Book Review: Symphony of Secrets

Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Brendan Slocumb's Symphony of Secrets is three novels mashed together into one book: a poignant narrative about brilliant musicians navigating a prejudiced world, a Grisham-esque thriller involving corporate espionage and institutional racism, and a historical mystery that invokes Dan Brown. The final product is a flawed novel that vacillates between inspired and mundane, much like the performance of a middling musician who has not yet hit his stride.

Symphony of Secrets is framed by the story of a music professor, Dr. Bern Hendricks, who is tasked with piecing together a recently recovered opera from a world-renowned composer: Frederic Delaney. Along with his computer-guru friend, Eboni Washington, Bern uncovers a mystery that threatens to upend Delaney’s legacy and his well-respected organization, the Delaney Foundation. Jumping back and forth in time between present day and the early twentieth century (1918-1926), Slocumb presents parallel tales that address racism, sexism, and the prejudices that stifle the unsung geniuses around us.

While Slocumb absolutely thrives in his depiction of Josephine Reed, a neurodivergent musician-songwriter in 1920s America, he falters in his attempts to emulate Grisham and Brown. One can only hope that he takes cues from James McBride and Nick Hornby, and focuses on the beauty of “regular” lives unencumbered by cliched tropes and trite plot lines. Who needs a handgun and horrible acts of violence, when you have a moving story with heartfelt characters and earnest emotion? Hopefully, Slocumb will soar to greater heights with his future endeavors. He has the talent at his fingertips: now he just needs to compose his masterpiece.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (3/5)

View all my reviews