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Symphony of Secrets
Talented flutist Amy Johnson's dreams come true when she wins a spot with the Minneapolis Symphony. But this amateur sleuth has trouble concentrating on the notes as she begins to see devious motives behind her fellow musicians' many mishaps.
Meanwhile, her musically talented teenage daughter wants to give it all up for - gasp - the cheerleading squad. What's a musical mom to do?
Can Amy fine-tune her investigation before the symphony is forced to close and she loses not only her dream job but her promising new relationship with the conductor?
Meanwhile, her musically talented teenage daughter wants to give it all up for - gasp - the cheerleading squad. What's a musical mom to do?
Can Amy fine-tune her investigation before the symphony is forced to close and she loses not only her dream job but her promising new relationship with the conductor?
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2008
9 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Hinck
28 books516 followershttp://www.sharonhinck.com/
Sharon writes "stories for the hero in all of us" - uplifting and entertaining novels about ordinary people called to extraordinary challenges.
She recently was awarded a Christy Award for Hidden Current. She's also won several Carol awards for both contemporary Christian fiction and fantasy, and was a Christy finalist for The Restorer - a genre-blending adventure of a soccer-mom in an alternate world.
When she isn’t wrestling with words, Sharon enjoys speaking to conferences, retreats, and church groups. She and her family make their home in the Midwest.
Sharon writes "stories for the hero in all of us" - uplifting and entertaining novels about ordinary people called to extraordinary challenges.
She recently was awarded a Christy Award for Hidden Current. She's also won several Carol awards for both contemporary Christian fiction and fantasy, and was a Christy finalist for The Restorer - a genre-blending adventure of a soccer-mom in an alternate world.
When she isn’t wrestling with words, Sharon enjoys speaking to conferences, retreats, and church groups. She and her family make their home in the Midwest.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 22, 2017
SECOND REVIEW:
This was just as good the second time as it was the first time! Love love love this book! Definitely recommend it!
FIRST REVIEW:
OH. MY. GOODNESS. WOW. JUST. WOW.
I believe Sharon Hinck has taken the place as my new favorite author! She is amazing! I have read 5+ books by her, and I have loved every one of them! Symphony is Secrets was just amazing! The plot was very well done, with plenty of mystery. The characters were well rounded and realistic. I think Peter is my favorite. He was kind of annoying at times, but still really nice. Being a musician, I LOVED the music part. (which is pretty much the whole thing.) The 'behind the scenes' of the way a symphony works was a ton of fun to read about. I also loved the musical terms and definitions at the beginning of each chapter that portrayed what the chapter would be about. So cool! This is a book I will come back to again and again!!!! I could not put it down. I read it late into the night, got up the next day and read as much as I could before school, then spent the afternoon reading it. Sharon Hinck hits it out of the ball park again!!!
CONTENT NOTE: There were a few mentions of romantic relationships, I just wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than 14, maybe. That was it though.
This was just as good the second time as it was the first time! Love love love this book! Definitely recommend it!
FIRST REVIEW:
OH. MY. GOODNESS. WOW. JUST. WOW.
I believe Sharon Hinck has taken the place as my new favorite author! She is amazing! I have read 5+ books by her, and I have loved every one of them! Symphony is Secrets was just amazing! The plot was very well done, with plenty of mystery. The characters were well rounded and realistic. I think Peter is my favorite. He was kind of annoying at times, but still really nice. Being a musician, I LOVED the music part. (which is pretty much the whole thing.) The 'behind the scenes' of the way a symphony works was a ton of fun to read about. I also loved the musical terms and definitions at the beginning of each chapter that portrayed what the chapter would be about. So cool! This is a book I will come back to again and again!!!! I could not put it down. I read it late into the night, got up the next day and read as much as I could before school, then spent the afternoon reading it. Sharon Hinck hits it out of the ball park again!!!
CONTENT NOTE: There were a few mentions of romantic relationships, I just wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than 14, maybe. That was it though.
