The Violin Conspiracy is a book way outside my usual genre comfort zone and it wasn’t quite what I expected based on the description. It includes a mystery of a stolen violin, certainly, but it is also the story of a young Black man navigating racist exclusion in the world of classical music. Ray’s family is largely unsupportive of his choice of music as a pursuit, and he must audition for opportunities alongside young people who’ve had far more opportunities – private lessons, expensive instruments – handed to them than he has. The mystery I did find somewhat predictable, but I really enjoyed the book regardless as the story of Ray’s ascent to musical fame and success was so wonderfully told. 

It did not at all surprise me to learn that several passages in the book are based on the author’s own experiences – it does read as almost biographical. Having read this novel, I have no doubt that author Brendan Slocumb is also a wonderfully supportive and nurturing music educator. I will happily read his next novel. 

One note: I do wish the g-slur for Romani folks wasn’t repeated several times. A word that means this in another language is the title of a piece of classical music so I can understand it appearing in that context specifically, but there were other places it was absolutely not needed. 

Content warnings: racism, racial slurs, police brutality, violence, blood, slavery, murder, death, torture, hate crime, gaslighting, xenophobia