Ray McMillian loves playing the violin. Despite his mother's active discouragement, his Grandma Nora encourages his interest and gifts her favorite grandson a violin that belonged to his PopPop, a freed slave named Leon Marks. With the heirloom, Ray hones his talent, lands weekend gigs and begins to support his family. His life turns upside down, though, when he discovers that he actually owns a priceless Stradivarius. His family and the Marks family sue for financial gain. And just when Ray receives an invitation to the international Tchaikovsky Competition, someone steals his violin. Will Ray ever see his beloved connection to his Grandma again?
I appreciated the premise of this book. The racism Ray faced was heartbreaking and eye-opening, and I did root for him through most of the first half of the book. It felt like the author was preaching at times, though. Also, the writing is quite choppy. It doesn't flow, and I often felt like I was in a car that kept braking hard. I also never connected emotionally with any of the characters. For that reason, I can only give the book 3 stars.

Ray's life isn't easy. The one bright point is his love of playing the violin. He has to use a school
violin until his grandmother gives him the violin that belonged to her grandfather, a slave who played the violin for his master. Now he can play year round, honing his talent and winning competitions. The instrument turns out to be a Stradivarius, creating all sorts of problems. His family wants it sold so they can have the money, the family of the slave master is suing for possession. If that weren't enough the violin is stolen months before a big competition. Laced through the excellent story is the experience of being a black man in the world, additionally a black musician in the classical music world. This is a first rate story with great material for discussion.

This review will be posted on January 19, 2022 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

Man, you can't help but love Ray and feel for him. He's ignored by his mother and maligned by his extended family. As a young Black man, he experiences overt and hostile racism in EVERY CORNER of his life. The white family that owned his ancestor is suing him to get back Ray's beloved family heirloom violin after it's revealed to be an expensive Stradivarius. Then, the Strad is stolen and held for ransom. Finding the Strad is a large part of the plot. But so is Ray's journey from self-taught violinist to a superstar virtuoso. A part of me enjoyed his origin story part of the plot more than the missing Strad part. Ray's mother, his mother's siblings, and the Marks siblings are grotesque characters and Slocumb doesn't hold back in showing us the awful side of humanity through them. (I felt HEATED every time they appeared on the page and repeatedly wronged Ray.) Slocumb, a violinist in his own right, writes to the disgraceful lack of diversity in the classical music world which, as someone with season tickets to the opera and the symphony, it's a shameful stat I'm all too aware of. But it's the prose about the music pieces where Slocumb shines. He uses beautiful and vivid prose to describe the music, evoke imagery, and make you feel like you're listening to Ray play. (Definitely do look up the pieces Ray mentions playing. I'm hoping the publisher releases a playlist of the pieces on pub day. 🤞🏻) #TheViolinConspiracy Rating: somewhere between 🙂 / liked it and 😊 / really liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on February 1, 2022. Thank you @vintageanchorbooks for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Put together a poor, Black, classical violinist, playing a borrowed school instrument...his great-grandfather's beat up old violin found in the attic, a family that doesn't want him to have it...and a high brow competition and you have the makings of a story.

But when he finds out that the violin may be a Stradivarius and he actually qualifies for the competition and the violin is stolen on the eve of the competition...and you have the makings of a damn fine story.

And this is one damn fine story. Loved it from start to finish. Don't ask why. Just get a copy and enjoy! It is outstanding!!!

A young man poised for greatness on the international music stage finds himself at a disadvantage when his instrument is stolen. As he scrambles to continue practicing and discover who the thief is, he remembers all of the life challenges he’s encountered. Debut author Brendan Slocumb puts his intimate knowledge of the violin and the classical music world to good use in his fairly predictable but informative first novel The Violin Conspiracy.

Rayquan Macmillian knows all about being at a disadvantage. He’s a Black man who grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the child of a single mother, and he likes playing the violin when most kids were into sports. He also owns an instrument worth millions of dollars when he never even took a formal music lesson growing up.

It’s astonishing to everyone, especially to Ray, how he came to own a Stradivarius, but the rare instrument is his. His beloved Grandma Nora shared stories with him of her grandfather, a slave and gifted musician who played his master’s fiddle to keep him happy. The master let his slave keep the violin, which eventually got handed down to Grandma Nora.

Now Ray owns the violin, which at first doesn’t seem like much. His mother doesn’t care about it or Ray’s music. She wants Ray to finish high school and get a steady job—in the hospital cafeteria, maybe, or in a fast food joint. It’s not a glamorous life, but it’s a guaranteed paycheck that could help pay the bills.

Ray dreams of a different life, though, one where he gets to play classical music. When Grandma Nora gave him the violin, it was like a dream come true. Instead of using beat up school rentals, he has his very own. Sure, it’s dirty and old, but its tone makes Ray feel like he can do anything.