December 1, 2016
This book. I can't even. I loved it so much! Being a musician myself totally made everything for me. I mean, she even had musical definitions and tempo markings at the beginning of each chapter! The story was just plain sweet! Single mother, Amy is struggling to keep her life together and her lifelong dream of being in an orchestra just came true. Her daughter is growing up and experiencing growing pains. They are just super sweet and real together. Struggling, like any human being. Sharon Hinck's humor and pathos were just so perfect! I would highly recommend this book!
Contains: mentions of abortion, and premarital pregnancy.
Recommended for ages 14+
Contains: mentions of abortion, and premarital pregnancy.
Recommended for ages 14+
June 12, 2011
On Monday, I uncovered a drug ring in South Minneapolis. On Tuesday, I spotted a felony theft at a country club in Edina. On Wednesday, I overheard plans for industrial espionage while staking out the back room of a workshop in St. Paul.
On Thursday, my daughter blew all my cases out of the water . . .
With these first lines from Symphony of Secrets, author Sharon Hinck ushers us into the slightly-zany mind of single mom and talented flutist, Amy Johnson. As a crime novel buff, Amy is always on the lookout for a real-life mystery to solve, yet she can’t seem to follow the clues that lead to understanding her daughter’s heart—much less, her own.
Amy is flawed and funny and filled with an overabundance of imagination. She’s a main character who works her way into your heart until you’re ready to follow her into any fictional situation. I found myself rejoicing to see her win a spot with the Minneapolis Symphony (which brings her to the attention of the handsome conductor) and empathizing with the self-doubts that swamp her as she pursues her dream.
When she attempts to discover who is sabotaging the symphony and steps out of her comfort zone to connect with the non-musical mothers of the cheerleading squad, some of her antics made me laugh out loud.
But, for me, her bravest moments come when she faces her past, acknowledges the pain she has caused, and finds a way to move forward in love.
If you’ve ever yearned for a dream, loved someone enough to sacrifice for them, stumbled a time or two on the path of life, or experienced blessings in unexpected ways, you’ll be charmed by this book.
And here’s some advice for other aspiring writers out there: read this book!
In a class Sharon Hinck recently taught for American Fiction Christian Writers, she emphasized that “one of the keys to writing was to help your reader build a relationship with the characters.”
Since Sharon demonstrates this so successfully with the creation of Amy Johnson, this story is a great study in character development.
On Thursday, my daughter blew all my cases out of the water . . .
With these first lines from Symphony of Secrets, author Sharon Hinck ushers us into the slightly-zany mind of single mom and talented flutist, Amy Johnson. As a crime novel buff, Amy is always on the lookout for a real-life mystery to solve, yet she can’t seem to follow the clues that lead to understanding her daughter’s heart—much less, her own.
Amy is flawed and funny and filled with an overabundance of imagination. She’s a main character who works her way into your heart until you’re ready to follow her into any fictional situation. I found myself rejoicing to see her win a spot with the Minneapolis Symphony (which brings her to the attention of the handsome conductor) and empathizing with the self-doubts that swamp her as she pursues her dream.
When she attempts to discover who is sabotaging the symphony and steps out of her comfort zone to connect with the non-musical mothers of the cheerleading squad, some of her antics made me laugh out loud.
But, for me, her bravest moments come when she faces her past, acknowledges the pain she has caused, and finds a way to move forward in love.
If you’ve ever yearned for a dream, loved someone enough to sacrifice for them, stumbled a time or two on the path of life, or experienced blessings in unexpected ways, you’ll be charmed by this book.
And here’s some advice for other aspiring writers out there: read this book!
In a class Sharon Hinck recently taught for American Fiction Christian Writers, she emphasized that “one of the keys to writing was to help your reader build a relationship with the characters.”
Since Sharon demonstrates this so successfully with the creation of Amy Johnson, this story is a great study in character development.
