As Ray McMillian is preparing for the international Tchaikovsky Competition, his beloved violin goes missing. But it’s not just any violin, in fact, it’s a Stradivarius, which are the most well-known, top-of-the-line, priceless violins out there. The book is a trek for Ray, attempting to get his violin back, or paying the ransom, before the competition.
In a book infused with intrigue, mystery, and personal and societal obstacles, McMillian is an interesting, dynamic character who we get to see grow throughout the novel. This book is Ray’s journey to retrieve this irreplaceable violin that once belonged to his great-grandfather, a slave. Ray must also fight against the descendants of the man who enslaved his great-grandfather, who believe they are heir to this violin.
I found this book to be an entertaining, fun, and interesting read. This book has a large focus on racism, especially in the classical music world. Classical music is relatively obscure in the current climate of pop culture and nonstop news reels, and a book that revolved around it was fascinating. At times, I did feel confused about the timeline of events, and I did wish that some of the nuances of the plot could’ve come together sooner in the novel, but this very well could be due to my primary background in thriller novels, which typically sets the scene much earlier, if not in the prologue, of the novel.
Overall, a great novel. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for anything Brendan Slocumb writes in the future. I also found that on the author’s website, there was a music playlist which accompanied the book, and I thought this was a great touch.
Follow Stuart on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase The Violin Conspiracy
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
