The Violin Conspiracy: A Novel

by Brendan Slocumb

Paperback, 2022

Call number

MYST SLO

Collections

Mystery, New Mystery, Just Added Books

Genres

Mystery

Publication

Vintage (2022), 368 pages

Description

"Ray McMillian loves playing the violin more than anything, and nothing will stop him from pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician. Not his mother, who thinks he should get a real job, not the fact that he can't afford a high-caliber violin, not the racism inherent in the classical music world. And when he makes the startling discovery that his great-grandfather's fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, his star begins to rise. Then with the international Tchaikovsky Competition-the Olympics of classical music-fast approaching, his prized family heirloom is stolen. Ray is determined to get it back. But now his family and the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray's great-grandfather are each claiming that the violin belongs to them. With the odds stacked against him and the pressure mounting, will Ray ever see his beloved violin again?"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member richardderus

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A riveting tale about a Black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world.

Ray McMillian loves playing the violin more than anything, and nothing will stop him from

pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician. Not his mother, who thinks he should get a real job, not the fact that he can't afford a high-caliber violin, not the racism inherent in the classical music world. And when he makes the startling discovery that his great-grandfather's fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, his star begins to rise.

Then with the International Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—fast approaching, his prized family heirloom is stolen. Ray is determined to get it back. But now his family and the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray's great-grandfather are each claiming that the violin belongs to them.

With the odds stacked against him and the pressure mounting, will Ray ever see his beloved violin again?

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Want to know what people really think of you? Stand between them and a big, fat payday. You will get your actual, genuine position in their hierarchy delivered at express speed and before the varnish could be applied, still less dried.

Rayquan (usually "Ray") McMillian learns that there's nothing in this world like the benjamins to bring stuff into focus very early: He grows up without anything extra and the minimum was as cheap as it could reasonably be (often enough cheaper). As soon as it became possible, Ray was pressured to stop wasting time with his stupid fiddling and get a shelf-stockin' job to "help the family" (aka his selfish mother). Time to make horrible noises on his fiddle was more than merely grudged, it was a source of actual anger...seen as selfish, unproductive, the action of a loser. (All those fingers pointin' back from the accusatory poking one missed her notice, it seems.)

You knew there'd be a grandmother in here, right? One who Believes in Ray? You were right, there is.

And a more wonderful soul it's hard to conjure. I was all ready to Pearl-Rule this bad boy before Grandma Nora (she whose belief in Ray makes her "talk so sweet {about him} it could give you diabetes") came on stage, I was so pissed off at the Philistines and money-grubbers Ray has to call family! What malign genetic flub gave Grandma Nora a daughter like Ray's mom?! And there's no end to the nasty, of course, since this is a thriller/mystery. But that's the tour I signed up to take, and was ready for. A bracing dose of lovingkindness later, it was all gas no brakes and that finish line won't know what hit it.

Ray, as you'll have gathered, is a fine musician and to hell with his grasping, whiny mother complaining about the "racket" his practicing makes. He perseveres, Grandma Nora's staunchness in his corner, and actually begins to climb the ladder of classical violin's performance hierarchy. What he faces along the way is no surprise to anyone reasonably sentient, as his ethnicity is used by everyone around him. Only rarely to help him, I'm sure you'll be stunned to learn. His other shining light is his teacher, his one professional mentor, Dr, Janice Stevens. She makes school a haven, a place where someone really gets him and sees the music in his being.

Ray's early training in Keep Calm and Carry On within the loving bosom of his family pays off. That ability to focus is his superpower. It leads him to the *pinnacle* of a violin soloist's ambitions: the International Tchaikovsky Competition, a quadrennial classical-music Olympics that unquestionably makes a musician's career. Even competing there is a leg up...and for a Black man raised with nothing, it is damned near unprecedented for him to be there.

That? That's enough novel for most of us. But Author Slocumb said, "...now, what happens if the Black man happens to get a Stradivarius from his grandmother...?"