May 11, 2018
The main character, Amy Johnson, has lots of trust issues which is part of what drives her to look for mysteries even when there real aren’t any. Fortunately for the Symphony, Amy is afraid they will close and she will loose any possibility of playing with a Symphony. This drives her to keep looking into the strange things going on at the Symphony.
Unfortunately for the reader (or in my case listener), the other areas Amy is afraid to trust people make her kind of annoying. The story is interesting but I only recommend it if you don’t have other books you want to read.
Unfortunately for the reader (or in my case listener), the other areas Amy is afraid to trust people make her kind of annoying. The story is interesting but I only recommend it if you don’t have other books you want to read.
November 16, 2017
I love how the author writes a story that involves a touch of God but without beating the reader over the head with it. So many authors of christian fiction are rather heavy handed and come off as preachy and/or unrealistic, but I really appreciate Hinck's deft touch. I also appreciate the main character - flawed, yet human - caught up in an interesting career but also with actual dirty laundry and bake sales to deal with. A touch of humor, a touch of romance, and an overall lovely read.
April 18, 2020
We all will make mistakes in life, but there is no past so dirty or broken that God cannot heal and redeem. Life won't always go the way that we think it will, but God always has a plan that far exceeds anything we could ever imagine or ask for. We just have to let Him move in ways that only He can.
July 3, 2020
I was almost halfway through the book before it finally caught my interest. The ending was incomplete to me, almost as if there should be a second part. I did enjoy how the protagonist saved the day, although I knew who was responsible pretty quickly.
November 28, 2022
Very interesting! The main character wasn’t very likable at times but she seemed real. I liked the mystery aspect in the book and was nice to see a book where romance wasn’t really prevalent. I would love to see a second book that goes deeper into her faith journey and maybe even a budding romance.
February 16, 2022
Check it out. I know you want to... Yes, you do.
May 30, 2011
I was first introduced to Sharon Hinck as an author through her "Sword of Lyric" trilogy, which I thought was absolutely amazing. In "Symphony of Secrets" Hinck shows off her versatility as a writer, switching from fantasy to a modern day tale of a professional flutist looking to finally break into the Minneapolis Symphony.
Amy Johnson is a single mother and a bit of an amateur sleuth, both of which often put her in uncomfortable situations. She'd much rather lose herself in practicing her music. When the Symphony holds auditions for an opening at the second flute position, Amy hopes she can fulfill her dream and move past the 15-year stigma of needing to choose responsibility over dream.
But is her dream all that she has expected it would be? The first flutist is snotty, the conductor is new, the concertmaster is a flirt, and someone is out to sabotage many of the performances! Amy determines to get to the bottom of what is going on, and hopefully save both the Symphony from dissolving and her own trial contract with them.
Although I found Amy a character I could not relate to personally, I enjoyed this story very much. The villain is masked in such a way that you suspect many of the characters and can never be sure about any one of them. I also learned a lot of tips about orchestras and musicians which I've now found myself watching for in real life, such as if a pair of violinists are bowing in unison. Very interesting!
I'll continue watching for other Sharon Hinck titles to come my way in the future!
This review originally appeared at http://wwww.reviewsbyerin.livejournal...
Amy Johnson is a single mother and a bit of an amateur sleuth, both of which often put her in uncomfortable situations. She'd much rather lose herself in practicing her music. When the Symphony holds auditions for an opening at the second flute position, Amy hopes she can fulfill her dream and move past the 15-year stigma of needing to choose responsibility over dream.
But is her dream all that she has expected it would be? The first flutist is snotty, the conductor is new, the concertmaster is a flirt, and someone is out to sabotage many of the performances! Amy determines to get to the bottom of what is going on, and hopefully save both the Symphony from dissolving and her own trial contract with them.
Although I found Amy a character I could not relate to personally, I enjoyed this story very much. The villain is masked in such a way that you suspect many of the characters and can never be sure about any one of them. I also learned a lot of tips about orchestras and musicians which I've now found myself watching for in real life, such as if a pair of violinists are bowing in unison. Very interesting!
