How would you describe the plot of the book to a whimsically themed person?
This is how I would describe the plot of The Beethoven Sequence to the president’s personal psychiatrist: The psychological core of the story is how Layton Stolz, a simple man with good intentions, gradually loses his grasp of reality as he ascends from anonymity to become president of the United States. I would ask the president’s psychiatrist to consider the following questions as he reads the story: What would you do if you suspected that the president, as he consolidated his power into a tyrannical regime, was certifiably insane? Would you protect the sacred inviolability of doctor/patient confidentiality, or would you consider your primary obligation to be the survival of your country? If the latter, who would you confide in, and could it be considered unethical, or even treasonous? It is the worst moral dilemma, perhaps with resonance in our own day.
Writers usually hate writing book summaries. Will you share with us your real book blurb or one you wish you could have used?
It was as terrifying as it was implausible. Layton Stolz, a humble laborer, concealed a burning core of monomania and suppressed violence. Against all odds, Layton Stolz is swept into the presidency of the United States. Those who oppose Stolz and his Beethoven Sequence do so at their peril.
Coverup leads to murder as President Stolz consolidates authoritarian power. Ballard Whitmore, a young teacher falsely imprisoned for sexual misconduct, vows to clear his name with the aid of high-spirited female reporter Sandy Duckworthy. As their options narrow, Whitmore and Duckworthy miraculously escape assassination. Only Duckworthy’s desperate exposé saves them, laying bare the corruption of a man who lost his grasp of reality and of the government acolytes who pandered to him.
What was the a-ha moment that made you write this story?
The Beethoven Sequence started life as a short story that explored what could happen if the immensely popular Suzuki violin method, with its hundreds of chapters scattered throughout the country, were injected with a shot of steroids. As I massaged that idea, pushing and pulling it in various directions, it suddenly dawned on me how a charismatic leader might be able to effectively transform its adherents, whose dedication bordered on ideological zealotry, from a musical organization into a political one. Once I made that leap, the potential ramifications came horrifyingly into focus.
Who is your favorite character and why?
My favorite character in The Beethoven Sequence is the reporter, Sandy Duckworthy. She knows exactly who and what she is: a liberated woman who’s tough, tenacious, funny, sexy, and a damn good reporter. She’s expert at following a story and at getting men to follow her. But for her, Ballard Whitmore, our young hero in pursuit of exoneration from sexual misconduct charges, could have spent the rest of his life behind bars.
What meal and drink do you think would pair well with your book?
After the love scene in The Beethoven Sequence, you’ll never look at a rotisserie chicken with potato salad the same way again. But you will need the Grey Goose.
Gerald Elias leads a uniquely creative double life. An award-winning author and world class violinist, his critically acclaimed Daniel Jacobus mysteries probe the classical music world’s dark corners. His short fiction and provocative essays grace prestigious publications, from Ellery Queen to The Strand. The Beethoven Sequence is his first political thriller.