Book 1 of The Gift
Historical Fiction
Date to be Published: November 5, 2025
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Marthe Adler dreams of making history as a great violinist. But in 1905 Germany, tradition and deep-seated prejudice against women musicians stand in her way. To make matters worse, her beloved father’s sudden death shatters her family’s comfortable life, pushing them to the edge of poverty.
But the violin Marthe’s father left her is a constant reminder of the profound bond between them, and it gives her the strength to begin healing. When the Köln Conservatory offers her an unexpected scholarship, she seizes her chance to reach for excellence.
Under the rigorous tutelage of Professorin Wolff, and subjected to predatory harassment by a fellow student determined to destroy both her self-worth and her chances of success, Marthe quickly learns she will need more than motivation and talent to rise to the top.
Filled with heart, wit, and music, The Well-Tempered Violinist is an enduring coming-of-age tale about an artist striving for greatness against enormous odds.
EXCERPT
Saint-Saëns, too, is proving a different sort of challenge. The Wolff knows more than she let on
about French style and essence and she approves of Robert. Still, he inevitably comes in for his
share of the Wolff’s special treatment.
“Herr MacInness, I will blindfold you!” she snaps during our second rehearsal. “You are
too fond of looking at your hands. Keep your eyes on the violinist! Your fingers must know
where they belong without your eyes for help.”
I, on the other hand, endure a large dose of remedial instruction in French essence.
“The bow must always caress the strings, even at volume,” she says. “The French attack
must be as authoritative as the German, but the passion is different. The French are always
singing. They are always in love. It is the chief reason they lost the Franco-Prussian War.”
About the Author
Retired architect Barbara Thornburgh Carlton is an author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Though not a musician, she remains music-adjacent as a volunteer for the San Diego Opera and the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in Washington. The mother of two grown children who are remarkably considerate about keeping in touch, she lives in San Diego, California, with her photographer husband, Barry.
The Well-Tempered Violinist, Book 1 of The Gift series, is her first novel.
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Facebook: Barbara Thornburgh Carlton, Writer
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