The King of Ragtime

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

It’s 1916, and time’s running out for Scott Joplin. Before he dies, he wants to provide for his wife and secure his place in musical history.

Joplin has written a musical drama, and his young piano student, Martin Niederhoffer, convinces him to try to get Irving Berlin to publish and produce the work. The next day, Niederhoffer walks into his office and finds Joplin crouched over the blood-soaked body of a young man. He hustles his teacher away, but the two are seen leaving the building.

When Berlin flatly denies ever having received Joplin’s play, young Niederhoffer engages the services of hit man Footsie Vinny, who gives Berlin a five-day deadline to come up with the manuscript.

Then, just when things couldn’t get worse, Niederhoffer’s girlfriend is kidnapped. Can the ailing musician be exonerated before it is too late?

Critics Review

  • “Mirron Willis gives a virtuoso performance…[and] never strikes a false note in Karp’s well-researched period mystery. He fashions living human beings of all colors, textures, and dispositions with only his smooth, sultry voice. A rich listen. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”

    AudioFile
  • “The rich and immensely expressive voice and narration of actor Mirron Willis place the listener fully in the world of Joplin and Berlin. His ease with dialects and gender render all characters real and immediate. The tragedy of Joplin’s quest to express his great gifts, and Willis’ skill with prose and personalities, will stay with the listener.”

    SoundCommentary.com
  • “An impressive account of [Scott Joplin’s] final months, the murder mystery made all the more real by the recognizable names associated with it.”

    Mysterious Reviews
  • “An extensively researched and eminently readable historical mystery, this is a must for ragtime fans.”

    Booklist
  • “Well-crafted…Karp’s meticulous research helps create a vivid picture of the time and locale. Memorable, authentic characters are another plus.”

    Publishers Weekly
  • “Impressively researched, with a substantial bibliography, Karp’s second Joplin mystery paints a full-bodied portrait of Harlem back in the day.”

    Kirkus Reviews

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.