Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Stradivari Formula is a well written mystery thriller/espionage novel by luthier Grit Laskin. Due out 1st June 2024 by indie Canadian publisher Fitzhenry & Whiteside, it's 334 pages and will be available in paperback format.
Engaging, very much action driven plot which features a well known fictitious luthier tasked with repairing a Stradivarius guitar (yes, his studio apparently made some). It's a little bit of wish fulfillment, the author's a talented luthier himself, and why not? Although it's not derivative in any way, there's a definite "Da Vinci Code" vibe, with a medieval/renaissance mystery come down to the protagonists almost accidentally from the past, full of secret agents and ruthless bad guys.
It's a fun romp, and very theatrical. It would make a good action movie. Being deeply personally knowledgeable about stringed instruments and the high-end world of luthiers and their customers has definitely helped with the verisimilitude. It's full of really interesting (otherwise hidden to regular people) facts and minutiae on guitars, wood, music, crafting processes, and musicians.
There is some violence, though not egregious. The opening scene is painful to read (destruction of personal property on a catastrophic scale), but the book resolves satisfyingly.
Four stars. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition and home collections. Since it's from an indie publisher, it might not be on the general ALA radar lists. Worth the effort to acquire.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.