What happens is betrayal, heartbreak, and the kind of publicity you damn sure can't pay for. Broken hearts mend; wounds don't fester forever; a career launched into the stratosphere by a juicy scandal leads to a lifetime of opportunities. Ones Ray's absolutely up to taking full advantage of, coming away with a silver medal in spite of the horrors around his violin's rape from him. This one unique possession, it will surprise no one to learn, opens so many doors to him. It will not surprise anyone, either, that he walks boldly up to the doors expecting them to open...and they do.

Ray's search for the thief of his prized possession, his almost desperate desire not to believe where the search leads him, and his dogged perseverance through it all speak volumes for the value of adversity surmounted in creating character. I think Author Slocumb did exactly the right thing by enabling Ray to reach back, to offer a hand of fellowship from his place of privilege.
Ray made it a point to highlight music by Black and Latinx composers. After all those years fighting and proving wrong the preconceptions that people who looked like him couldn't play the music of dead white men, he dove into the phenomenal music written by those people who did indeed look like him.
It is the thing that defines my memory of Ray McMillian, fictional character: He worked his ass off, he focused on the problem at hand, and he stomped the daylights out of the inner voices installed early that demanded he think about unimportant stuff instead of powering himself, supercharging his gifts with well-honed talents.

In the end, what matters in a life? Looking back, what difference does any of what we do make?
"Music's the gift. Caring's the gift. There are a lot of ways apart from a concert hall to make a difference in someone's life."
That's Dr. Janice Stevens, if you're wondering, having a ghostly chat with post-disaster Ray. Thanks, Janice. Whatever your name, wherever you might be...whichever one of us you reached out for, gave a hand to...Thanks to the Janices the world over who do something easy for them and priceless to the recipient.

Care.

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24 more

LibraryThing member Hccpsk

Despite some clunky writing and plot points, The Violin Conspiracy remains a compulsively readable novel with widespread appeal. It begins with a mystery — the theft of a multi-million-dollar violin — but it quickly becomes much more than that. Ray McMillian, the owner of the violin, is a Black

musician practicing for a prestigious competition when the violin is stolen. The book returns to Ray’s back story and struggles to succeed in music, as well as the story of the violin giving readers a unique combination of mystery, family history, contemporary fiction with themes of social justice, and some serious classical music. Author Brandan Slocumb may not have written a masterpiece, but he has given us an enjoyable page-turner.

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LibraryThing member sleahey

A Stradivarius worth over $10 million in the hands of a young African-American boy is as unexpected as a mystery without a murder. Ray MacMillan has overcome poverty, prejudice, lack of professional training, and an extremely contentious family life. Thanks to a devoted mentor and a supportive

girlfriend, he is ready to enter the famously challenging Tchaikovsky Competition when his beloved Stradivarius is stolen for a $5 million ransom. At risk of falling apart and losing focus for the competition, Ray finds strength to carry on and still pursue his lost violin. Having seen the author interviewed and learning that much of the racist struggles described in the novel were based on his own experiences, the story became all the more powerful to me. The behind the scenes glimpses of the world of professional classical music were fascinating. Without giving away the ending, I would nonetheless have appreciated more about Ray's reactions to the resolution.

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LibraryThing member Romonko

First of all, let me mention that this book is Brendan Slocumb's debut novel. It was hard for me to accept that it was a first novel after I started reading. The book is written so heartbreakingly moving that I couldn't believe it was a first novel until I listened to the author's notes at the end.

The book is semi-autobiographical, and some of the more disturbing incidents in the book were actually experienced by Brendan Slocumb himself. He is also a black classical violinist so he does know the world that he writes about. I should point out that I listened to the book on audiobook, and it was a wonderful way to get to know Ray's story. Not only that, but at the beginning of each section there is a small violin piece. These little musical interludes made the book a totally immersive experience. The book is narrated by Brendan himself, and also JD Jackson, and that really added to the immersive experience. The story is about young Ray McMillan. He was born and raised in rural North Carolina, and from a very young age he loved music and he loved to play the violin. His family does not understand his fascination with music and no one really appreciates his talent or his work ethic except for his grandmother Nora. Nora knows that Ray is very much like her own father who loved to play music. Her father had been born a slave who after Emancipation, moved to North Carolina with only the violin that his dying master has bequeathed to him. When Ray's grandmother gives Ray his great-grandfather's violin, the world of music opens up for him even though he has to fight all the way to work his way up. With the help of his college music teacher, Ray reaches for the stars, and he and his great-grandfather's violin climb up the classical music ladder. When Ray has his violin stolen he is heartbroken, and even though he continues to play in competitions and symphony orchestras, he never gives up looking for it. The latter part of the book is about Ray's search for his beloved violin. I absolutely loved this book and the heartfelt messages it delivers. I truly recommend that you listen to this book on audible. It's an experience that can never be forgotten.

