Tenderwire: A Gripping Psychological Thriller Where a Rare Violin Obsession Becomes a Suspenseful Nightmare

by Claire Kilroy

Brilliant, fast-paced, and highly suspenseful, Tenderwire tells the story of a reckless young musician and her obsession with a very old violin.

Eva Tyne leaves her home in Ireland for New York to play in the New Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra. She collapses after her solo debut, checks herself out of the hospital prematurely, and embarks on a chaotic and dangerous odyssey. She falls in love with a mysterious man and becomes obsessed with a rare violin of dubious provenance, for which she must pay in cash. But consumed by obsession, her pursuit of the violin becomes a nightmare of Haunted by the ghost of her father, racked with jealousy, and unsure whom she can trust, Eva is pitched into a desperate psychological conundrum as her desires threaten to destroy her.

Narrated in Eva's unforgettable and unreliable voice, Tenderwire is a guessing game and a whodunit that surprises at every turn.

Genres: Fiction, Irish Literature, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Ireland, Novels, Female Authors

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Claire Kilroy is the author of five novels including Soldier Sailor, All Summer, Tenderwire, and The Devil I Know. She was awarded the Rooney Prize in 2004 and has been shortlisted for many other prizes, including the Irish Novel of the Year and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. She studied at Trinity College and lives in Dublin.

Reviews

[Kuszma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ennek a könyvnek a főszereplőjét valójában Magdalenának hívják. Magdalena del Gesùnak. Eposzi jelzője pedig az lehetne, hogy az "angyali hangú", és a regény jelentős részét azzal tölti, hogy 1.) az elbeszélő álla alá van szorítva 2.) egy sötét tokba várja, miként alakul sorsa. Mert Magdalena del Gesù egy hegedű, mégpedig - mint arisztokratikus neve is sejtetni engedi - rohadt drága hegedű, az árából simán kifutná egy villa a Svábhegyen, khm, tokkal-vonóval. Gazdája a feltörekvő szólista, Eva, aki finoman szólva is gyanús körülmények között jutott hozzá, és mint a gyanús körülmények közt szerzett rohadt drága dolgok általában, káosszá változtatja az amúgy is labilis lelkiállapotúnak tűnő tulajdonos életét.



Bizonyos tekintetben ez egy atipikus krimi, ahol az igazi kérdés nem a bűncselekmény elkövetésének miértje és hogyanja, hanem hogy egyáltalán történt-e bűntény, vagy legalábbis fog-e történni. Ez a feszültség végig egyfajta disszonanciaként zsizseg a szövegben - mintha egy hegedűfutamot hallanánk, ami valamiért nem hangzik úgy, ahogy hangoznia kéne, csak épp az istennek nem jövünk rá, miért. És az ezen való gondolkodás olyan izgalmakat csempész a műélvezetbe, hogy szinte már nem is érdekes, maga a darab jó-e.

[GTF · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Tenderwire' is a very well written tale of one woman's quest to possess one of the most well crafted stringed instruments in the world: a Stradivarius violin. The novel's excellence is largely due to the first person narration of an interesting female protagonist called Eva, a young Irish violinist living and working in New York. Eva has many facets to her character; she's reckless but high functioning, she's ruthless but classy, she's musically gifted but street smart. The stylish and sharp narration of Eva's risky journey in this novel deserves a lot of credit, but the novel's premise deserves praise too; a story based on the illegal sale of one of the most elusive violins in the world is not a story line you come across very often, and it was interesting for an author to write a story around such a fresh idea.

It's exciting to have come across this author Claire Kilroy. I look forward to reading more of her novels.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not put this book down once I started reading. I picked it up the week it was launched and tried to wait patiently for myself to finish reading Ulysses. You might not be surprised to discover that I let Kilroy interrupt Joyce. It's not that I don't like reading Ulysses (and its annotations)--I do, immensely--it's just that I was on holiday and I've finished my degree and...I don't need to try so hard to explain this, do I? At any rate, one can feel the tension in this book the way one can feel sound. It's subtle and omnipresent. I read Joyce for his work on internal discourses. I read Tenderwire without any premeditated intentions; maybe that's why I could feel the book work on me.

[Catherine Philhower · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much to be said about the plot of "Tenderwire" - classical violinist Eva Tyne cashes in her savings in order to purchase a rare violin of dubious origin. Falls in love (sort of) with a man who is also somewhat dubious, stays in love with a man who is seeing her best friend, and pursues her career while evading those who would repossess her violin. All of which is told in such a way that the result is a sharp, lyrical, and actually very suspenseful narrative.The story reveals itself in slow, surprising layers, lots of flashback and interesting twists. Above all this, Claire Kilroy creates in Eva a character who is so real - genuine in her flaws, rich in humor, consumed by jealousy and paranoia. It is impossible not to empathize with her, and I found myself rooting for her from the beginning. Fantastic ending as well, but no spoilers from me!

