The Black Spaniard

A passionate musician from the provinces arrives in Vienna in the early years of the Napoleonic era. Dark and exotic, he captures the hearts of music-lovers, but cannot win the one woman he loves because of class differences. As a second love, perhaps the greatest of his life, eludes his grasp, he realizes he is also losing the one sense no musician can live without: his hearing. Driven nearly to suicide, Luis places his hopes in the triumph of a hero who will save the human race and dissolve the obstacles placed between people by prejudice and class barriers. Yet as Napoleon shows his true colors, is Art itself the path to salvation that Luis seeks?

"This novel reimagines the surprising backstory behind Beethoven's early years, bringing its scenes to life as only fiction can. The result makes for intriguing reading."
--Winifred Hughes,
author of The Maniac
in the Cellar:Sensation
Novels of the 1860's

In her wonderful new novel, Linda Brown Holt captures the dynamic magic of Beethoven and his music. She is able to recreate the original sounds of Beethoven's fingers on the piano as well as the nature of the characters who surrounded him in his climb to fame as one of the most original composers.

Beethoven is a unique character and this book captures that quality. Great reading and informative background offer an experience that is both entertaining and educational. Ms. Holt deserves great accolades for this excellent novel on a highly engaging perspective of musical history.

Dr. David Ryback, author of Beethoven in Love