~ Hardcover
~ New Release - 2022
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, not his inferior (and cheap) instrument, or the racism inherent in the classical music world. His star begins to rise when he discovers his violin is actually a priceless Stradivarius, but then just as quickly the violin is stolen, leading Ray on a desperate quest to recover his lost violin on the Eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world . . .
A riveting page-turner, The Violin Conspiracy is the coming-of-age story of an aspiring violinist dealing with casual and overt racism, family drama, and financial insecurity by Brendan Slocumb, a music teacher and orchestra performer who is able to translate to paper how the music transports the characters in immersive prose giving readers an intimate look into classical music.
"Skillfully juggling his two timelines, Slocumb builds tension exquisitely while writing about music with both technical precision and richly evocative metaphors." -- Booklist