Brendan Slocumb's musical mystery thriller The VIOLIN CONSPIRACY has a lot more in store than merely solving the case of the missing, multi-million dollar Stradivarius violin. This easy read glides through classical music, and life as a professional performer. The plot also entails heavy lines of racism and slavery. There are trials and tribulations of a single black mom raising her son amid financial constraints and views her son as income. There's a scherzo love story written with abandon. A major movement comes from a mentor whose guidance is invaluable. Added to the composition are imposing lawsuits and legal maneuverings Ray must wrangle with. All these notes comprise a layered, full-fledged novel. The storytelling is riveting and filled with embellishments and surprises. Rayquin "Ray" MacMillan is a young, black youth learning and loving to play classical music on a school loaned instrument. Ray's classmates all have their own instruments and private lessons. Ray is left to fend with his second-hand, school loaned instrument. But, Ray has something others have not. He's got talent, artistry and passion for his craft in which to make something special of his life and love for music. Still, Ray has an arduous path ahead to overcome his limited training, racial hatred, and demanding family members. On the other hand, he also has a loving grandmother who loves him and bequeaths her grandfather's old fiddle for him to keep and an established music professor who supports his studies and career. Lo and behold, the fiddle turns out to be a verified Stradivarius which leads to family and foe filing lawsuits to get their money grubbing hands on it. But, before they can score a court victory the violin gets stolen from his hotel suite and held for ransom. The only ones in the room with him were a chambermaid and his girlfriend, also a classical musician. There isn't a false note in this tale of hard work and dedication plagued with greed and injustice. The social commentary rings true and the vibrato of striving for one's dream resonates fully. The suspense filled hunt for the prized, missing instrument combined with the tension of competing in the most prestigious musical competition in the world built to its crescendo. THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY is an engaging read in many different measures. While an inspiring novel its gravitas comes from the narrow mindedness with which Ray is viewed. "That's all they saw and that's all he was to them." More often though, it soars on the triumphant joys inherent from music and dedication.
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