I'll continue watching for other Sharon Hinck titles to come my way in the future!
This review originally appeared at http://wwww.reviewsbyerin.livejournal...
October 13, 2008
The plot summary on the book leads you to believe that this is a mystery. Indeed there is the mystery of who is sabotaging the concertmaster of the symphony our heroine has just joined. But the real story is one of a woman at a crossroad in her life. Amy has just landed her dream job of symphony musician after dropping out of Julliard to raise a daughter alone. Said daughter is now a teenager who just dropped out of music lessons to join the cheerleading squad, and is also asking questions about the father she doesn't know anything about, all much to her mother's chagrin. Amy is forced to join the "cheerleader moms" in support of her daughter's new activity, yet feels she has nothing in common with any of them. Meanwhile Amy's best friend has just found happiness in a church and keeps encouraging her and daughter to go. When they finally do, daughter Clara (as in Schumann, of course) enjoys it and Amy herself becomes even more confused about the life she thought she had built for them.
The story has many layers although the prose in this book is simple. Most of the characters are fairly one dimensional, but I still enjoyed the read in some collegiate musical nostalgia fashion. Each chapter starts with a musical term and the definition which match the tone of the story in that chapter. The symphony musicians trade hilarious musical jokes throughout. And the author has definitely captured perfectly what it is like to live and breathe music above all else, right down to the insecure and yet still huge egos of the classical musician.
The story has many layers although the prose in this book is simple. Most of the characters are fairly one dimensional, but I still enjoyed the read in some collegiate musical nostalgia fashion. Each chapter starts with a musical term and the definition which match the tone of the story in that chapter. The symphony musicians trade hilarious musical jokes throughout. And the author has definitely captured perfectly what it is like to live and breathe music above all else, right down to the insecure and yet still huge egos of the classical musician.
February 16, 2014
I enjoyed every page of this book! Hinck employs wit and angst as you follow Amy, a musical geek trying to fulfill her dreams. She's a single mom whose mind revolves around her music and providing for her daughter, but forgets about things like laundry and meals. I hate to admit I could relate, but as a literary artist, I was right there with her.
When her daughter makes the cheerleading squad, Amy feels like a jazz solo without a rhythm. These super-moms are hip and with-it, crafty, slender and know how to French-braid. Poor Amy can barely make a ponytail straight for her daughter. But what she can do is find a mystery in every action around her, causing her no end of trouble.
All this makes for one delightful read as it explores the relationship between a quirky mom and her daughter. A story of love and forgiveness and characters that will live on in your heart even after you turned the last page. I give it a very high recommendation.
When her daughter makes the cheerleading squad, Amy feels like a jazz solo without a rhythm. These super-moms are hip and with-it, crafty, slender and know how to French-braid. Poor Amy can barely make a ponytail straight for her daughter. But what she can do is find a mystery in every action around her, causing her no end of trouble.
All this makes for one delightful read as it explores the relationship between a quirky mom and her daughter. A story of love and forgiveness and characters that will live on in your heart even after you turned the last page. I give it a very high recommendation.
November 5, 2012
I enjoyed listening to this book. Lots of information about professional musicians. I realized that it is probably a good thing that I didn't actually fulfill my 5th grade dream of being a concert pianist. I loved the definitions of musical terms at the beginning of each chapter that had something to do with the tone of that chapter.
I loved the flawed character Amy. Her daughter Clara was almost too good to be true. I wish we could have gotten more of a glimpse into Peter the conductor's thoughts. Why did he suddenly not suspect Amy of sabotage? Also, I thought it needed more closure to the ending. He finally asks her out for real and it ends? How is that a good ending? I really liked it anyway, though.
I loved the flawed character Amy. Her daughter Clara was almost too good to be true. I wish we could have gotten more of a glimpse into Peter the conductor's thoughts. Why did he suddenly not suspect Amy of sabotage? Also, I thought it needed more closure to the ending. He finally asks her out for real and it ends? How is that a good ending? I really liked it anyway, though.
