The Dark Maestro

A Novel

De: Brendan Slocumb

Narrado por: Ronald Peet

His cello made him famous. His father made him a target.

“In this perfectly crafted thriller, Slocumb acts as the master conductor, bringing together a twisty plot and gorgeously wrought characters.”—The Boston Globe

Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy, growing up in the Southeast D.C. projects with a drug dealer for a father. But through determination and talent, and the loving support of his father’s girlfriend, Larissa, Curtis claws his way out of his challenging circumstances and rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world—even soloing with the New York Philharmonic.

And then, suddenly, his life disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state’s evidence, implicating his old bosses. Now the family—Curtis included—must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. This means Curtis must give up the very thing he loves the most: sharing his extraordinary music with the world. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement, Curtis, Zippy, and Larissa realize that their only chance of survival is to take on the criminals themselves. They must create new identities and draw on their unique talents, including Curtis’s musical ability, to go after the people who want them dead. But will it be enough to save Curtis and his family?

A propulsive and moving story about sacrifice, loyalty, and the indomitable human spirit, The Dark Maestro is Brendan Slocumb at the height of his powers.

©2025 Brendan Slocumb (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Brendan Slocumb always brings his deep understanding and love of music to his novels. . . . In this perfectly crafted thriller, Slocumb acts as the master conductor, bringing together a twisty plot and gorgeously wrought characters.”—The Boston Globe

“Slocumb’s gripping storytelling hits all the right notes, making this a standout performance.”—Oprah Daily

“Slocumb hits a high note with heart and adrenaline. . . . Slocumb’s storytelling remains emotionally resonant and fast-paced, with vibrant POVs and a deep love for music anchoring the narrative. . . . Equal parts heartwarming, high-stakes and wildly original.”—The Seattle Times

Had Great Potential

I loved The Violin Conspiracy & Symphony of Secrets. The Dark MAESTRO started out so good, but quickly lost believability in the 2nd half. I really enjoy when the author writes about his character's life as a musician, but the 2nd half of the book went all over the place & lost my interest. I hope his next book has the quality of his 1st 2 novels, rather than this one.

The plot

I really like the idea of how they got their lives back from being forced into witness protection programs.

Another gripping story by a Brendan Slocumb!

This is a such a great story. I loved story and the performance.

I loved that characters from his earlier books were included in this book.

And I absolutely loved the superhero component.

Time to read all of Slocumb's books again!

Fun but seemed a bit preposterous at the end

This was a fun book to listen to, and 3/4 of the book seemed really good. But the last bit of the book, in which one of the lead characters takes on the role of an invented comic book, got a bit silly.

Overcoming

Circumstances were hard but they faught to overcome. Mostly fast-paced. Great read! Would make a great movie!

The ending

The process that was carefully put in place to end their life on the run was

Didn’t want to stop reading.

Liked the characters, the way the family worked together through their difficulties, and how they prevailed in the end.