The Violin Conspiracy

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK!•ÂRay McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world—when a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his great-great-grandfatherÂ’s heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world.“I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The QueenÂ’s Gambit: a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroatÂworld I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the WitchGrowing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillianÂ’s life is already mapped out. But Ray has a gift and a dream—heÂ’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he canÂ’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music.ÂÂWhen he discovers that his beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenlyÂseem within reach, and together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Without it, Ray feels like he''s lost a piece of himself.ÂAs the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.