January 10, 2008
Sharon Hinck’s upcoming novel, Symphony of Secrets, takes a turn from any of her other writings. It’s filled with Hinck’s funny, charming writing style, but has a bit of mystery added in.
Symphony of Secrets is set in the Twin Cities of Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul) and features quite a few references to places that locals will recognize. The novel centers around flutist Amy Johnson, a single mother who dreams of playing with the symphony. Currently a music teacher, Amy longs for the stage and yet has chosen the safer, steady income of a teacher.
To read the rest of this review, visit Trashionista
Symphony of Secrets is set in the Twin Cities of Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul) and features quite a few references to places that locals will recognize. The novel centers around flutist Amy Johnson, a single mother who dreams of playing with the symphony. Currently a music teacher, Amy longs for the stage and yet has chosen the safer, steady income of a teacher.
To read the rest of this review, visit Trashionista
October 13, 2013
On the one hand, I enjoyed the music references, even though I am not a musician (I am a piano lesson drop out). On the other hand, I disliked the main character. I kept trying to figure out whether that was because of the way she was written or the way the narrator read her (I listened to an audiobook). I think it was the first. I also figured out "whodunit" early on, so that was disappointing. I have mixed feelings about the "inspirational" part of the story--sometimes it seemed too much.
July 16, 2008
OK...so this book was probably a little cheesy and over the top...but it was a fun little mystery romance that had symphony in the title...so I had to read it. It is basically a "christian" romance novel where the main character is a little nutty...but that's only because she's a musician which explains her obsessive behaviors. Soooo, I don't know if others would like it or laugh as much at the musical puns...but it was a quick easy read.
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July 24, 2011This was all right, but (especially compared to the Sword of Lyric trilogy, which was incredible) also pretty boring. and Amy's whole sleuthing fixation drove me nuts. Although i will say that i appreciated the focus on music throughout the book (i like how she mentally plays a scale instead of counting to ten when she gets angry). On the whole, however, this was something of a disappointment, for me.
May 10, 2016
Musical Mayhem
When brilliant flutist Amy Johnson, a single mom & professional musician with a serious Miss Marple complex & a secret that's isolated her who's hoping to land her dream job is pursued by G-d anything can happen and truly does!
The music saturates each page and leaps into your heart even as Amy's in your face obnoxiousness pierces through... Who knew being a mom is as funny as it is gut wrenching?
When brilliant flutist Amy Johnson, a single mom & professional musician with a serious Miss Marple complex & a secret that's isolated her who's hoping to land her dream job is pursued by G-d anything can happen and truly does!
The music saturates each page and leaps into your heart even as Amy's in your face obnoxiousness pierces through... Who knew being a mom is as funny as it is gut wrenching?
September 11, 2009
I never give a book 5 stars but this was amazing. I am a harpist and the main characters best friend plays the harp. It talks about phantom of the ppera. ( a major love of mine) It is a mystery which was great.
It even quoted my life mantra "IF" by rudyard Kipling. It had a lot of jokes in it that only make sense if you play music. It was absolutely perfect for my personality.
It even quoted my life mantra "IF" by rudyard Kipling. It had a lot of jokes in it that only make sense if you play music. It was absolutely perfect for my personality.
November 7, 2008
I loved Sharon's Restorer series. I've had Symphony of Secrets for awhile and finally got around to reading it. This was a delightful book. Anyone who loves music will enjoy the detail and the struggles the heroine had with being a part of an orchestra. I wish Sharon had a sequel to this one.
July 2, 2009
Listened to the audio, loved the information about the symphony, really enjoyed the reader who created the abrasive personality of Amy Johnson very well. Also liked the Christian element and the look at the music through a critical eye.
September 11, 2010
humor with suspense
March 19, 2013
Excellent! Grabbed my attention from the first page.
August 6, 2015
Loved this book!!
July 25, 2018
This was a fun cozy mystery. The mother-daughter relationship was very realistic and touching. A little more romance would have been nice.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews