1988. Frank owns a music shop. It is jam-packed with records of every speed, size and genre. Classical, jazz, punk – as long as it’s vinyl he sells it. Day after day Frank finds his customers the music they need.
Then into his life walks Ilse Brauchmann.Ilse asks Frank to teach her about music. His instinct is to turn and run. And yet he is drawn to this mysterious woman with her pea-green coat and her eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to re-open, along wih a past he will never leave behind. Can a man who is so in tune with other people’s needs be incapable of connecting with the one person who might save him? The journey that these two quirky, wonderful characters make in order to overcome their emotional baggage speaks to the healing power of music—and love—in this poignant, ultimately joyful work of fiction.
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Praise for The Music Shop
‘Hits all the right notes…a love story that’s as much about the silences between words as what is said – the spaces between people that can be filled with mystery, confusion and misunderstanding as well as hope.’ Observer
‘Her speciality is writing with empathy on the quirkier aspects of life…[The Music Shop] has the feel of a summer hit: warm-hearted, unusual and romantic, with a sense of hope pervading all manner of misfortunes… Joyce’s gift is in using simple language to convey profound observations on human nature.’ The Times
‘Rachel Joyce hits all the right notes with her love letter to vinyl… This is the most beautiful ode to music, community and love, that overflows with charm and warmth.’ The Sun
‘Joyce’s charm and good-heartedness remain undiminished, as does her ability to create a highly appealing, semi-magical world… and to make us root for her characters all the way.’ The Daily Telegraph