Soon after getting his great-great-grandfather’s violin, opportunities begin to come his way that Ray didn’t even know existed. A full ride to college lets him study music under Janice Stevens, a Black woman and experienced musician with important connections in the classical music world. Then comes the biggest shock of all: PopPop’s old fiddle was made by Antonio Stradivarius, a master violin builder, whose instruments are highly sought after for the purity and clarity of their tone. Its approximate worth: $10 million.

As Ray’s star begins to rise, he realizes more and more that he could be a serious contender to win the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Many call it the Olympics of classical music; the event happens every four years, and no American violinist has won it. Ray aims to change that.

He begins to prepare for the competition when the worst thing imaginable happens: his Stradivarius is stolen. As Ray battles his rising insecurity and the memories of a life of struggles, he fights to find out who took his precious instrument. It’s not about the money for Ray. Every time he plays his violin, he feels close to Grandma Nora. He’s not about to give that up, no matter what it takes to get the violin back.

Author Brendan Slocumb leans heavily into his own experiences as a Black violinist, and those portions of the book shine. While describing Ray’s feelings as he plays certain pieces, Slocumb gives readers clear insight into the depth and scope of the world of classical musicianship. His writing rises as high and clear as the notes on Ray’s instrument.

Less successful are the attempts at showing Ray’s encounters with racism. While there’s absolutely no doubt that a decided bias against people of color in the classical music world exists, the book reads more like a series of accounts rather than a cohesive fictional narrative. Some readers may get impatient to find out what happened to Ray’s violin and skip ahead to the present-day portions of the novel.

Although the narrative wants to keep it a surprise, astute readers will have no trouble guessing who stole Ray’s violin and why. All of the time Ray spends on introspection of the theft and how it functions as a “highlight” of a life disadvantage takes time and space away from the actual plot. The book vacillates on what that plot is: should readers focus on Ray preparing for the competition and the intense demands on a musician, or should they worry about the violin being stolen? Both have predictable endings, as does the book.

Readers curious to learn more about how Black people deal with racism in the world of classical music might enjoy this one. Others might want to consider a different book.

I really enjoyed this mystery from a first time author. Great story construction and well told - look forward to more titles from this author.

The setting:

"Ray McMillan [a Black man] loves playing the violin more than anything, and nothing will stop him from pursuing his dream of becoming a professional musician.... 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."

So.

The fact that I'm reading Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkinson at the same time --resonated--almost too much! [in that the caste issue predominates]

Ray loves being a violinist. His mother could care less and wants him to get a job in the grocery store [I despised her]. His beloved grandmother Nora gives him a beat-up "fiddle" that belonged to PopPop, a slave. Turns out the fiddle is a Stradivariu--and then the plot implodes. The family of the slave master claims the violin is theirs. His mother and aunts and uncles want him to sell the violin and share the proceeds {save for Aunt Rochelle, the only good soul]. He wants to keep it and play it in the Tchaikovsky compeletion in Moscow. But wait--the violin is stolen before the competition!!

Along the way, Ray acquires a girlfriend, Nicole, a mentor, Dr, Janice Stevens, and various people in the music/musical instrument world--appraisers and restorers. And then investigators, insurers, competitors.

Ray's struggles and aspirations, his frustrations and roadblocks, and of course, racism are a dominant part of the book. alongside the mystery of who stole the violin.

I learned more about music/technicalities, competitions, and soloists [more than I wanted perhaps]. And a new term for me--woodshedding--which in this case is to practice a muscial instrument.

This is a fast, but flawed read; almost a page turner, save I figured the worm turn early on [no spoiler from me]--just had to finish to be certain I was correct--and I was! And, there were several times where I thought the book lept about too much, skipped the continuum, had a few times where i thought something was missing/not believable, and could have used better editing.

Be sure to read the epilogue; Slocumb is a Black, and a violinist and teacher. This is his first novel.

In the minority of readers' ratings.

The mystery of the violin's disappearance, the lawsuits, and the prejudice that Ray experiences all make for a compelling story. The author has created a good character in Ray, especially his passion for the music and his relationship with his grandmother. The author is also masterful in his descriptions of music. As you read about Ray playing a particular piece of music, it feels like the music comes alive and you are in the room with him, listening to him play and feeling the emotions that the music evokes. I would definitely recommend "The Violin Conspiracy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free copy.

