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The Dark Maestro

by Brendan Slocumb

A cello prodigy caught between music and survival

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A cello prodigy caught between music and survival

Curtis Wilson’s rise from Southeast D.C. to the classical music world is disrupted when his father becomes a witness against dangerous former associates. Entering witness protection threatens Curtis’s connection to the cello and to the audiences he has reached. The story then shifts toward the family’s effort to protect themselves, with Curtis’s musical ability among the talents they bring to bear. Music, family loyalty, sacrifice, and the pressures of living under threat shape this crime-centered novel, which connects a young musician’s ambitions to the consequences of his father’s choices.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in fiction about classical music and a young musician’s ambitions.
  • Readers drawn to family-centered crime stories involving witness protection and personal sacrifice.

Themes

Music and ambitionFamily loyaltyWitness protectionSurvival and sacrifice

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

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

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.
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Customer reviews

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AlbakiReads
Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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Olivia

Smooth.