Former British Special Air Service officer Ben Hope is running for his life. Enlisted by Leigh Llewellyn--the beautiful, world-famous opera star and Ben's first love--to investigate her brother's mysterious death, Ben finds himself caught up in a puzzle dating back to the 1700s.
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! • Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world—when a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his great-great-grandfather’s heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world. “I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit: a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.” —Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. When he discovers that his beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach, and together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Without it, Ray feels like he's lost a piece of himself. As the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.
What could be so important about a piece of music people are willing to kill for it? Painted against the backdrop of history's most renowned composer. International assassins, the Mafia, and shadowy figures in the US government, all collide in the hunt for what will prove to be the most explosive musical discovery ever made.
Award-winning author Matt Rees takes readers to 18th centuryAustria, where Mozart’s estranged sister Nannerl stumblesinto a world of ambition, conspiracy, and immortal music while attempting touncover the truth about her brother’s suspicious death. Did Mozart’s life endin murder? Nannerl must brave dire circumstances tofind out, running afoul of the secret police, the freemasons, and even theAustrian Emperor himself as she delves into a scandal greater than she had everimagined. With captivating historical details, compelling characters, and areal-life mystery upon which everything hinges, Rees—the award-winning authorof the internationally acclaimed Omar Yussefcrime series—writes in the tradition of Irvin Yalom’sWhen Nietzsche Wept, Louis Bayard’s The Pale Blue Eye, andPhillip Sington’s The Einstein Girl to achievethe very best in historical fiction with Mozart’s Last Aria.
After much investigation, Ziolkowski reinforces Umberto Eco's notion that the most powerful secret, the magnetic center of conspiracy fiction, is in fact "a secret without content."
From the author of 1791: Mozarts Last Year and general editor of The Mozart Compendium, this international bestseller has received widespread critical acclaim. Entertainingly and authoritatively written, and richly illustrated with contemporary paintings and engravings, it provides a vivid account of the last decade of Mozarts short but amazingly prolific career one of the most remarkable periods in the entire history of Western music.
Designed for second grade learning success by experts in elementary education, Complete Early Skills for grade 2 features four core subjects in a single volume. This workbook provides in-depth practice in early learning skills required for school success. Thorough grade-specific instruction designed for Canadian school children introduces, practises, and reviews: *Reading (consonants, vowels, blends, compound words, contractions, suffixes, and prefixes) *Reading Comprehension (following directions, sequencing, similes, fact and opinion, making inferences, deducing, fiction and nonfiction) *English (synonyms, antonyms, homophones, nouns, verbs, adjectives, sentences, ownership, tenses, and dictionary skills) *Spelling (family, animals, opposites, time, and joining words) *Math (addition, subtraction, place value, fractions, money, time, graphs, measurement, geometry, and patterns)Step-by-step instructions and straightforward and easy-to-understand directions support independent learning and thinking. Complete Early Skills also features fun, interactive games and activities for parents to provide young learners with the key to total school success! 352 full-colour perforated pages and an answer key.
AN EXHILARATING TREASURE-HUNT THRILLER FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR ‘Deadly conspiracies, bone-crunching action and a tormented hero with a heart . . . packs a real punch’ Andy McDermott
The newest international thriller from the author of "The Mozart Conspiracy" raises the stakes as ex-SAS operative and hero-for-hire Ben Hope returns to prevent an attack of biblical proportions.