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LibraryThing member muddyboy

If you can take a giant leap of faith - you will like this book. You have to accept that the family of an ex slave's grandfather was given a violin by his ex master for his service. It so happens that it is a Stradovarious (unknown to the ex slave's family.) Generations pass and a young man in the

family has an interest in playing the "fiddle". Grandma tells him about the family heirloom and he has a meteoric rise in classical music. But alas, the Strad is stolen and is held in ramsom. A bit to much.

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LibraryThing member mookie86

Definitely one of my favorites this year. Having a story that covers so many areas of intrigue with layers of history regarding music, family, and race relations was a pleasant surprise. This served as a great introduction to the violin or the classical music scene in general and the details given

by the author to support all facets of this story were remarkable.

5 stars overall
Characters 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Storytelling: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5
Intrigue/Interest: 5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for the ARC.

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LibraryThing member shazjhb

Lovely book. Black man who plays the violin. Some things were obvious but it was a fabulous read.

LibraryThing member khoyt

I enjoyed the "feel" of this book. I could tell the author was a talented musician because of the animated descriptions of Ray's playing. I did not know the songs he was describing but the words had me soaring in the blue skies, wading through the water, and meandering among the flowers of the

field. The expressive emotions of the character were relatable and realistic. I think we can all learn from Grandma Nora's sage advice: Work twice as hard as everyone else, stand tall, and treat others with respect.

I was not too fond of the language in the book. Many of the instances of use fit the mood and circumstances. There were also many times that the foul language was just gratuitous. Someone who plays as magnificently as Ray does would be able to find better words to express himself.

That being said, I will read Mr. Slocumb's next book. He is a good writer.

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LibraryThing member nancyadair

It was a joy to be back at Orchestra Hall to hear the Detroit Symphony this season. The concerts were fantastic, uplifting, the new conductor Jader Bignamini bringing out the best of the orchestra.

There has been an emphasis on works by underrepresented composers, especially African American and

women. Some of the selections that we had never heard of became some of the most memorable concert experiences, including Jessie Montgomery’s Banner, Jeff Scott’s Paradise Valley Serenade, William Grant Still’s Poem, and Joel Thompson’s To Awaken the Sleeper. While listening, we were too aware of how few African American musicians were on stage.

I had heard a lot of good buzz about Brendan Slocum’s debut novel The Violin Conspiracy, and although I do enjoy a good suspense/mystery, I especially was interested that the protagonist was an African American classical musician, and also because that Slocum is a violinist.

The book has a good story line, a nicely drawn mystery, and lots of insider info about the life of an aspiring classical musician of color.

Ray was a kid with a passion music, but little money for a good instrument or private teacher. A mentor appears who encourages him to pursue music. She helps him develop his skill and uses her contacts to advance his education and start his career.

Ray is told that a black man couldn’t succeed as a soloist in the world of classical music. He works twice as hard to prove himself. He learns to stand up to racism that assumes who he is. He holds onto the love and example of his grandmother while his mother and family denigrate his dreams.

The mystery revolves around an heirloom violin that his grandmother gives him, that belonged to her enslaved grandfather. The beloved violin turns out to be a 10 million dollar Stradivarius. His family believes he should sell it and split the money. The rare find brings notoriety, everyone interested in the poor boy who found the golden ticket. The violin comes to the attention of the Marks family, whose ancestor owned Ray’s ancestor. They insist the instrument belongs to them; it went ‘missing’ at the end of the Civil War. Ray needs to prove it was truly a gift to his ancestor by his natural father and master.

Ray is preparing for the Tchaikovsky Competition when the violin is stolen, a ransom note left in its place. Ray’s life becomes a balancing act, trying to find the violin and preparing for the competition without it. Luckily, his girl friend is there to support him.

