The Brand New Book from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop!Hewn by a master and passed down through generations, one violin charts its own course through history…
Baggage claim agent Devlin, retired teacher Walter, and appraiser Gabrielle should have nothing in common, but when a single choice sets in motion a new chapter in the violin’s story, they finally feel a part of something – something that matters, and which makes them matter.
Because as their search for the violin’s origins unlocks a mystery stretching back decades, the instrument teaches them a melody they never expected.
Baggage claim agent Devlin, retired teacher Walter, and appraiser Gabrielle should have nothing in common, but when a single choice sets in motion a new chapter in the violin’s story, they finally feel a part of something – something that matters, and which makes them matter.
Because as their search for the violin’s origins unlocks a mystery stretching back decades, the instrument teaches them a melody they never expected.
Title: The Violin Maker's Secret
Author: Evie Woods
Publisher: HarperCollins
Expected Publication Date: February 24, 2026
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for providing me with a copy of this this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Every once in a while an author comes along and they tell stories that grip you so tightly it's hard to put them down. Evie Woods is one of those authors for me. Her stories are so compelling and full of interesting characters I want to dive in and experience the plot right along with them. The Violin Maker's Secret did that for me. I was sad to ever have to put it down (but a person must eat, sleep, and work!).
Woods's books are imbued with amazing magical realism. This one gave us an anthropomorphized violin. I absolutely adored having this instrument's point of view in the book to tell us the violin's history of travel and who had played it. I also grew very attached to the three main characters: Walter, Gabrielle, and Devlin. It was fun to watch their lives intersect because of the violin and how their coming together truly felt fated.
Without going into grave detail about the book, there is a mysterious plot that is a bit thrilling. This part of the book kept me on my toes and helped move the story along well. At the same time, we learn about each of the main character's faults and problems and see how their friendship enables them to become the people they were truly meant to be.
This book is told in third person. I bring this up because many people don't like this type of writing. There were a few times when I wasn't sure whose head I was in, I will admit to that. I had to go back and start reading paragraphs again. This is something that did cause me to drop my rating a bit, though not by much (4.5/5 stars in the end). So, while you get several points of view in the book, the only one you know for sure is the violin as those chapters are actually labeled that way. The violin chapters give a bit of a history lesson, as well. You will definitely see some famous names pop up.
There is something magical about music. I have been playing instruments most of my life as well and listening to all types of music and it is truly amazing what song can do for you: mind, body, and soul. How it can touch each individual in such a profound way it can actually change their lives. I loved the idea that this violin was the voice of Clara (not going to go into how as that may spoil things for people).
Speaking of magic, Woods has a way of infusing this into her stories leaving you to wonder if such things can truly happen and I love that. I want to be swept away in fantasy but at the same time know it's something I could possibly experience in my own life.
I'm pretty sure there's nothing that Woods will write that I will not love. I really do love her writing style. I've read all her books and they just get better and better as she hones her craft. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
4.5/5 stars
Author:
Evie Woods is the author of The Lost Bookshop, the #1 Wall Street Journal and Amazon Kindle and Sunday Times bestseller, which has now sold over half a million copies. She is also the author of The Story Collector, The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris under her real name, Evie Gaughan.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, Evie escapes the inclement weather by writing her stories in a converted attic, where she dreams of underfloor heating. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, Evie escapes the inclement weather by writing her stories in a converted attic, where she dreams of underfloor heating. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
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