This is a heist story. It's also an examination of institutional racism in the rarefied world of classical music and of hope and perseverance in a world that doesn't always reward such. Brendan Slocumb, a former principal violinist and concertmaster, manages all of this in a delicate balance of a story that held my attention from first to last pages.
Ray McMillian is a Black virtuoso violinist on the cusp of his biggest challenge yet—competing in a prestigious Russian competition that no American has won before —when his prized Stradivarius violin is stolen. Ray prizes the violin not for it's monetary worth, but for the personal connection it gives him to his beloved grandmother. But to others, including members of Ray's own family and the descendants of the family that once enslaved Ray's ancestors, the violin represents a ten million dollar payout. When it is stolen all Ray is left with is a ransom demand and the realization that no matter the loss, he has to continue to work towards his goal, winning the Tchaikovsky Competition. That is easier said than done as he finds himself distracted by the theft and his growing obsession with getting the violin back (understandable, of course).
This novel brings an unflinching eye to the sometimes cutthroat world of classical music, its very white culture and the challenges a talented young Black violinist might face in entering that world. But in Ray, a man who strives towards honor and kindness despite the racism - from micro to macro aggressions - he endures, the story also finds its heart.