It’s a great read, with a mystery and a wonderful character. I loved the insight into the world of classical music and the challenges Ray faces.

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LibraryThing member bereanna

Well worth the read. Black violin prodigy inherits his great grandfather’s fiddle. Mystery of who owns it, him alone, his family, or the slave family who owned the great grandfather. The story follows Rayquan as a senior in high school thru his adult life, describing racist encounters, family

problems, girlfriend, the stolen violin, and lawsuits. Very realistic story. Triumph over adversity story!

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LibraryThing member Gwendydd

I gave up about a quarter of the way into this book. There were a lot of things that really bugged me. For one thing, if you own a Stradivarius, you don't carry it around with you all the time. You have another instrument for daily use, and the Strad only comes out for performances. The characters

were extremely one-dimensional, especially the main character's mother, who is just an unrelentingly horrible stereotype of a poor, vain narcissist.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator really should have learned how to pronounce the names of Classical composers.

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LibraryThing member froxgirl

This is a very suspenseful mashup of a thriller and an inside glimpse into the world of classical music, through the eyes of a Black violinist/writer. We meet Ray in his adolescence, ill-treated by his family, with the exception of the dear grandma, who gives Ray an old, decrepit violin owned by

his PopPop, Leon Marks, his enslaved ancestor. With the help of Janice, a truly supportive teacher and mentor, Ray begins to climb up the ranks of professional violinists, all the while suffering from racist treatment and attitudes in his native North Carolina. He is shocked when the shabby, rosin-coated violin is revealed to be a ten million dollar Stradivarius brought from Italy by a slaveholding family and given to his PopPop by his enslaver. When the violin is stolen, Ray’s greedy relatives (his mother is an awful, appalling, cruel woman) and the relatives of the slaveholder Thomas Marks all try and claim ownership of the violin. While facing the possible loss of his precious violin, Ray is also preparing for the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition, a first for a Black American musician. The descriptions of the musical pieces and the skills and sensitivity required to reach the pinnacle make this multi-faceted first novel a joy to read.

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LibraryThing member breic

I didn't love the plot or the main character, but I appreciated the distinctive setting.

LibraryThing member novelcommentary

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. When I heard Mr. Slocumb interviewed on the NYT podcast, I was curious about this debut novel depicting a budding violin prodigy whose journey takes him to the famous Tchaikovsky Competition only to have his family inherited violin stolen and held for

ransom. So the story is part a Bildungsroman about one Ray McMillian, a black man in North Carolina, who has the passion and drive to become a great violinist, and part mystery thriller when the most likely candidates for the theft seem to be his family or the plantation owners who enslaved his great,great grandfather. So yea there's a lot going on here. I found the novel very readable and involving and especially enjoyed the descriptions of classical music pieces and how they appeared to the musician.
"The melody started slow, in the night, a plucking of strings, snowflakes falling dreamily, one flake at a time; and then a burst of cold air poured down on them, and flakes eddied, biting in the chill, the north wind coursing through the living room. Dawn came, light glistening off a frozen pond. A bird flew down, hopped on new snow, looking for seed. Bare trees reached to the sky, achingly blue in the cold. Skaters swirled on ice. Skiers coasted down long cold runs. Then back to the house, to the warmth, to chocolate thawing on the stove and mittens steaming in front of a fire."
Also interspersed in the narrative are the musician's experiences with racism and understanding of the d dictation and work effort needed to be a concert performer. These passages are taken from the author's own history. All in all I find the novel worth reading and enjoyed my time spent as the mystery unfolded.
Lines:

His body was on autopilot, and he could tell even as he played that this was vastly better than anything he’d ever performed before. The mournful opening notes gave way to sunlight on a park bench, to the glitter of water pouring endlessly from a waterfall on a very hot summer day. When the last note rang out, his listeners leapt to their feet.

Each note sprang out, the fast passages zoomed by, the violin dancing above the orchestra, them leaping to meet him as he soared on ahead, a wave pouring endlessly up a beach, the foam bubbles kicking in, the stone crabs dancing in the surf, the tide pouring out until he led it, roaring, up the beach again.

