Mountain Solo

After a disastrous concert, a teenage musical prodigy who’s sick of the stress heads to Montana to figure out her next step . . .

From the moment Tess picked up the violin as a child, it was clear she wasn’t like other kids. She was a prodigy, and at sixteen her life is that of a virtuoso-to-be: constant training, special schools, and a big debut before an audience of thousands.

But when she blows her moment in the spotlight, she throws it all away, moves from New York City to join her father and his new family in Montana, and tries to lead a normal life—whatever that is.

But she’s hardly arrived when she is drawn into a mystery: a hunt for the wilderness homestead of a lost pioneer who played violin himself. Maybe, through his story, Tess will figure out how to handle the expectations of others, and what she really wants for herself . . .

“The characters are likeable, and their love of music shines through . . . For anyone fascinated by the power of music and its effects on individuals’ lives.” —School Library Journal