# Concerto -- Suspense/Thriller -- The Alexis Brooks Series



## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

_"I see you."_

Three simple words from her telephone in the dead of night send violinist Chrispen Marnett's life spiraling in directions she never imagined. The chance to work with the greatest violinist alive drew her to Newton, but nothing could have prepared her for what she found there. Terror lurks in unexpected places--a ringing phone, a late-night rehearsal, unexpected flowers.

And what could have prepared her for Alexis Brooks: symphony concertmaster, international superstar, and accused murderer? Withdrawn and moody, Alexis is cut off from everyone around him; his colleagues in the symphony, his fans, even his own father. Everyone from her mother to the Newton Police has warned Chrispen against Alexis, but as her own danger increases, he may be her only ally.

Join Chrispen on the journey of a lifetime as she fights for her sanity, her happiness, and her life. To survive, she must unravel the layers of the past and learn the secrets the Newton Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra hides.



On sale for $2.99 in the Kindle Store. A couple of blurbs:

"...the novel is perfect. Sandra Miller made my nerves tingle." -- Goodreads user TEA

"Concerto would be a good first book in an ongoing series; it is an easy read that grabs the reader's attention and holds it to the very last page." -- Bobbie Crawford McCoy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome to KindleBoards, Sandra, and congratulations on your book!

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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Here's the opening scene of Concerto, enjoy (I hope!)

******

The dream was always the same.

I was running, running as fast as I could, running for my life--and for someone else's. Cold sweat pasted my clothes to me, and my feet screamed in painful protest. My throat made ragged choking sounds as I struggled to pull in air.

But I knew it didn't matter. I knew I was too late.

A building loomed up ahead, a brick building with climbing ivy, a building I had to get inside. It was so close, and yet so impossibly far away. Still, it was in sight. I felt a doomed hope rush through me, and I did what I would have sworn couldn't be done--I ran even faster.

I was holding nothing back now, my muscles working so frantically there was no time for pain. One of my blood-spattered canvas tennis shoes worked itself completely off my foot on the stairs. I didn't slow down, really didn't even notice. My attention was fixed on the third-floor landing, coming into view. Just around the corner now....I had to go faster....

I heard a woman scream, but I couldn't have told you if it was me or her.

The door was cracked open. But even as I pushed it open I knew I was too late; even as I first saw her lying bleeding on the living room floor I knew I couldn't save her....

And then I heard the footsteps, and I knew I couldn't save myself.

******

Check it out in the Kindle Store:



Thanks for visiting!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I read this. . . . .very good book. . . .what else ya got?


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Wow, Ann, thanks!   

I am working on the second book in a series right now--trying to get them both finished before I do anything with the first one.

One reviewer said that she thought Concerto would be a good first book in a series...I've been scratching my head a little on that one, trying to decide how that might work.  I never actually envisioned it that way, but I do love the characters.

Your post just made my day.  Thanks!

...back to writing....for real this time...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It was the symphony orchestra setting that appealed to me. . . .and now I want to listen to that Mendelssohn. . . .you wouldn't happen to know of a good recording, would you?


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Oooh--my current favorite is Joshua Bell's recording--he wrote his own cadenza for it, and it's beautiful.  You can't go wrong with Jascha Heifetz either.

And if you want to go old school, Zino Francescatti rocks.  Harder to find, though.

I hope you like it!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks!  Will check it out!  I've recommended the book to a young friend of mine who's a graduate student at the New School (Mannes College) in New York. . .oboist -- actually a doubler as she plays all the winds but oboe and English horn are her main instruments. . . . .but I'm sure she can identify with the angst of the strings section!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

I don't think I would go so far as to call this a trailer, regardless of what the file name says...but I've worked up a flash-based "thing" for Concerto...you can see it at my website:

http://pgtc.com/~slmiller/flash/concerto-trailer.swf

For some reason, when I look at it in Internet Explorer, it looks fine, but the first few seconds are illegible on my install of Google Chrome. Very odd.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

After a whole lot of head-scratching and hemming and hawing, Concerto finally has a new cover! I loved the old one but I really didn't think it did a good job of conveying the content of the book at all. Concerto is romantic suspense, and the old cover just screamed literary fiction.

So here it is, the new cover:










I hope you like it!

Concerto is also part of the Smashwords Summer Sale--50% off until the end of the month--here:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26166


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Concerto is the Frugal Find of the Day over at the Frugal eReader--come check it out!

http://thefrugalereader.com/2011/08/08/the-frugal-find-of-the-day-concerto-the-alexis-brooks-series-sandra-miller-2-99/


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Good Book Alert has awarded Concerto a 4 star review--I hope you'll come check it out! The second book in the series is due out in October, so it's a good time to get started.

http://goodbookalert.blogspot.com/2011/09/4-stars-for-concerto.html


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

There are two giveaways going on right now for Concerto:

http://indie.freebookfriday.com/2011/10/concerto-by-sandra-miller.html

and my own site for the series:

http://pgtc.com/~slmiller/AlexisBrooks/BookTwo.htm

I hope you'll come by and enter one or both!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

The Lost Concerto, the sequel to Concerto, hot off the presses and published yesterday.

Concerto and Lost Concerto are both .99 to celebrate! Available in Kindle, paperback, Nook, and Smashwords formats.

Here's the blurb:

*GO HOME*

The message drips in blood off of the wall, beginning a spiral of events that will take Chrispen and Alexis Brooks through the depths of hell and back, as they discover that some things in life are worth fighting for.

When Chrispen and her virtuoso violinist husband agree to his first foreign appearance in five years--a performance of Schumann's Violin Concerto on the two-hundredth anniversary of the composer's birth, in the town where he was born--they never anticipated the many ways the Lost Concerto would affect their lives, and the lives of those they love, forever.

The Lost Concerto is book two in the exciting, fast-reading, tightly-plotted suspense series that started with Concerto.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Check out the Alexis Brooks series--fast-moving, quick-reading, engaging suspense. To celebrate last week's release of book two, both books are currently .99 (regularly 2.99). I wanted to share the opening of the second book with you (if you have read the first book you know that Chrispen's dreams aren't idle  ):

The dream started with a scream.
"He's got that poor girl! Somebody stop him!"
I reached into my purse and hauled out a silenced pistol, running out into the street, taking as careful aim as I could manage under the circumstances.
_Snick, snick_--two silenced shots in quick successions.
"It's just another day at the firing range," I muttered to myself.
_--snick, snick--_
"--just another few targets down at the range--"
_--snick, snick--_
"--just a group of targets that happen to be spinning, and moving away from you, and in uncomfortably close proximity to people." I lowered the pistol and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
Six shots fired, four tires blown out, no casualties. The car screeched and swerved to an undignified halt, sideways in the street like a toy car tossed aside by a giant child.
The back door flew open and a man came charging out, brandishing a weapon and cursing so quickly it was impossible to pick out individual words.
"You just cannot stop interfering, can you, woman? You could have left well enough alone and lived, but no--you keep making yourself a thorn in my side! No more, do you hear me? No more!"
He raised that big gun.
I was numb with fear, I couldn't feel my hands or my feet--but I understood what I had to do. I pulled the pistol up and lined the sights up with that hateful, horrible man, squeezed the trigger--
--and heard the hollow click of an empty cartridge. I was out, and I was dead.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

You may have heard me trumpeting around that book two in the Alexis Brooks series was released at the end of October.

If you've read _Concerto_, I would like to send you a free copy of _The Lost Concerto_. Just send me a PM, or an email at [email protected], with your favorite character from _Concerto_, and the email address you would like me to send your copy to. (I'll assume you want a Kindle copy unless you tell me otherwise.)

This offer will be open for a week, so get your message in by 11/23 to participate.

Thanks everybody!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Come by and check out Ereader News Today's Book of the Day, Concerto! I've been under the weather, and it was a real pick-me-up to see the great write-up they did. Come have a look if you have a minute!

http://ereadernewstoday.com/book-of-the-day-concerto/679706/

Concerto is still on sale for .99


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

The Caffeinated Diva just made my day with her 5 mug review of Concerto!

http://thecaffeinateddivareads.multifacetedmama.com/?p=3017

"This was a fantastic book that kept me up far too late because I just HAD to finish it."

If you're looking for an escape from the mid-winter blahs, I do hope you'll check it out!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Concerto is up today on Kindle Fire Department! Gadget did a great write-up, I hope you'll check it out. If you want to Like or Share Gadget's links, that would make my day!

http://fireapps.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/kindlefireapps


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Scott over at Indie Book Blog gave Concerto a great 4-star review earlier this month, and I was so busy ramping up for the new release I totally forgot to come over here and share!

http://indiebookblogger.blogspot.com/2012/10/concerto-by-sandra-miller-review.html

Scott has reviewed Lost Concerto as well, but that one's not up on his site yet. I'll probably be posting here when it is (spoiler--it's 4 stars too!)

Thanks!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

...check out the Alexis Brooks Series 

 

Of course, if you're like me you're glued to election coverage, biting your nails, and the last thing you need is more suspense. In which case...carry on...


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Check out Concerto:



Thanks!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

I'm totally a cover-changing-addict. I readily confess that. I must have been through half a dozen cover designs for this series... I've had the hardest time finding covers for these books that I'm happy with. So I've left my abstract cover designs behind in favor of something that I think better conveys the feel of the story. (It's *people*, see, all my previous attempts were missing people!) So I won't be changing covers again! (for awhile, anyway...  )

Anyway, have a look at my latest favorites, and see what you think!

 

Thanks!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Check out Concerto's new trailer, from our very own Victorine:


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Concerto's usual list price is $4.99. This month, it's on sale for $2.99 at Amazon (and other outlets as they update things) If it sounds like something you might enjoy, grab a copy while the price is down! Thanks!

_He's super talented, internationally famous, available...and accused of murder.
She's got a new gig in a new town, new friends...and a new stalker.
It's the two of them against the world, it seems...
And every note they play could be their last._


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

October is rushing towards us (honestly, how do weeks disappear so fast these days?!?) but it's not here yet--which means Concerto is still on sale! Down from $4.99 to $2.99 this month only--if you haven't yet checked it out, this might be a good time!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Just thought I'd put one final plug out there for Concerto's month of $2.99. Tomorrow morning the regular price begins distributing back to all the outlets, so if you've been thinking about this one, grab a copy now before it goes back up!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Some time back I promised to update this thread when Scott posted his review of the Lost Concerto over at Indie Book Blogger. I've been running with my head down and almost missed it!

Check it out here:

http://indiebookblogger.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-lost-concerto-by-sandra-miller.html


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Well, for the first time ever I have a couple of books in Select. Both of my romantic suspense books are now in Select, so they are available for borrows through KOLL and KU. If you're looking for something to borrow, check them out!


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

On sale now for .99:



_*"I see you."*_

Three simple words from her telephone in the dead of night send violinist Chrispen Marnett's life spiraling in directions she never imagined.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

Just a heads-up for you guys--_Concerto_ is on sale for .99 for the rest of today, and tomorrow will go back to its 2.99 regular price. If you've been considering giving it a try, now's the time to jump!



He's super talented, internationally famous, available...and accused of murder.
She's got a new gig in a new town, new friends...and a new stalker.
It's the two of them against the world, it seems...
And every note they play could be their last.


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