The Crooked Chord

About this book

In the musical kingdom of Symphonia, every person and creature carries a melody that reveals the truth in their heart, and the Grand Truth Orchestra keeps the realm honest by playing justice into being with an enchanted conductor's baton. When that baton disappears from the rehearsal hall, melodies everywhere begin to sour, magic falters, and old arguments threaten to unravel the peace the orchestra has always protected. Twelve-year-old Ellie Brightnote, who lives among the dusty scores of the orchestra library with her stern grandmother, is certain she saw the smug young flute prodigy Leo Quaverstone hide the baton during a chaotic rehearsal. Armed with a borrowed tuning fork, a notebook full of clues that keep changing overnight, and her own wildly unreliable memory, Ellie sets out to prove what she thinks she knows. But every villager she questions, every scratch mark she examines, and every night she replays in her head seems to shift the story a little more. As the full moon deadline draws near and the village square falls silent instrument by instrument, Ellie must learn to trust a quiet boy with perfect pitch, listen to the people she was too quick to doubt, and face the uncomfortable truth that her own crooked hearing might be the reason nothing adds up. A tale of mismatched clues, mended friendships, and the surprising bravery it takes to admit when you might be wrong, for readers who love a good mystery with heart.

Book details

Genres:

Mystery, Fantasy, Middle Grade Adventure

Language:

en

Published:

2026-07-09

Content rating:

PG