The Instrumentalist: A spellbinding novel that will transport you to 18th-century Venice

The Times top ten bestseller

'As tightly tuned as a thriller' Telegraph
'A marvel' Kiran Millwood Hargrave
'Compelling, vividly described magic' Observer
'Historical fiction as it should be written' Mail on Sunday
'Remarkable' New York Times

Anna Maria may have no name, no fortune, no family. But she has her ambition, and her talent.
Her best hope lies in her teacher, Antonio Vivaldi. Soon she is his star pupil.

But as Anna Maria's star rises, not everyone is happy. Because Anna Maria's shining light threatens to eclipse that of her mentor. The prodigy becomes the rival...

She will leave her mark, whatever it takes. Her story will be heard.

Shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award

'A compassionate coming-of-age tale ... Constable understands the power music has to sustain us' Observer
'Had me spellbound from start to finish' Emma Stonex
'Constable infuses historical fact with richly wrought fictional details, to investigate admiration and resentment, ego and legacy' i paper
'A whirlwind of all-consuming, dizzying ambition ... Spectacularly imagined' Mail on Sunday
'Vibrates with colour and passion ... I was completely swept up' Elodie Harper
'An immersive, impassioned tale full of colour and sound' Guardian

Paperback / softback | 336 pages | Published July 2025