Symphony of Secrets

By: Brendan Slocumb

Narrated by: Chanté McCormick, Brendan Slocumb

Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

“A maestro of musical mystery...Slocumb’s writing is invigorating, and the detail in his character work makes the main characters in both time periods easy to root for.... Thrilling.”—The New York Times

"At once a celebration of music and also a cautionary tale about legacy, privilege, and creative genius."—Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid

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.

©2023 Brendan Slocumb (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Brendan Slocumb’s first novel, The Violin Conspiracy, displayed his deftness at crafting character-driven stories featuring amateur sleuths with a deep reverence for music history—and everything to lose. With his pitch-perfect follow-up, Symphony of Secrets, he firmly establishes himself as a maestro of musical mystery. . . . What makes the book sing is how it makes audible the chords that echo between present and past, coming together to create a consonant harmony. Slocumb dexterously interlaces the two plotlines, using them to echo and refract issues that haven’t disappeared over the years, only changed resonance. . . . Slocumb’s writing is invigorating, and the detail in his character work makes the main characters in both time periods easy to root for.”—The New York Times

“As rich and suspenseful as The Violin Conspiracy. . . . Absorbing. . . . A fast-paced detective adventure. . . . As [Slocumb] alternates artfully between the 1920s historical narrative and the present-day quest to unravel its mystery, he also parallels the two, which symbolically serves to repair the past. . . . Amid the heart-racing plot, Symphony of Secrets is ultimately an affirmation. Music has historically been the country’s ethnically richest art form, particularly embodied in the multicultural story of jazz and in today’s cross-fertilization between popular genres. That process has been marred when the powerful extract from the powerless. Josephine Reed’s restoration speaks back to such exploitation. Shaping her vast array of colors, ciphers and traditions, she’s a seamstress of the torn national fabric.”—The Washington Post

“Stirring. . . . A provocative follow to his much-lauded 2022 novel, The Violin Conspiracy, praised for its pitch-perfect dive into the world of classical music and the struggles faced by Black musicians who want to be included and respected for their talents. . . . Compelling. . . . Slocumb writes an intriguing and vivid story about social injustice, cultural appropriation and ‘whitewashing.’ . . . [The] thoughtful pacing carries an important message about race and privilege and the lengths to which people in power will go to manipulate history.”—The Star Tribune

A Gut Wrenching Thriller

I usually don’t choose the thriller genre as I’m just not thrilled by sex crimes, political intrigue, life threatening chase scenes, or that one gorgeous guy who survives multiple near death experiences only to unwittingly solve the puzzle, wipe out all the bad guys and save the world.
This could be the first literary thriller that breaks the mold and will keep me coming back to see how this author can make the world of classical music so thrilling! Thank you Brendan Slocumb!

I love how the characters got vindication.

This was a beautifully written story that depicted how manipulative the music industry has been. If you know anything about writing music (which I do not) you’ll really enjoy reading this book. It references notes, keys and tempos throughout the almost help you hear the song being described. Great read.

Excellent Storyline

i loved the twists and turns in this book. I also liked how the historical story of what happened was intertwined with the current events. Looking forward to Slocumb's next book.

Just WOW

This was a book club pic so I wasn’t sure how much I would like it. This is easily a 5 star read. The characters grab you, the story is compelling and the narration of it is amazing. I’m very picky on my audiobook narrators and Chanté did this one justice.

Excellent!

Masterfully written, this story of intrigue calls awareness to social justice and autism. The characters are realistic and the story (unfortunately) quite believable as well. You will find this powerful story to be captivating … a book you will NOT want to put down! Excellent narration as well.

Brilliantly entertaining

A must read for mystery and music enthusiasts. You will love Josephine and her music. As a teacher, this would be a fabulous book for English and Music classrooms.

Great, and tragic, story!

I listened to this right after The Violin Conspiracy. It did not disappoint. Well written and narrated, going back and forth in time. I won’t add spoilers, but many parts of this broke my heart. I so appreciate the author’s note at the end as well.

Loved the story and characters, but soooo long!

If you choose this listen be ready for a commitment. It was long, but worth the time. Listen until the very end (the author's note is on point). I'm really enjoying Brendan Slocumb as an author. He incorporates 3 things I love, a good mystery, music, and characters that don't meet the "status quo."

Outstanding historical, thriller fiction. Music lover or not — this story is worth listening to.

Wonderful snapshot into two time periods - 1920’s NY City music and production scene; and modern day research with investigation. Loved the characters. The narrator brought them to life. (I especially loved Ebony’s NYC accent and attitude!) Justice eventually served … only too late for a brilliant composer who was taken advantage of — and who lacked supportive for her prolific talent. Relevant then, relevant now. Thanks so very much to the author and narrator.

Loved this book b

I lost a day of work at home yesterday while listening to this book. Fantastic story.