Ellen Wroe, a celebrated biographer, sets her sights on Cecil Woodbridge, the legendary conductor whose name reverberates through concert halls and conservatories. But Woodbridge—maestro, cellist, conductor-king—rebuffs her approach and works to thwart her efforts. Undeterred, Wroe pursues the maestro across continents—through the archives of his correspondence, into the confidences of his colleagues, and deeper still into the long shadow of his past.
With lyrical precision and atmospheric sweep, Concert Black echoes the psychological depth of Ian McEwan’s Atonement and the philosophical resonance of Julian Barnes’ The Noise of Time. From the frostbitten avenues of postwar London to the symphonic stages of Boston and Chicago, biographer and subject circle each other in an elegiac dance—until they collide in a reckoning.
“An intriguing read; O’Donnell crafts complex foils in Woodbridge and Wroe, two intense individuals at the top of their respective fields.” New City
“A gripping tale of music, friendship, and reckless ambition rendered with the masterful touch of a literary maestro.” Eric Siblin, bestselling author of The Cello Suites and The Fatal Scroll
“Concert Black is a tense and atmospheric novel about secrets, corrosive ambition, and the power of music. I tore through it.” Ed Caesar, author of The Moth and the Mountain and Two Hours
Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award, Above the Fire follows a father and son into the crucible of the mountains. Laboring under a shared loss, Doug and Tim set out on a backpacking trip in New Hampshire. When reports of war and social collapse reach the trail, parent and child withdraw into the backcountry, where they endure an alpine winter, solitude, and the fear of outsiders. As their isolation intensifies, their bond grows only more fierce–until the day they must decide whether to confront a changed world.
“A tenderly wrought father-son novel…a solid read for anyone who appreciates the stark beauty of New England.” The Boston Globe
“A captivating exploration of who we become when the world goes dark… Spellbinding.” Washington Independent Review of Books
“An utterly gripping debut novel.” Booklist (starred review)
“A bleak yet beautiful portrait of a world in crisis…poetic and crisp.” Apple Books