In "The Violin Conspiracy," we follow Ray McMillian and his adventure to become a professional soloist from a nerdy outcast who played wedding gigs with a school loaned violin. He entered a new chapter of his life when the fiddle that was passed from his great-grandfather to his grandma, then to him turned out to be one of the rarest Strads. His family and the descendants of the man who'd once been his great-grandfather's master both brought a lawsuit against Ray in pursuance of claiming the prestige instrument. Things took a turn for the worst when his heirloom got stolen while the international Tchaikovsky Competition was nearing.

The premise sounds promising, but unfortunately, I'm not very impressed with the storyline. The whodunit part is pretty predictable from the first few chapters. The author's attempt to retell his own experience with racism and injustice as a Black musician through Ray is just not quite there yet. Partly because the story jumps back in time to set forth how Ray has constantly fought against racism and abuse from his family, friends, etc. It eventually slows down the pace of the story and becomes quite tedious to slog through. The characterization and the musical elements are pretty weak and unsatisfactory as well.

All in all, "The Violin Conspiracy" is all right, but I didn't like it much.

I was so engrossed in this book about a young Black classical violinist whose violin is stolen and held for ransom. I felt so much empathy for Ray a young man trying to pursue his passion in the face of so much negativity and disapproval from his family and the racist world of classical music.Ray has to fight both his family and society’s prejudice to realize his dream as a classical violinist.

Finding out that some of this book is based on the author's own negative experience with bigotry in the classical music industry adds an even deeper emotional intensity to the story.

The Violin Conspiracy was so powerful to me as a Black woman who has faced prejudice and adversity in my own pursuit in the arts and other fields. The author makes you understand how important it is to stand up for your passion in the face of oppression and negativity. I will never look at another classical music concert again without thinking of this emotionally gripping book.

Thank you Anchor Books for this advanced ecopy.

Ray has the talent to be a professional violinist, but as a Black man not a day goes by that someone (colleague, client, family member) doesn’t sneer that he doesn’t belong. His staunchest supporter is his grandma, who passes down the violin her Pop Pop carried out of slavery. That fiddle turns out to be a Stradivarius. His money-grubbing relatives and the descendants of Pop Pop’s enslavers all sue to get their hands on it, but someone steals it first. Naturally, this happens on the eve of the world’s biggest classical music competition. Ray’s passion for music and the racism he overcomes set this thriller apart.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is a well-written novel about a violinist whose priceless heirloom instrument has been stolen. Ray McMillian is a young black man who has faced family challenges, struggles with poverty, and racism. We learn about his adolescence and the opportunities that lead to a successful career in music despite external obstacles and racist incidents. I found Ray a very compelling and likeable protagonist and I liked how the plot moved, jumping back, giving us insight on who may have stolen his violin. The truth is finally revealed and comes to a swift conclusion. I really enjoyed learning about the world of classical music and his family's history.

Thank you Knopf Doubleday and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This book is outside my typical norm of books that I read but I'm so glad I decided to take the chance and read it. This is a fantastic book and I loved the main character and his journey with classical music. The story is fantastic and I highly recommend anyone pick this up even if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea right on the bat.

This book was both entertaining and enlightening. Ray is a talented black violinist trying to navigate the world of classical music. His violin disappears on the cusp of a the musical event that can make his career. The author does a good job of balancing the story of his search for the violin, the family drama surrounding the violin's history and ownership, and racism in the field of classical music.

I received an e-ARC copy of the book from NetGalley, this does not in any way influence my review of the book.

4.5 Insightful, Meaningful Stars
This is a work of art as well as a true telling of the way things can be, Things that shouldn't, and make the arts ugly. We have a young Black man who has been told the best he can want is a hospital job or some other blue-collar position with the hopes of more than minimum wage.

The turning point is this person's will, dream, and desire to play music, specifically with the violin. He is massively talented, someone ends up with a valuable violin first owned by his great, great grandfather. This instrument allows him to grow and he is finally at the top of his field.

The big moment is right there and then his violin is stolen...How will this end, who can he trust...these are the questions that must be answered.

Beautifully written an African American violinist has his violin stolen ,a shock event.Then we go back following his path to becoming a violinist.An absolutely engrossing read highly recommend.#netgalley #knopfdoubleday

Ray, a Black classical musician, is gifted the violin that belonged to his great-great-grandfather. He is a world-class musician who is competing in the Tchaikovsky Competition. He realizes that the dusty old "violin" he thought was a fiddle is actually a valuable Stadivarius. It follows him around everywhere and is rarely out of sight. When Ray's violin is stolen just before the competition, he must put together the evidence and figure out who to trust and who not to trust in the wild quest for his violin. A unique voice in the mystery genre that will make you cheer for the underdog.