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LibraryThing member arlenadean

Title: The Violin Conspiracy
Author: Brendan Slocumb
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Violin Conspiracy" by Brendan Slocumb

My Assessment:

After all, is said and done, 'The Violin Conspiracy' was a good read. First, we find Ray

McMillian's violin had been stolen. From there, we learn of its 'disappearance, lawsuits, and even prejudice' that came with all of it, giving the reader one fascinating story. It was interesting how well this author, Brendan Slocumb put the story together as he wrote from his own experiences...seeing that he had suffered in a way that Ray suffered. Seeing how Ray had fought against racism, prejudice, frustrations, roadblocks, and even abuse from his own family, friends, and society, we are given quite a story. 'The Violin Cospiracy' was about how 'Ray's grandma had passed down the violin to Ray that her Pop Pop had carried from slavery.' Who would have thought that this violin turned out to be a Stradivarius? However, on the eve of a classical music competition in Moscow, someone has stolen the violin, and a 5 million dollar ransom is demanded its return. Again, the author did an excellent job of giving us an engaging read ...how will this end? Who can Ray trust? I enjoyed how Ray searched it down to find the untrustworthy person who had stolen his violin, and I will stop here and say you will have to pick up 'The Violin Conspiracy' to see how it will all come out for Ray by the end.

If you are looking for a good book 'about music, mystery, coming of age, and social commentary,' you have come to the right place for 'The Violin Conspiracy' will give it all to you and more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

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LibraryThing member gpangel

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocum is a 2022 Anchor Books publication.

Given a violin by his beloved grandmother, Ray McMillian, discovers the instrument is a genuine Stradivarius worth a fortune.

While he is trying to focus on his music, the discovery of the Stradivarius and its monetary

value has generated some distracting publicity.

Now, coming out of the woodwork, is a family who claims the violin belongs to them, while Ray’s own family is blind to his musical abilities, but has no problem seeing the dollar signs attached to him and that special instrument.

Right on the cusp of a very important recital, the instrument is stolen and held for ransom, leaving Ray scrambling, frantic to find the violin and prepare for a competition…

Not all mysteries involve murders. In this case, the theft of a historical violin, is at the center of this multi-layered ‘whodunit’.

As a veteran mystery reader, I did guess early-on who was behind the theft. Despite that, the particulars are well hidden, and worth sticking around for. But in my opinion, this book is far more than just a standard mystery/thriller.

It’s an eye-opening story, giving the reader a look at the classical music world, which can be an adversarial environment, especially when it comes to competitions. The story examines some ridiculous stereotypes, which caused Ray to receive some open surprise sometimes, and maybe even some skeptical dismissal by his musical peers.

The best thing about the story, though, in my opinion, was Ray characterization. I loved his dedication to his craft, his determination, and his principles.

His family is a mixed bag, but others step up on his behalf, giving him the support and encouragement, he needs. But it’s Ray’s big, honest heart, his confidence, and moral code, along with his dedication to his craft and his will to succeed that makes this an inspirational feel-good story, just as much as it is thrilling and enlightening.

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LibraryThing member Rosareads

I greatly enjoyed this book. I liked the story, I was caught up in it. But I especially enjoyed the descriptions of music, of performing the music, of playing the violin. I found that to be a treat.

LibraryThing member akblanchard

Ugh. This book.

Normally, I am a sucker for a missing stringed instrument story (such as Gone by Min Kym), but this one really stinks. The Violin Conspiracy is about a genius classical violinist who happens to be Black, and who also happens to have inherited a Stradivarius that just happens to have

been in his family since the Emancipation. Implausibly, our hero Ray brings this priceless instrument with him wherever he goes. When Ray begins to make a stir in the classical music world because of his talent, backstory, and spectacular violin, he faces pressures from parties who think they have a stronger claim to the instrument than he does. When the violin mysteriously goes missing, there are plenty of suspects.

