Synopsis:
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.
What To Expect:
Readers can expect a dual-timeline mystery that is both a mystery and eye-opener to the world of music, racism, and determination across generations. Musical terms are easy enough to understand for all readers.
Content Warnings:
Language: Moderate – Some uses of strong language, not heavily saturated
Sexual Content: Closed Door & Mild – A romantic thread with a fade to black scene, nothing explicit but it is implied
Violence: Moderate to Heavy
Moments of fighting with weapons and police brutality
Murder and domestic abuse
Substance Use: Mild – Alcoholic beverages in casual use
Prejudices: Heavy – Main themes of racism and classism
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