The Violin Conspiracy was the first Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club read of 2023! I was excited to read it after hearing the author participate in a panel that the What Should I Read Next? podcast released as a podcast episode.

Our protagonist, Ray McMillian, is a gifted Black musician with a passion for playing classical music on the violin. When Grandma Nora, one of the few who support Ray’s dreams, gives him his great-great-grandfather’s beat-up violin he is so grateful to have his own instrument to practice on. A few years later, as a young man, Ray discovers that his family heirloom violin is actually a rare Stradivarius and worth a fortune! But just weeks before the most elite musical competition in the world, the violin is stolen while Ray’s own family and the descendants of the man who had enslaved Ray’s great-great-grandfather both claim ownership of it.

I loved this book! The author’s knowledge of classical music and the lives of soloists just oozed off the page and I was immersed even though I know almost nothing about that world. I fell in love with Ray and his Grandma Nora and rooted for him as he progressed to each level of his career. The consistent racism Ray faced was such a stark and important reminder that these are not one-off incidents; people of colour live with this every day. Highly recommend this book and can’t wait for Brendan Slocumb’s next one!