The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Book Review
Great book alert! 🚨
This book was not at all what I was expecting… it’s been marketed as a thriller, but it’s definitely more of a character study within the framework of a mystery.
Ray McMillion is a professional violin soloist and the proud owner of a priceless Stradivarius violin, which was gifted to him by his grandmother. The book begins with the theft of Ray’s most prized possession and a demand for ransom. What follows is a deep dive into Ray’s past - from growing up as a poor Black kid who couldn’t afford his own violin - let alone private lessons like his peers - to one of the most sought after violin soloists in the world. We see how Ray came to possess his cherished Stradivarius as well as the lawsuits and family dynamics that threatened to take it away. In the final portion of the book, we also see the investigation into his stolen violin play out.
The character development and the musical knowledge in this debut novel is truly unparalleled. The author, who himself is a Black classical violinist and music teacher, drew on many of his own experiences when writing Ray and the situations he encounters in the book. From being pulled over and thrown in jail in Baton Rouge (for absolutely no reason) to dealing with verbal assault, racial slurs and tokenism, the author paints his protagonist as a deeply talented, passionate and kindhearted musician - one who is forced to endure the vitriol of a racist society, but nevertheless persists.
I loved learning about Ray’s background and seeing how the mystery of his stolen violin played out. While I didn’t necessarily love the ending, that’s mainly because I was really hoping it would go a different way for Ray. He deserved so much better. Nevertheless, this book is truly a gem and I highly recommend grabbing a copy… especially if you’re a music lover! 🤩
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Photo details: I snapped this pic in front of the incredible Black Lives Matter mural created by the insanely talented Chris Roger (artist and muralist) in East Austin. Swipe to see the full mutual.
