The Violin Conspiracy

I wish I’d read this book twenty years ago when I was still in music school. Brendan Slocumb’s debut is a fast-paced, entertaining mystery but also a gut-wrenchingly personal commentary on what it’s like to be Black in the white world of classical music. Violinist Ray is even kicked out of a paid wedding gig by the bride’s racist uncle. The painful scenes of prejudice are juxtaposed with Ray’s passion for music and determination to be better than everyone thinks he can be. It’s clear that discrimination is rampant in the classical music scene and this book could be a… show more.

The Violin Conspiracy is about a talented young violinist, determined to become a world-class professional musician—despite all the obstacles, including poverty and racism. The plot centers around a do-or-die competition that will not only prove Ray’s worth to the world, but also to himself. With its intense depiction of the cutthroat musical world and an underdog the reader will root for, along with the high-stakes drama of a priceless stolen Stradivarius, The Violin Conspiracy blends the best of multiple genres.