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lauracadcock 's review for:
Symphony of Secrets
by Brendan Slocumb
Symphony of Secrets was an enjoyable follow up to The Violin Conspiracy. Brendan Slocumb writes this musical mystery genre so well. This one started off a little slow for me, but the second half was much more propulsive.
This story is set in two timelines. First, the present day setting where Bern Hendricks is elated that he has been chosen to authenticate a newly discovered piece of music from his hero. He enlists his friend, Eboni, who is a tech wiz to help him out. When they discover that someone else may have been contributing to the composure of the music, things get crazy. In the past timeline, we follow Frederick Delaney, Bern's hero. Freddy is a struggling musician who strikes it big when he partners up with Josephine Reed. But Freddy's intentions aren't pure and things get out of hand.
The first part of this book felt super predictable and moved at a snail's pace. We all knew where this was leading, but it took 250 pages to get there. Once more things were revealed and the action picked up, this book got a lot more propulsive and exciting. It is beautifully written with a lot of music details, perhaps a few too many for this non-musical person. The past timeline was interesting, yet difficult to read about. I loved the character of Josephine and how she sees the world. Eboni was a genius who took no crap, and I really enjoyed her personality.
Overall, this was a great follow up to The Violin Conspiracy. I love that Slocumb has carved out this musical mystery niche for himself. His books have a more literary bent, so it definitely helps to be in the mood for a mystery that is not a popcorn thriller. There are exciting elements, but he takes his time getting there.
This story is set in two timelines. First, the present day setting where Bern Hendricks is elated that he has been chosen to authenticate a newly discovered piece of music from his hero. He enlists his friend, Eboni, who is a tech wiz to help him out. When they discover that someone else may have been contributing to the composure of the music, things get crazy. In the past timeline, we follow Frederick Delaney, Bern's hero. Freddy is a struggling musician who strikes it big when he partners up with Josephine Reed. But Freddy's intentions aren't pure and things get out of hand.
The first part of this book felt super predictable and moved at a snail's pace. We all knew where this was leading, but it took 250 pages to get there. Once more things were revealed and the action picked up, this book got a lot more propulsive and exciting. It is beautifully written with a lot of music details, perhaps a few too many for this non-musical person. The past timeline was interesting, yet difficult to read about. I loved the character of Josephine and how she sees the world. Eboni was a genius who took no crap, and I really enjoyed her personality.
Overall, this was a great follow up to The Violin Conspiracy. I love that Slocumb has carved out this musical mystery niche for himself. His books have a more literary bent, so it definitely helps to be in the mood for a mystery that is not a popcorn thriller. There are exciting elements, but he takes his time getting there.