Matrix Number
(2025)(The fifth book in the Vinyl and Victims Mystery series)
A Story by Maisy Marple and Sadie Wren
Hidden in the grooves of forgotten vinyl records lies a decades-old secret some would kill to keep buried...
When former music producer Melody Clarke discovers a mysterious white-labeled record with unusual markings in its dead wax, she has no idea it will lead to her most complex case yet. The cryptic matrix number connects to Riptide Records, a legendary 1970s music label whose innovative founder, Calvin Richards, drowned under suspicious circumstances nearly fifty years ago.
As Harbor Point prepares for its Heritage Festival featuring a special Riptide Records exhibit, Melody meets Rita Richards, the founder's daughter, who believes her father's death was no accident. He left behind a trail of evidence hidden in the matrix numbers of his vinyl pressings—a "verification signature" that could expose dangerous acoustic technology appropriated for military purposes.
With the help of her trusted team—shop assistant Zoe Parker, sound engineer Thomas Willis, and Harbor Point Police Chief Adrian Wells—Melody follows the coded coordinates embedded in the matrix numbers to locations around town. Each discovery brings them closer to understanding Calvin Richards' groundbreaking innovations in sound technology that could influence human consciousness itself.
But they aren't the only ones searching. Tech entrepreneur Ethan Montgomery plans to unveil a "revolutionary listening experience" based on Richards' work at the Heritage Festival. Behind his promises of enhanced musical experiences lurks something more sinister—technology designed not to illuminate minds but to control them.
When Melody discovers that Catherine Blackwell, the owner of Richards' former recording studio, has her own connection to the case—including a possible family tie to Rita herself—the investigation takes a deeply personal turn. Together, the half-sisters must reconcile their complicated family history while preventing Montgomery from exploiting their father's legacy.
As the festival demonstration approaches, Melody realizes that what appears to be a historical mystery about musical innovation has evolved into something far more dangerous. The technology hidden in those vinyl grooves could fundamentally alter human perception, memory, and experience—for better or worse.
From an abandoned boathouse hiding crucial evidence to a stunning sea cave with perfect acoustic properties, Melody's producer's ear guides her through Harbor Point's most harmonically complex mystery yet. Along the way, she'll confront the ethical boundaries of sound technology and the lengths to which powerful interests will go to control it.
"Matrix Number" is the fifth book in the charming and intelligent Vinyl & Victims series, where murder, music, and small-town New England charm create the perfect cozy mystery composition. Join Melody Clarke as she spins another vinyl-centered investigation that will change how you think about the music you hear—and the secrets that might be hidden in its grooves.
Perfect for fans of traditional cozy mysteries with a musical twist, Vinyl & Victims combines engaging characters, small-town charm, and fascinating insights into vinyl record production and the psychology of sound.
Genre: Mystery
When former music producer Melody Clarke discovers a mysterious white-labeled record with unusual markings in its dead wax, she has no idea it will lead to her most complex case yet. The cryptic matrix number connects to Riptide Records, a legendary 1970s music label whose innovative founder, Calvin Richards, drowned under suspicious circumstances nearly fifty years ago.
As Harbor Point prepares for its Heritage Festival featuring a special Riptide Records exhibit, Melody meets Rita Richards, the founder's daughter, who believes her father's death was no accident. He left behind a trail of evidence hidden in the matrix numbers of his vinyl pressings—a "verification signature" that could expose dangerous acoustic technology appropriated for military purposes.
With the help of her trusted team—shop assistant Zoe Parker, sound engineer Thomas Willis, and Harbor Point Police Chief Adrian Wells—Melody follows the coded coordinates embedded in the matrix numbers to locations around town. Each discovery brings them closer to understanding Calvin Richards' groundbreaking innovations in sound technology that could influence human consciousness itself.
But they aren't the only ones searching. Tech entrepreneur Ethan Montgomery plans to unveil a "revolutionary listening experience" based on Richards' work at the Heritage Festival. Behind his promises of enhanced musical experiences lurks something more sinister—technology designed not to illuminate minds but to control them.
When Melody discovers that Catherine Blackwell, the owner of Richards' former recording studio, has her own connection to the case—including a possible family tie to Rita herself—the investigation takes a deeply personal turn. Together, the half-sisters must reconcile their complicated family history while preventing Montgomery from exploiting their father's legacy.
As the festival demonstration approaches, Melody realizes that what appears to be a historical mystery about musical innovation has evolved into something far more dangerous. The technology hidden in those vinyl grooves could fundamentally alter human perception, memory, and experience—for better or worse.
From an abandoned boathouse hiding crucial evidence to a stunning sea cave with perfect acoustic properties, Melody's producer's ear guides her through Harbor Point's most harmonically complex mystery yet. Along the way, she'll confront the ethical boundaries of sound technology and the lengths to which powerful interests will go to control it.
"Matrix Number" is the fifth book in the charming and intelligent Vinyl & Victims series, where murder, music, and small-town New England charm create the perfect cozy mystery composition. Join Melody Clarke as she spins another vinyl-centered investigation that will change how you think about the music you hear—and the secrets that might be hidden in its grooves.
Perfect for fans of traditional cozy mysteries with a musical twist, Vinyl & Victims combines engaging characters, small-town charm, and fascinating insights into vinyl record production and the psychology of sound.
Genre: Mystery
Used availability for Maisy Marple's Matrix Number