Review: The Violin Conspiracy

The Violin Conspiracy, by Brendan Slocumb; narrated by JD Jackson (Random House Audio 2022)

First line: “On the morning of the worst, most earth-shattering day of Ray McMillian’s life, he ordered room service: scrambled eggs for two, one side of regular bacon (for Nicole), one side of vegan sausage (for him), one coffee (for Nicole), one orange juice (for him).”

While this debut novel is billed as a mystery (even being selected as a GoodReads Choice Award nominee for Best Mystery/Thriller of 2022), those looking for a fast-paced whodunit won’t find that here. To me, this read much more like a coming-of-age story of a young musician who confronts the realities of white supremacy when you are Black and extremely talented in a field where that is unexpected. The mystery was just a backdrop.

Ray McMillian was gifted a somewhat bedraggled violin by his beloved grandmother before her passing, and while it didn’t look like much, it meant everything to Ray as he worked to make a future for himself through his music. But when he learns that his great-grandfather’s old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, his life changes in an instant. Thrust into the spotlight, Ray must figure out how to build a career for himself that defies expectations, while fighting the prejudices that stand in his way — a task that is made incredibly more difficult when the Stradivarius is stolen out from under him.

I thought Slocumb’s storytelling was beautiful in this debut, and JD Jackson’s narration on the audiobook did a wonderful job of bringing Ray to life. While the mystery of who stole the violin wasn’t all that interesting (in its build-up or its resolution), I was very attached to Ray and his story’s outcome. The world of professional musicians, especially from this perspective, was fascinating to read about.