The author’s reliance on stereotypes instead of character development is my biggest complaint against this contrived novel. With very few exceptions the White people Ray encounters both in the classical music world and outside it are cartoonish, unrepentant racists who don’t hesitate to put him down to his face in the strongest possible terms. Moreover, Ray’s insensitive, avaricious Black family members, especially his mother, are also based on stereotypes. Subtlety is not this novel’s strong suit.

On top of all that, the whodunnit aspect of the novel is easy to figure out.

Many readers, including Oprah Winfrey, have liked this book, but I found it painfully bad. Not recommended.

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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy

I read the author's notes after I finished the book and I wish I had read them first! There were parts of the book that I found a little far fetched and after reading the author's notes found that these things actually happened to the author! A very good book!

LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl

Ray is an up-and-coming violinist about to take part in the most prestigious music competition in the world, has his violin stolen. His violin is not just an expensive instrument, but a Stradivarius he inherited from his Grandmother. As the days tick by, Ray attempts to raise money for the ransom

and to keep preparing for the competition, even as he searches for his beloved instrument with the help of the FBI. There are no shortage of suspects from the family that enslaved his ancestor and who claim the violin was stolen by him in the final days of the Civil War, to his own family, who didn't care about the old fiddle until its worth was revealed.

So this is a mash-up of thriller and novel about the experience of growing up and becoming a Classical musician who is Black and the racism that comes with being part of a profession where there are very few Black people. Slocumb is himself a musician and pulled some of the events in the book directly from his own life. It's easy to read and the characterizations are very much in keeping with the thriller genre, with some characters being one dimensional. There's a lot more backstory and descriptions of Ray's development as a musician than I suspect many thriller fans would prefer, but despite not quite being one kind of thing or the other, this was a book I really enjoyed once I saw what it was doing. Slocumb's writing style is very easy to read and he knows how to balance the sections exploring Ray's past with the momentum of a mystery to be solved.

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LibraryThing member jfe16

Review of uncorrected eBook file

Ray McMillian, who knows nothing of the inherent racism in the classical music world, dreams of becoming a professional musician despite the fact that his mother thinks his music is worthless and insists that he get a real job. Playing the violin is Ray’s passion .

. . despite the fact that he cannot afford an instrument other than the sub-par school rental violin he plays.

But Ray’s grandmother enjoys his music and encourages him to continue to play, just as his grandfather played. And then, one Christmas, her gift to Ray is his grandfather’s fiddle. PopPop’s fiddle, passed down through the family for generations, had originally belonged to his great-great-grandfather. Stunned by what he considers an extravagant gift, Ray has the instrument cleaned and appraised . . . and discovers that it is actually a nearly-priceless Stradivarius violin.

Shortly after Ray decides to compete in the International Tchaikovsky Competition, his beloved violin disappears. And, adding to his despair, both members of his family and descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray’s great-grandfather all claim the violin actually belongs to them.

All Ray wants is to play the music. But will he ever put his beloved violin up to his shoulder again?

A fascinating mystery surrounds the theft of the Stradivarius [with several plot twists and a never-saw-that-coming ending that is sure to surprise readers] while the cruel and outrageous treatment Ray continually faces, even from members of his own family with their hands out for money, puts a vicious yet revealing face on the depravity that is racism.

And yet, this book isn’t truly about either of those things even though they are a large part of the fabric of the story spun out for captivated readers as a young boy grows into an upright, moral man and learns how to follow his dream in spite of the incredible odds he faces. The mystery is truly compelling; the story of Ray’s life is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. The narrative draws readers in from the outset and never lets them go. Frustration, anger, empathy, joy . . . all woven into this mesmeric tale.

However, this book is, above all else, a love letter to music.

Music literally pours from these pages . . . Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Ravel, Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Rimsky-Korsakov, Kabalevsky, Monti, Mendelssohn, de Falla, Bruch, Saint-Saëns, Still, Beethoven, Brahms, Massenet, Dvořák, Bazzini, Paganini, de Sarasate, Kreisler. “Rhosymedre,” “l’Inverno,” “Water Music Suite,” “Christmas Concerto,” “Capriccio Espagnol,” “Orpheus in the Underworld,” “Czardas,” “The Lark Ascending,” “Spanish Dance,” “Third Violin Concerto,” “Tzigane,” “Violin Concerto no. 1 in G Minor,” “Violin Concerto in E Minor,” “Concerto in A Minor,” “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso,” “Suite for Violin and Piano,” “Marche Slave,” “Thaïs,” “Romance in F Minor,” “Valse-Scherzo,” “Dance of the Goblins,” “Sérénade mélancolique,” “Violin Sonata no. 21,” “Zigeunerweisen,” “Preludium and Allegro,” “Concerto no. 5.” And so much more.

