Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
A Review By: AT
A gripping thriller from the celebrated author of book club favorite The Violin Conspiracy: Music professor Bern Hendricks discovers a shocking secret about the most famous American composer of all time—his music may have been stolen from a Black Jazz Age prodigy named Josephine Reed. Determined to uncover the truth that a powerful organization wants to keep hidden, Bern will stop at nothing to right history's wrongs and give Josephine the recognition she deserves.
Bern Hendricks has just received the call of a lifetime. As one of the world’s preeminent experts on the famed twentieth-century composer Frederick Delaney, Bern knows everything there is to know about the man behind the music. When Mallory Roberts, a board member of the distinguished Delaney Foundation and direct descendant of the man himself, asks for Bern’s help authenticating a newly discovered piece, which may be his famous lost opera, RED, he jumps at the chance. With the help of his tech-savvy acquaintance Eboni, Bern soon discovers that the truth is far more complicated than history would have them believe.
In 1920s Manhattan, Josephine Reed is living on the streets and frequenting jazz clubs when she meets the struggling musician Fred Delaney. But where young Delaney struggles, Josephine soars. She’s a natural prodigy who hears beautiful music in the sounds of the world around her. With Josephine as his silent partner, Delaney’s career takes off—but who is the real genius here?
In the present day, Bern and Eboni begin to uncover more clues that indicate Delaney may have had help in composing his most successful work. Armed with more questions than answers and caught in the crosshairs of a powerful organization who will stop at nothing to keep their secret hidden, Bern and Eboni will move heaven and earth in their dogged quest to right history’s wrongs.
Review Notes:
Audio Book Publication Year: 2023
An installment in a Series? No
Narrator (s): Chanté McCormick, Brendan Slocumb
In his sophomore novel, Brendan Slocumb weaves an intriguing tale of music, greed, and deep betrayal.
I am fast becoming a huge fan of this author and find this, his second novel, even better than his first. Symphony of Secrets follows Bern, a young music professor who holds a great admiration for celebrated Jazz Age composer, Fred Delaney. When one of Delaney’s compositions, believed long lost, is unearthed, Bern is tapped to authenticate and transcribe the work, soon stumbling onto facts that shake up his world and wreck his view of his idol.
This was a compelling look into the mind of a neurodivergent genius, the true talent behind Delaney’s compositions. The author illustrated her plight beautifully and with respect and takes you on an edge-of-your-seat, heartbreaking ride. The narrator was stellar, sliding from character to character with ease, and delivered the story beautifully.
Reading Recommendation? Yes!
Rating: NORTH STAR RATING
Content Warnings? Human or animal loss, Physical abuse/violence.