The Violin Conspiracy tells the story of Rayquan McMillan - an inspiring classical violinist who has to fight racism and his own family for a place in classical music. Ray's mom wants him to get a GED and get a reliable job at Popeye's or the hospital cafeteria. Most of Ray's family does not encourage his love of music, and desire to make it his career. Only his grandmother, who tells him about her grandfather's violin, and then gives the instrument to Ray. When Ray enters a regional competition and earns a scholarship spot at a college and finds a mentor who believes in him. When Ray begins to play professionally he finds out the violin his grandmother gave him is actually a rare Stradivarius. The family that owned Ray's great grandfather as a slave demands the return of the violin - Ray's own family turns against him and sues him for ownership. However, Ray's real troubles begin when the violin is stolen and a $5 million ransom is demanded. All this happens when Ray is preparing to compete in a world class competition in Moscow. Ray is trying to solve the mystery of his stolen violin and somehow win the competition. A great description of the cutthroat nature of classical competitions and also the racism that Ray faced in his career. The racial descriptions are even more impactful when you read the author's notes and find out they are taken from his own life experiences. My only complaints are the implausibility of finding a Stradivarius in the attic and the way the mystery was solved and who it was.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for this suspenseful, riveting ebook in return for an honest review. I was hesitant to start this book when I learned it was set in the world of classical music, a subject where I know next to nothing. Once I started reading, I found the story emotional, gripping, and difficult to put aside. My trepidation was due to being tone-deaf and unable to fully appreciate and enjoy music. Reading this powerful, sensitive story was like being transported and immersed in a new and different culture. Since I enjoyed this book so much, I think any lover of music should be enthusiastic about this enthralling story.

Ray McMillan, a Black man, grew up in North Carolina. As a child, he was determined to become a world-class violinist. He was dissuaded because a Black boy was thought to lack the talent to succeed in the world of classical music. He practiced enthusiastically on an old violin but knew he needed a better instrument for his talents to flourish. He cannot afford one, nor afford music lessons. His family is far from supportive. His mother constantly and harshly ordered him to stop the noise, and to get a minimum wage job. His extended family sided with his mother and regarded Ray's love for music as a worthless hobby. He found solace in the love and support of his grandmother.

When he is a teenager, a friend asks him to play concerts with a group. Ray is overjoyed but meets a harsh reality when doors are shut on him because of his colour and he becomes the target of racial slurs. The author is an African-American classical musician who is writing from experience. Some of the incidents of racism encountered by Ray are taken from the author's own personal setbacks and his being targeted by prejudice and stereotyping.

Ray's beloved and supportive grandmother gives him an old, musty, beaten-up fiddle that belonged to her grandfather who was once a slave on a plantation. His master was a terrible man who inflicted horrifying atrocities on his slaves. He enjoyed the distraction of the young man playing the fiddle for himself and other slaves. It was believed he was also the boy's biological father. When his master was dying he freed the young man and gave him the fiddle. This freed slave's granddaughter is Ray's elderly grandmother who had stored the old fiddle in her attic.

After much restoration of the old musical instrument, it is appraised and discovered to be an authentic, priceless Stradivarius violin, worth perhaps 11 million dollars. Ray loves the violin, not for its fabulous value, but because of its heritage, and when playing it his talent soars. He has gained the confidence to enter the world of classical music despite the racial prejudice inherent there. After much training and traveling to perform in concerts, Ray feels he is now ready to enter the prestigious and renowned Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has a girlfriend, is making good money, and with his Stradivarius in hand, he feels he has a good chance to win if the judges fairly evaluate his musical talent, and disregard any racial bigotry.

His life is not without problems. His family incessantly demands most of his earnings, and the descendants of the slave master have a lawsuit demanding that the violin is rightfully theirs. They claim that Ray's great-great-great-grandfather stole the violin and insist it be returned to their family. These worries do not come up to the level of the disaster that Ray encounters a week before going to the competition in Moscow. His priceless violin is stolen and a ransom of 5 million dollars is demanded for its return. There are a number of suspects. His own greedy family, the descendants of the slave master, and the chambermaid in the hotel where he and his girlfriend stayed. Now he learns that his main rival for the top violin award is a Serbian man, and coincidently a black market violin has surfaced in Serbia. Is his rival behind the theft, hoping that will cause Ray to drop out of the contest?

The mystery was intriguing, and the characters were well developed and resounded on an emotional level.
Recommended!

Ray, a Black classical musician, is given his great-great-grandfather's violin. He is determined to become a world class musician and, in the Tchaikovsky Competition. He discovers that the dusty old "fiddle" is really a priceless Stadivarius. It goes with him everywhere and is hardly ever out of his site. When it is stolen before the competition, Ray must piece together the clues, learn who to trust or not trust, in the wild search to retrieve his violin. A fresh new voice in the mystery genre that has you rooting for the underdog.