✨ AUTHOR INTERVIEW ✨
Q&A with Joe Cosentino, author of The Player
Player Piano Mysteries Book 1, published by Dreamspinner Press
now also an audiobook performed by Brian Cheney
Joe Cosentino, congratulations on the audio book release of The Player, an MM mystery/romance/paranormal novel, published by Dreamspinner Press, and performed by Brian Cheney.
You’re playing my song. (smile)
Was The Player your first book featuring a character who is a ghost?
Yes! I was a ghost virgin!
How did you create your leading character in The Player, the dazzling and captivating Freddy Birtwistle?
While walking through an antique shop upstate New York, I came across an old player piano. It was handcrafted from maple, mahogany, and spruce with an elaborate leaf pattern molding. In the center section stood the roll of pre-programmed music on perforated paper: George Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” from 1926. While listening to the song, I couldn’t help imagining who might have owned the Pianola. Since player pianos were popular with the wealthy in the Roaring Twenties, I imagined the owner, like the piano, was a player and a socialite from a family who made their fortune in the railroad industry. I named him Freddy Birtwistle and envisioned him as tall and lean with slicked-back jet-black hair, violet eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose, and rosy cheeks. True to the period, he was meticulously dressed in a pinstriped black suit and vest, white silk shirt, and gray suspenders with matching bowtie and silk pocket handkerchief. His shoes were shiny black patent leather with white spats. Even more interesting than my creation’s looks and wardrobe was his alluring and joyous bon vivant personality. I decided Freddy socialized with the rich and famous of his time, and at thirty years old, he was shot by a misinformed jealous husband. An eternal partier, poor Freddy had died having never found true love.
Is The Player told through Freddy’s perspective?
No, my central character is twenty-five-year old Andre Beaufort. He’s tall and thin with a cut body, amber eyes, dark hair, milk chocolate complexion, and a bubble butt. Andre is a grade school music teacher who finds the player piano in the basement of his apartment building. By pedaling it and playing famous songs of the Roaring Twenties, Andre brings back the ghost of Freddy, the original owner of the house before it was converted into apartments.
Do Freddy and Andre fall instantly in love?
The two get off to a rocky start, but eventually they find their way into each other’s hearts.
How do they become a ghostly Holmes and earthbound Watson?
In Part I: The City House in Hoboken, New Jersey, Andre’s neighbor, a beautiful woman of mystery, is murdered in the building. Andre must protect his aunt, his best buddy, and himself by joining with Freddy (who only Andre can see—leading to comical misunderstandings) to catch the murderer. In Part II: The Country House, Andre travels to Freddy’s old country home in Cold Spring, New York, which has become a bed and breakfast inn. Andre discovers a player piano there as well, which joyously brings Freddy to him there. When the owner of the inn is murdered, the game is afoot again, and Andre and Freddy solve their second murder mystery as they continue to fall deeper in love.
What’s special about this book?
The two stories include sexy characters, cozy settings from the Art Deco period, my unique sense of humor, surprising plot twists and turns, fun red herrings, a touch of drama, a shocking yet justifiable ending, and of course lots of sweet romance.
The Player isn’t your first mystery.
I wrote 18 Nicky and Noah mysteries and 5 Jana Lane mysteries. The Player was my first paranormal mystery.
Who are the supporting characters in The Player?
In Part I, Andre’s protective Aunt Nia manages Andre’s apartment building. His best buddy, Victor Martinez, is an actor who gets excited about a commercial audition to play a hemorrhoid. Victor enters into a love affair with cross-dressing lawyer Alexander Popov, the murder victim’s twin brother. The victim’s husband, sexy mystery author Denis Sokolov, just happens to write a novel that mirrors the murder. Hunky and sexy college film professor Leander Bryce enjoys exercising in his skivvies at the window while Andre watches. Milo Archer, a college student with a crush on Andre, wants to start a revolution. Hot personal trainer Hunter Buck and gorgeous grade school vice principal with a secret Preston Steele complete the list of suspects, all of whom share a secret past with the victim, including the police detective, Takoda Shawnee.
And in the second story?
Evangelical ex-judge Cynthia Butler Russell, the owner of the bed and breakfast originally owned by Freddy’s family when it was a mansion, is murdered in her office. The suspects include Cynthia’s straying husband Jim, her envious and comically alcoholic sister Sherry, Cynthia’s gorgeous gay son Nelson, Nelson’s muscular lover Sergio, and Sergio’s PFLAG mother Renata. While staying at the inn, Andre befriends Gabriel, an adorable sleepwalking architect. Andre also meets Zian, a cute painter who desires Gabriel, and Dustin Kelly, the tall detective hiding an interesting secret.
Many of your characters in The Player are of various ethnicities and sexual identities. Is that deliberate on your part?
Sure. We live in a diverse world. Literature should reflect that.
How did readers respond to The Player when it was published as an e-book and paperback four years ago?
I was thrilled when Dreamspinner Press wanted to publish it. I was ecstatic when the readers fell in love with Freddy and Andre, calling The Player their favorite mystery of the year! This led to a sequel double-story novel, The Player’s Encore.
And it also led to the new audio book version. Why did it take four years to release the audio book?
I was waiting for the perfect audio book performer, and I found him in Brian Cheney. Brian is that rare audio book performer with strong acting chops, perfect coming timing, and the ability to realistically create multiple character voices, all the while possessing a smooth sexy voice that suits Freddy Birtwistle to a whistle. He is also a dream to work with on these audio books.
I’m sure you’ve been told that the book would make a terrific TV pilot and first episode. How would you cast it?