Add this book to your must-read list and be prepared to be enthralled.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor and NetGalley
#TheViolinConspiracy #NetGalley

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LibraryThing member lbswiener

The Violin Conspiracy is a mystery book. The story keeps its pace from beginning to end. It does not give up its secrets until the very end. The white reader learns about a world that is terrible for a person of color. We even learn about some horrors from the time of slavery in the United States.

Apparently, this is the author's first book. He has set a very high standard for himself and hopefully his next book will be just as good as this one. The Violin Conspiracy is a truly good story and much deserving of the five stars that it received in this review.

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LibraryThing member Castlelass

Young Rayquan (Ray) McMillan is living in rural North Carolina. At an early age, he develops a love of music and plays the violin at school. He has talent but his family cannot afford a quality instrument or lessons. His mother does not understand his love of music. His grandmother seems to be the

only one who appreciates his musical gifts. She decides to give him the “fiddle” played by his “Pop-Pop,” who was born a slave and obtained the fiddle after emancipation. It turns out to be very valuable and is eventually stolen. The plot follows the mystery of the provenance, ownership, and theft of the violin.

The strength of this novel lies in the way it realistically brings the world of classical music to life. Ray is one of the few black musicians, and he works his way through a competitive environment while also dealing with racism and feelings that he is being favored due to his minority status. With assistance from a college professor, who also serves as his mentor, he follows his dream to become a solo performer.

I found the writing uneven – some parts are a bit amateurish, while other parts are extremely refined. The musical and racial themes are much more compelling than the mystery. In the Afterword, the reader learns that the author is a professional violinist, so he knows what he is talking about – and many of the scenes described in the novel are based on his own experiences. I think this novel would make a great gift for a young person who wants to pursue a career in classical music.

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LibraryThing member kayanelson

2023 TOB—This book was just okay for me. Ray McMillan, a young black man, loves to play the violin. His mother and other members of the family, except for his grandmother and one aunt, aren’t supportive. His grandmother gives him a family violin which turns out to be a $10 million Stradivarius.

The violin gets stolen as Ray is trying to further his career. Was it his family or the Marks family who were the slave owners who originally owned the violin and Ray’s relative. The book covers race issues, the mystery of the stolen violin and music. The solving of the mystery was disappointing to me. One sentence and all of a sudden Ray figures it out.

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LibraryThing member Maydacat

Ray has not only the talent for playing classical violin, but also the drive and ambition to become a world-class professional musician. What he doesn’t have is support from his family. Though in the school orchestra, he has never had a private lesson and has to use a school violin. His mother

wants him to quit school, get his GED and earn some real money, since the money he gives from his part time jobs is not enough. Only his beloved grandmother and one aunt support his desire to be a violinist. His grandmother gives him an old violin that belonged to Pop-Pop and has been in the family for many decades. Needing repairs, the violin gets a quick fix by a not very competent technician, but then, later, by a much more astute restorer. That’s when the true nature and value of the instrument becomes apparent. This unheard-of discovery of a Stradivarius that had once belonged to a slave made headlines. And then the claims of other ownerships and lawsuits began. And then, the violin disappears. A distraught Ray tries to raise the five million dollar ransom, all the while preparing for the competition of a lifetime. This amazing story is part coming-of-age, part mystery, and part awareness of racial inequality and injustice. Yet the flow of music covers it all, smoothing out and cushioning the rough edges of life. Ray is wonderful character, as is his grandmother who never fails to give her support along with good advice. The book is very well written, flowing from chapter to the next as seamlessly as movements in a symphony. Parts are hard to read, yet others give hope for a better tomorrow. Highly recommended, especially the audio version, expertly narrated by JD Jackson and interspersed with snippets of well chosen classical music.

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