The Sound Between the Notes
Susannah’s career as a pianist has been on hold for sixteen years, ever since her son was born. But now, suddenly, she has a second chance. There’s just one problem: somewhere along the way, she lost the power and the magic that used to be hers at the keyboard. She needs to get them back. Now.
And then, worse yet, Susannah learns that she has a progressive hereditary disease that’s making her fingers cramp and curl, legacy of a birth family that gave her little else. As her now-or-never concert draws near, Susannah is catapulted back to memories she’s never been able to purge—and forward, to choices she never thought she’d have to make.
Told through the unique perspective of a musician, The Sound Between the Notes draws us into the question Susannah can no longer silence: Who am I, and where do I belong?
"The Sound Between the Notes by Barbara Linn Probst is beautifully-written, engrossing, and emotional journey through a woman's search for her own identity."
– Suanne Schaefer for the Midwest Book Review
“In her second novel, Barbara Linn Probst delivers yet another powerful story, balancing lyrical language with a skillfully-paced plot to build a sensory-rich world that will delight those who loved Queen of the Owls and win countless new readers.”
Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Perennials
"Beautifully told, The Sound Between the Notes, is the story of tragedy and triumph, of the push and pull of family, of the responsibility we feel to ourselves and those we love. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down until I reached the last gorgeously written note."
Loretta Nyhan, author of The Other Family and Amazon charts best-seller Digging In
“In this spellbinding novel, Barbara Linn Probst examines how the truth of love transcends genetics, even as strands of biology grip us. Once you begin this story, suffused with the majesty of music and the reveries of creation, the ‘got to know' will carry you all the way to the final note.”
Randy Susan Meyers, International Bestselling Author of Waisted, The Comfort of Lies, and Accidents of Marriage
“As soaring as the music it so lovingly describes, poignantly human, and relatable to anyone who’s ever wondered if it’s too late for their dream, The Sound Between the Notes is an exploration of our vulnerability to life’s timing and chance occurrences that influence our decisions. Probst creates her trademark intelligent suspense as Susannah, an adoptee trying for a mid-life resurrection of an abandoned music career, confronts lifelong questions of who she is.”
Ellen Notbohm, award-winning author of The River by Starlight
“Probst writes very well and convincingly. The characters are well drawn and the tight plot is just one agonizing twist after another … The climax, on the night of her performance, is a tour de force steeped in suspense, and Susannah’s subsequent revelations are satisfying and authentic. A sensitive, astute exploration of artistic passion, family, and perseverance.”
Kirkus Reviews
“A great story that had me turning the pages nonstop, a tale of passion, identity, and art … The Sound Between the Notes is so beautiful, so lyrical, so musical that it was hard to put down. It is a story that will not only appeal to fans of music but to mothers and anyone looking for a good read. This is a wonderful story from a skillful writer, one that appeals strongly to the heart. It features awesome characters, a twisty plot, and gorgeous writing.”
Readers Favorite Reviews
"Like Queen of the Owls, her impressive debut, The Sound Between the Notes shows that Barbara Linn Probst is an expert at depicting the tension between family expectations and the need for artistic self-expression."
Bill Wolfe, Read Her Like an Open Book
Praise for The Sound Between the Notes
Gold Medal winner of the Sarton Award for Contemporary Fiction, and Silver Medalist in Fiction for the Nautilus Book Awards!
Selected as one of the Best Indie Books of 2021
—Kirkus Starred Review
A must-read new book for spring!
—Entertainment Weekly
One of the 20 most anticipated books of summer!
—Travel + Leisure
One of the "must-read" novels for music lovers
—SheReads.com
I had to understand music more deeply before I was ready to tell Susannah's story in the way it needed to be told ...
Some Launch Highlights
Go to Barbara's YouTube channel to watch the recordings!