Here’s my wish list to name a few: Matt Bomer as Freddy, Blake Young Fountain as Andre, Wanda Sykes as Aunt Nia, Cheyenne Jackson as Detective Takoda Shawnee, Matt Dallas as Preston Steele, Luke McFarlane as Jim Russell, Michael J. Willett as Nelson Russell, Sarah Paulson as Cynthia Butler Russell, and me (a bit of nepotism) playing the cameo role of Chester the antique store owner. Come on, TV producers, make me an offer!
How can listeners get their hands on the audio book of The Player?
The purchase links are below.
When can we expect the audio book of The Player’s Encore, The Player Piano Mysteries Book 2?
Stay tuned!
Thank you, Joe, for interviewing today.
My pleasure. In the words of Freddy Birtwistle, “You’re a blue Serge!” I hope everyone will give The Player audio book a listen. I’m sure, like Andre, you will fall in love with Freddy and have a great deal of fun trying to solve these two cozy mysteries. And I love to hear from listeners. So drop me a line via my web site!
The Player (Audiobook)
by Joe Cosentino
Player Piano Mysteries Book 1, published by Dreamspinner Press
now also available as an audio book performed by Brian Cheney
Series: Player Piano Mysteries (book 1)
Formats: E-book, Paperback, and Audiobook
ASIN: B0F3TVXGFT
Release Date: eBook & Paperback/September 15, 2020 & Audiobook/April 9, 2025
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska
Length: 288 Pages / 9 Hours 55 Minutes
Language: English
Genres/Tropes: M/M, Contemporary, Mystery, Comedy, Romance, Paranormal
🛒 Purchase Links
Listen to a sample on Amazon or Audible
As an Amazon associate, the owner of this site earns from qualifying purchases. Neither the buyer nor the seller is directly charged for this. The referral fee comes from Amazon’s deep pockets, and surely we can all get behind that!
Blurb
When young music teacher Andre Beaufort discovers an antique player piano in the basement of his apartment building, he is visited by the ghost of the original owner: a dapper and charismatic playboy from the Roaring Twenties, Freddy Birtwistle.
Andre has never seen a ghost and Freddy has never been one, so they get off to a rocky start. But when Andre finds his neighbor murdered on his doorstep, he and Freddy join forces to narrow the pool of suspects.
Soon Andre and Freddy discover that opposites attract, even if one’s alive and the other dead. Together these amateur detectives make an enticing team, and it’s a good thing too, because the first murder they solve together won’t be their last. But the real mystery isn’t just whodunit—it’s how a romance between a man and a ghost can have a happily ever after ending.
The Player contains two stand-alone cozy murder mysteries, The City House and The Country House.
Praise for The Player
“Both mysteries are equally intriguing and amusing, each with a curious, eccentric cast of characters that would make Agatha Christie proud (or Aggie, as Freddy knew her). The affectionate banter between Andre and Freddy is adorably witty, peppered with lingo from a century ago that provides laugh-out-loud moments aplenty…the author leaves us breathlessly anticipating further adventures with this truly dynamic duo.”—Edge Media Network
“I have been a fan of Cosentino’s for years, and this one is perfectly in line with everything I’ve come to know, expect and love of his writing. The wit, the humour, and the mystery were all right up my alley.“—Divine Magazine
“a sweet romance between a young man and a saucy charismatic ghost from the 1920s, as well as a couple of captivating murder mysteries to solve. I hope the author writes more in this world as I’d love to revisit these two enchanting characters.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
About the Author
Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel.
He is also the author of…
- the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, Drama Oz, Drama Prince, Drama Merry, Drama Daddy, Drama King;
- the Player Piano Mysteries (Dreamspinner Press): The Player and The Player’s Encore;
- the Jana Lane Mysteries (The Wild Rose Press): Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll;
- the Cozzi Cove series (NineStar Press): Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings;
- the In My Heart Anthology (Dreamspinner Press): An Infatuation & A Shooting Star;
- the Tales from Fairyland Anthology (Dreamspinner Press): The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland;
- the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology (Dreamspinner Press): A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel;
- and the Found At Last Anthology (Dreamspinner Press): Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando.
His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State.
Find Joe Cosentino on the Web
About the Narrator
Brian Cheney, hailed by KUSC Los Angeles as the “next great tenor”, protégé of legendary tenor Jerry Hadley, has gained international acclaim for his portrayal of characters such as Radamés in Aida, Don José in Carmen, Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La bohème, the Duke in Rigoletto, and Canio in Pagliacci.
“It is tenor Brian Cheney as the brave painter Cavaradossi who really blew me away. Cheney has that terrific tenor sound: the power, richness, and vocal color of a high baritone combined with ringing, awe-inspiring high notes” (Stage and Cinema.)
Highlights from last season include Mr. Cheney’s creation of the role of Victor Frankenstein in the world premiere performance of Gregg Kallor’s Frankenstein in New York to critical acclaim and his National Philharmonic debut as the tenor soloist in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and West Side Story.
“Cheney’s ringing tenor voice carried well in the stone catacombs, conveying the fear that the deep bass sound of the monster summoned. And as the section of the sketches went on, Cheney’s voice bloomed to match the action and threats of the creature.” (Operawire)
Recent engagements include Radamés in Aida with Virginia Opera, Antonin Scalia in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg with Toledo Opera, and Salute to Vienna performances in Miami, West Palm Beach, Nashville, and New York City (Lincoln Center).
In audio books, Mr. Cheney performed eight of Joe Cosentino’s Nicky and Noah Mystery novels, many of Joe Cosentino’s books published by Dreamspinner Press, All the King’s Men by Scott Leddy, Swarm by Guy Morris, The Last Ark by Guy Morris, and Pressure by Barry Napier.