The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb thriller/mystery Anchor Books—February 2022 How could the world of classical music possibly be conducive to a thriller? To be completely fair, this was the first thought that entered my head when The Violin Conspiracy was recommended to me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the idea of a novel placed in the oeuvre of professional orchestral music—I come from a family of musicians and played three different types of saxophones (soprano being my favorite, obviously) for the better part of a decade. But I was struggling to wrap my head around how that would translate well to the specific structural demands of a thriller novel. Is it a highly unusual, unique backdrop to set a story in? Absolutely. But, when you think about glissandos, andantes, and vibratos, does your mind immediately modulate to a pedal-to-the-metal, plot-driven storytelling genre like a thriller? And, more importantly—would it…
Reviewing unpublished manuscripts across multiple categories of fiction and nonfiction. Select publishers and literary agents get first look at the winners and runners-up.
Next Deadline: March 20th, 2024