The Stradivarius

“Goddamn if this isn’t a delicious, Ingrid Bergman Gaslight (1944) vibes—just as thrilling and tantalizing. Rae Knowles is on my insta-buy list!”
—Sadie Hartmann, Author of 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered, Bram Stoker Awards® nominated editor

Rae Knowles writes beautifully and precisely. The Stradivarius is an unforgettable read!
—Samantha Kolesnik, author of Waif and True Crime

“The Stradivarius is claustrophobia incarnate. Each turn of the page creeps walls closer in with cracks opening in their old, Victorian wood for eyes to peep through; even the air feels too thick for sound to traverse…Knowles masterfully constructs a mystery that twists and turns in places one least expects; even when the pieces seem to all fit together, both the main character, Mae, and you the reader will be forced to question everything with the rampant gaslighting that nails self doubt in among the tight wooden walls. With such a visceral and realised world that often feels alive, the rising feminine rage that boils right until the last page, and a well thought out mystery that seems to always be a few steps ahead of you, The Stradivarius is an absolute must have.”
—Sapphire Lazuli, Author, Blogger at sapphirelazuli.com, & Youtube Video Essayist @sapphicsapph

“Taught as the strings of the legendary violin itself, Knowles' Thriller will captivate you from the first page to the last. Non-Binary representation, Sapphic elements, this is a very special book.”
—Chance Forshee, Curator of Horror

When a surprise inheritance and whirlwind romance offer Mae a chance to escape her repressive aunt, she’s all too eager to elope and start life anew in her childhood home. But when she and her new husband arrive, the towering Victorian sits in disrepair, and Mae learns that her father’s decade-old, unsolved murder is still a source of rumor and speculation in town.

Leading the charge to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death is Ollie, a vibrant genderqueer and an outsider in their hometown. Sure that solving the cold case will land them a coveted job in the police department, Ollie gains access to the Victorian by agreeing to do maintenance work on the property.

Inside, Mae is taunted by a feminine specter, soft voices from empty rooms, and distinct melodies of Lady Paola: the priceless, Stradivarius violin stolen the night of her father’s murder.

Forte, mezzo-forte, the measured, andante cadence.

Her hiss, her pull, her scream.

Mae fears the house is haunted by her father’s spirit, her husband believes she’s going the way of her mother–slipping into madness, but Ollie suspects something more sinister is at play. If Ollie and Mae can’t work together to uncover the Victorian’s secrets, Mae will join her mother in an institution or her father in the grave.