Even when a specific piece never makes it onto the page, its melody often guides my hand. Yesterday I wrapped the full, final review of The Triumvirate Murders. Last week I also caught up with my beta reader — a musician — who asked what’s woven into this book’s soundtrack (he’d spotted how much Cabaret material and many other tunes surfaces in The Birthmark Murders). His question made me realise some of you might enjoy the same peek behind the curtain.

Below is the full playlist I ‘baked into’ The Triumvirate Murders, with a line or two on why each piece mattered as I wrote. Pop on your headphones; there’s mischief afoot…

The Playlist

Johann Strauss II — An der schönen blauen Donau (Blue Danube Waltz)
A slightly tongue‑in‑cheek selection. When you read the novel, you’ll see why this elegant whirl shows up where it does. Link here to AppleMusic.

Gabriel Fauré — Élégie
I’ve always loved how its sorrow somehow lifts you. In the book it’s set against a grand, showy funeral that means very little to the people present — a poignant counterpoint. AppleMusic.

And if you’re curious, Benjamin Zander’s masterclass performance on YouTube is pure gold. See below:

Irving Berlin — White Christmas
A brittle, glittering bit of nostalgia that does some sly character work in context. AppleMusic.

Franz Schubert — String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, Death and the Maiden
A classic study in mortality — intense, human, and, yes, haunting. It shadows a key revelation. AppleMusic.

J. S. Bach — Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011: I. Prélude (Yo‑Yo Ma)
This one makes my blood run in the opposite direction — life and death in sound. It underpins an interior turning point. AppleMusic.

Franz Lehár — Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), “Lippen schweigen”
Again, a wink. Under all the reserve, Finns are romantic fools — and this is peak swoon. AppleMusic.

Frédéric Chopin — Piano Sonata No. 2 in B‑flat minor, Op. 35: III. Marche funèbre
Hauntingly beautiful; it appears for very good reason which I shan’t spoil here. AppleMusic.

Frédéric Chopin — Nocturne No. 1 in B‑flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1 (Jan Lisiecki)
Do watch this performance — tender, deep, riveting. Love, simple but never simplistic. See Jan’s masterful version below. Unfortunately you must clcik yousefl to YouTube, but it is worth of it.

Frédéric Chopin — Polonaise No. 6 in A‑flat major, Op. 53 “Héroïque”
A declaration of will; the narrative link will be obvious once you’re in the thick of it. AppleMusic.

Sergei Rachmaninoff — Prelude in C‑sharp minor, Op. 3 No. 2
Dark velvet, tolling chords — and, in the book, a bell that rings for more than one character. AppleMusic.

“Auld Lang Syne” (tenor version)
I listened to variations while writing, searching specifically for a tenor timbre. This one stuck — so beautiful.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Act II No. 15 “Final Waltz & Apotheosis”
The sugar‑plum sheen makes superb counter‑programming for horror. Something in Nutcracker always tilts sinister in my head. AppleMusic.

Jean Sibelius — Karelia Suite
No Finnish tale is complete without Sibelius. Enough said. AppleMusic.

“Unchained Melody” — Elliot James Relay (Live)
If the Chopin Nocturne is classic love, this is its popular cousin — weighty, yearning, unforgettable. I wanted that specific emotional gravity. AppleMusic.

Final notes

I was genuinely surprised by how much music had embedded itself in this story. If you fancy, listen in the order above to mirror the book’s emotional arc. And when you’ve read The Triumvirate Murders, tell me which track hit you hardest — and which recording you prefer. (If you have an alternative performance I must hear, send it my way!)

Until next time — may your week be scored in a beautiful key.

Janus Lucky
www.januslucky.com

Get The Birthmark Murders from below: