What mystical or supernatural forces beyond our understanding may exist in the universe? Do we accept that they may be present? Those are just two of the questions that readers of Ghost Music by Alice McVeigh will ponder.

At the center of this intricate novel is the handsome, 50ish cellist William Mellor, who recently joined the Royal Sinfonia, a London orchestra, and the vintage cello he purchases from an auction house. The salesperson can tell him only that it is of Italian origin, dating to perhaps around 1800, and that the specifics of its provenance are unknown. Despite that, he feels himself strangely drawn to it. William plans to use his new cello on the orchestra’s many tours to preserve his primary instrument.