The premise for this book sounded different to my usual reading, so I decided to try it, but I’m sorry to say, it’s not for me. The settings, the characters, the repellent personalities described are so far removed from anyone or anything I can relate to, that I don’t want to read any more. A DNF for me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

This is yet another mystery/thriller book in the long list I have been reading, of late. Looks like I am in on one of my phases where I cannot get enough of a particular genre.

The Red Concerto attracted me because of its title – who wouldn’t want to read a mystery book with a connection to classical music? Wish the cover was a lot more stunning (imagine the things you could do with the elements of a concerto) but the lack of a good cover doesn’t take away the entertainment of reading this book.

The story is about Charlie, a music moghul, who is as eccentric as they come. As he finds his company at the brink of bankruptcy, he needs to bet big on the next reality show in which he needs to fake marry someone. Enters Alex, an enigma who wants to stay invisible but needs to overcome her biggest fear of being seen and has to be in the reality show, as this is the only way she can produce her Red Concerto.

The not-so-normal characters, the backdrop of the Red Concerto, the intricacies of putting up a show at the cost of authenticity and the rollercoaster story makes this book a very engaging read. Charlie and Alex come across as very strong, enigmatic characters even if it is hard to relate to them at all times. Hayes creates an easy to read, engaging story and shows his brilliance through words and his knowledge about western classical music. The scene in which Alex is playing her violin into the silence of the night, while Charlie is stealthily watching her is so well written – I could feel what Charlie was feeling, with the music playing in my ears.

This book isn’t your typical ‘there is a murder and somebody needs to solve it’. There are no broken detectives from dysfunctional families trying to get past their history to bring justice. It is a mystery nevertheless with far more interesting characters who are dealing with the mysteries of their own lives.

Recommend it if you are in the lookout for a quick, engaging read.

Charlie is the head of a huge media conglomerate named EmerSound which is on the brink of financial ruin. In order to get things back to functional, he is planning to produce a reality show called Mrs. Music which will capture his relationship and marriage. The problem? Charlie is currently single. Enter Alex, a music prodigy scraping out a living by running a coffee cart. Alex agrees to marry Charlie and join the reality show as long as he helps her produce her music, the Red Concerto. But Alex has secrets she needs to stay hidden. Will Charlie find out what she is protecting and will it ruin all they are building?

The plot of The Red Concerto was interesting, I always like the trope of reality tv, and this book definitely probes the unreality and what goes into producing it. The two main characters were well written though I found Alex to be much more fleshed out, with Charlie's character relying a lot on what he used to be like and not building up a super strong persona. I enjoyed the first two thirds of the book but the reveal in the last part felt a little too out of left field for me. 3.5 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This is a new author to me and the book title read sold it to me
I thoroughly enjoyed this read

Wonderful

Highly recommend