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book I've read recently by Claire Kilroy and the one that has impressed me the most. I found it totally absorbing - and nearly gave it 5*, something I don't do very often! Part psychological study and part thriller, I found it kept me guessing to the very end, and she dealt with all the suspense expertly. I really recommend this one, most definitely a "good read".

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it's just that I've been ready to read something wacky and different. I love an unreliable narrator, and this one is completely unreliable. She's making irrational decisions, and the reader doesn't get the reasons until other characters do. As a reader, one has to be sharp to catch what's happening when it happens, although explanation will turn up. I had to read the end three times (once on page 20, once when I finished, and once again because I didn't get it... no lie). That was a good thing.

[Paloma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars. Although jumpy at times, the story reminded me a bit of Pérez Reverte's plots (not the writing, just the plot).

[Christin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love bookshopping in Ireland. I never fail to lay my hands on an intriguing title and Tenderwire is a particular triumph as it was on the sale table and cost me 3.99 EU. The novel is the story of traumatized violinist Eva Tyne and her misadventures in NYC while on a quest for a rare del Ghisu violin that she names Magdalena. What I admire most about Kilroy's writing is its subtlety, when writing "thrillers" I often find that many writers overplay and swerve too rapidly to give the plot oomph. Kilroy is not guilty of this offense in the slightest. The careful pacing and revealing of Tenderwire is like a well-played sonata, building to the haunting crescendo. Highly recommended for those interested in music and/or suspense.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this is misleading; too much a generic thriller and it is only when well into it - and already seduced - that its relevance becomes known. Because this is not at all a generic thriller, no murders and no threat to life. but full of tensions of a different sort, within a world I know little of but which is sufficiently well-evoked for me to fully understand and enjoy it, and to appreciate its gentle, inevitable progress to the excellent end. Certainly I'll look out for more of Claire Kilroy's writing.

[Blaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the main character in this book to be maddening in her unreliability and impulsiveness, but have to admit that without her faults there would be no story. And it is a good story. The action is well-paced, and there was at least one plot twist that I didn't see coming. Unfortunately I did see the last plot twist coming a mile away. Still, the dramatic tension built over the course of the story until at the end I pretty much couldn't put it down.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to assess. The main character, a young professional violinist, was self-centered & constantly made really bad choices. And the story is that she becomes obsessed with & buys a violin of dubious provenance. It doesn't sound like much of a story, it's not really believable, & she doesn't seem to be a character one would care much about, but somehow it was a real page-turner, one that I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next.

[Phoenix211 · Rating 5 out of 5]

very well done. fast paced and lyrical. i am finding the irish truly do have the gift of gab.

[Robin Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The voice of a troubled and unreliable narrator:

"I sat in the backseat with my arms wrapped around my violin case and gazed at the people on the street, just as I had gazed at them on the trip home for four nights running. But whereas it had given me comfort before, knowing they were all out there, going about their business, now they seemed sinister. The exact same people doing the exact same things, as if trapped in a routine they couldn't break. There are two recurring notions that trouble me: the first, that life is so big as to be unmanageable; the second, that it is so small as to be inescapable.. It'll either tie me down or cast me adrift, and I don't know which frightens me more.

The book is divided into four parts, following the Four Seasons of Antonio Vivaldi. This isn't much help in deciphering the action, which mainly takes place in New York City and centers on the story of Eva and her obsessive desire to possess a historic violin. I found it all pretty confusing. But my interest was sustained to the end. Enjoyed her recent Soldier Sailor much more.

[Anne Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Tenderwire in one gulp. It is a short beautifully paced, tension filled story, told in the first person by a woman determined to pursue her career as a soloist violin player at any cost to herself and others. She is an exceptional musician, a talent honed by her skill and decades of disciplined instruction and practice. The plot revolves around her desire to secure and hold onto an instrument of pure sound but with undocumented origins. As a reader, I viewed the tricky world from behind Eva’s eyes, living in her thoughts, entangled in her interactions, participating in her actions and decision making as she tries to live a whole life after the sudden disappearance of her father. But Eva too is tricky, revealed to the reader in short interruptions of concern for her health and well-being by colleagues and friends, who at the same time distance themselves from her. Intriguing story, sharply observed and tenderly written by author Claire Kilroy - a highly recommended read. I am off to the library today to find more of this new to me author’s books.

[Della O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book n patches. In other patches I thought why is this chapter here. Story of a young Irsh violinist wholives in New York and has a very successful carrer. She buys a violin off a dodgy dealer with inevitable consequences, but none as bad as anticipated. She falls in love, falls out of friendships. Keeps you engaged.

[Kate Costello-Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t actually think the summary given is a good summary of the book...I like the slow unfolding of details of Eva’s psychological state and learning about the world of violins and orchestras. There are some red herrings that I am ambivalent about but the character development is just excellent to me. 4.5 stars!

