The Lark Ascending

W. Bruce Wrigley is a Toronto-based bank treasury advisor.

Rick Blechta’s second novel takes the reader into the world of
classical music and solo performance. It is the story of an
up-and-coming violin soloist and her husband (both serve as narrators)
who travel to London for a competition. The prize is a Stradivarius
violin. The competitors stay in a hotel where (unknown to them) a known
arms dealer is staying. It is the principal characters’ proximity to
this nest of ne’er-do-wells that sets events in motion.

The book does a credible job of combining mystery, suspense, and a
realistic picture of the world of standard classical repertoire. The
author has a gift for ending a chapter at a critical point in the
action, propelling the reader on. Besides being a good story, the novel
gives a superb account of the day-to-day life of classical musicians.
Readers will be tempted to buy some, or all, of the repertoire described
in this highly recommended story.