THE RAGTIME KID
It
is the turn of the 20th century and all 15 year old Brun Campbell
wants to do is to learn how to play ragtime. In order to do
that, he'll have to leave Oklahoma behind and travel to Sedalia,
Missouri...to track down the man who would soon be known as the King
of Ragtime, Scott Joplin. Brun finds himself holding the
clues that would clear a friend from murder charges...and would
point the finger of blame squarely at himself and Joplin.
This historical mystery from Larry Karp is the first book of the
Ragtime Historical Mystery Trilogy and
was released by Poisoned
Pen Press on November 4, 2006.
Read Chapter One of "The Ragtime Kid" by Larry Karp.
What Others Are Saying...
"Larry Karp found a worthy, though neglected segment of American
music history to set a cleverly devised story of fact and fiction. By filling some of the undocumented
gaps with a plausible tale, he retells the early history of ragtime,
with its undercurrent of racism and business dealings. Along the way
he provides deserving recognition for several creators of the art form, aside
from Scott Joplin and 'The Ragtime Kid,' Brun Campbell."
David Reffkin, Director of The American Ragtime Ensemble;
Producer and Host of "The Ragtime Machine" on KUSF-FM, San Francisco
"...anybody who thinks that genre fiction is too lowbrow ought to
read this. The Ragtime Kid is surely more a mainstream book,
and one which is going to not only appeal to a large number of
people, but has the ability to stay in the mind long after.
Very highly recommended."
Rachel Hyde, MyShelf.com review
"As historical mysteries go, THE RAGTIME KID is one of the better
ones. The author doesn't only write a good who done it, he shows the
readers how the plight of the black man had changed very little
since Emancipation back three decades earlier."
Harriet Klausner, Harriet Klausner Reviews
"Racism is a huge part of the story, and Karp weaves the
theme thoroughly and convincingly into his depiction of the music
business and of Sedalia society at the time."
Booklist, August 2006
"With an appealing protagonist, Karp unfolds a fascinating story
of a particular moment in history when Scott Joplin was transforming
ragtime. ...the story builds to an exciting conclusion. Karp
captures the inherent racism of the times to give the story depth.
The Civil War is still a reality in the lives of those who fought in
it by the turn of the century. Karp recreates the time vividly for
the reader. The characters are complex and appealing. Brun and
America are changing at the same time. Both are growing up and both
are filled with potential. Rating: A"
Sally Sugarman, Deadly Pleasures Magazine
(Summer 2006)
"Karp (First, Do No Harm) does a wonderful job
of depicting a town steeped in music history and in portraying
Joplin..."
Publisher's Weekly October 2 2006
"The storytelling is particularly adept. Young Brun's experiences
and the life and events in Sedalia are so rich a story in themselves
that at first the mystery aspect seems just one small thread among
many. Only gradually does it seep into the fabric of the tale,
overtaking everybody's preoccupations and shouldering itself to the
centre of things in the way that disasters insist on doing. RAGTIME
KID is very well done."
Diana Sandberg, ReviewingTheEvidence.com
June 2006
"This author is a master story teller and, once
again, he has created a great story and mystery for his readers to
enjoy. As Larry Karp's fans have come to expect, the unique and
compelling story line, along with a cast of extraordinary
characters, capture the reader's interest and attention from start
to finish, and beyond. Warning: Do not be surprised if you come down
with a case of ragtime fever and find yourself seeking out
recordings of Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, et al or sitting down
at the piano to plunk out your own rendition of "Maple Leaf Rag."
Gretchen Geib, Mysterious Galaxy Guest
Reviewer Fall 2006
Read the
full reviews of "The Ragtime Kid" by Larry Karp.
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