[Mariele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this too long ago to remember it in detail. Having enjoyed "The Devil I Know" immensely, I was hoping for a supernatural element which never came, so this led to some degree of disappointment. However, "Tenderwire" is a well-written, wonderfully atmospheric novel with excellent characterisations and a tight-knitted, cogent plot.

[Ishvani H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up in hopes of reading something light and short. While I'm not sure about the former, I must say that this novel was quite a page turner! Beautifully narrated even though I found the protagonist to be cringe-worthy at times.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixth and final book I read in 2011 that I "judged by the cover" about a woman's quest to find a rare violin. It had promise and was taut in places but seemed disjointed and lost its way throughout. (6.5)

[Daniele Pheeney · Rating 2 out of 5]

i found it hard to like the protagonist and therefore all of the consequences of her mistakes she's self-centered , suspicious, paranoid & cares little about how her actions affect the people around her who actually don't deserve her disdain. fast read though. & ghosts.

[janine ♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why, maybe my mind's afloat but I really can't digest this one.

[lexie · Rating 1 out of 5]

title misleading i hate this book

[Patricia van Emden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het verhaal was origineel. Toch geef ik het boek drie sterren omdat soms was het verhaal wat zweverig en het duurde wat eer er een aantal zaken wat duidelijk werden.

[lorrainelowereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. Highly recommend this book. Edgy and tense from the opening pages, it is extremely well written with a plot that keeps you going till the very last page. Really good read!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young Irish woman, Eva, has left Ireland to pursue a career as a classic violinist in New York. (And we can’t forget her cat, Ming, apparently a New York cat, not an Irish one, who figures prominently in Eva’s life and appears on most pages of the book.)

The story begins with Eva’s getting sick. She goes to a hospital and leaves it. We aren’t told what occurred in between the going and the leaving or even what the sickness was all about.

For the next 60 pages or so, Eva is a character I could not sympathize with. I couldn’t like her. She bar hops, picks up men, drinks more than I would think a body can stand, and vomits for 60 pages. Why, I wondered, was this book a best seller in the United Kingdom?

But I was curious enough to stick with it because one of Eva’s apparently poor decisions while she was drunk was to fall in love with a violin, which she subsequently goes to great lengths to possess. Then the book gets interesting, and all other characters (except dear little Ming) seem suspicious.

It’s not until about 7/8 of the way through TENDERWIRE that Kilroy gives a plausible explanation for Eva’s behavior in the first 60 pages of the book. But all in all I liked TENDERWIRE and am glad I read beyond page 60.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. I read it in two days. It follows the story of Eva Tyne who is a concert violin soloist who has just made her debut in NYC. Originally from Ireland, she is making her way as a violinist in the States. After a crazy rush to the hospital on the night of her debut, she meets a man in a bar who changes the course of her life. She later meets a man from Russia who finds out that she is a violinist and he offers her a rare deal on a violin that might just be a Stadivarius. There are only so many of them in the world and they are the most expensive violins to date. This story follows Eva's spiral into self-doubt and desire as she starts her quest to be the owner of this amazing and intriguing violin. Claire Kilroy did a wonderful job of making me feel the anxiety and adrenaline along with the protagonist. I highly recommend this book to anyone look for some great intrigue. You don't have to be a violinist to enjoy it but being one myself, I was able to enjoy it even more understanding the music and violin references.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw and intriguing, Kilroy's second novel is an unusual one quite unlike many traditional mysteries. She winds perplexities with hints of naivete and innocence, making for a very interesting read.

While being advertised as a mystery thriller, I disagree, and viewed it more as a mysterious drama. Kilroy's characters spring off the page and her prose is excellent. It is truly amazing what she can do with an Irish girl, a missing father, a chance encounter with a strange man to acquire an invaluable violin, and a desperation to understand her life.

[Jef Goelz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinarily well-written book. I loved it. and I hated it for two severe plotting problems. First, the narrator never discloses the result of an emergency hospital visit until 70% of the way into the book, although she was in the hospital near the beginning of the book. It's not a trivial thing, so why wouldn't the character think about it? Near the end of the book, she again withholds information from the reader, although the narrator knew it all along. If this wasn't written in first person, I wouldn't have minded.

[Paul M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Really enjoyed this, though it was a tense read. Eva, our protagonist, was very frustrating but always compelling, and I found myself rooting for her throughout, despite her self destructive behaviour. Tenderwire almost reminded me of the film Black Swan, both stories are about a vulnerable woman involved in the arts, but while Black Swan deals with stress over a show, Tenderwire deals with an obsession with an instrument. Beautifully written and hard to put down. I would absolutely recommend this to a friend.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tight little page turning who-done-it. (Thanks Mike!) Irish violinist, Eva Tyne comes to NY to set the world afire with her skills. As she reaches new highs of fame, events find her newly adrift in the sea of love and encountering dark and unseemly characters, thus changing the course of her life. Intrigue-lite kept me turning the pages enjoying the characters (and wanting more "flesh" to some of them). Won't give anything away, but recommend this as a solid page-turner.