Internationally celebrated Canadian luthier, musician, and author William “Grit” Laskin unveils his latest creative chapter with his thriller novel ‘The Stradivari Formula,’ published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside. A gripping mystery that bridges centuries of musical history and craftsmanship, the book draws on Laskin’s deep understanding of the artistry, precision, and passion that define the world of fine instrument making.
William “Grit” Laskin is an internationally recognized Canadian luthier, musician, and author. His guitars are played by artists around the world, and his innovations have shaped modern guitar design. A recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award, the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Order of Canada, Laskin is also a founder of Borealis Records and the Canadian Folk Music Awards. His books include ‘A Guitarmaker’s Canvas,’ ‘Grand Complications,’ and ‘The World of Musical Instrument Makers.’ ‘The Stradivari Formula’ marks his first work of fiction since his debut novel, ‘Angel Could Smell the Fire.’
For more than five decades, Laskin has shaped the sound and soul of acoustic music. His guitars are coveted worldwide by artists including k.d. lang, Ben Mink, Rik Emmett, Tom Cochrane, Jesse Cook, and Stan Rogers. His groundbreaking innovations—such as the body bevel and the sideport soundhole—have permanently influenced contemporary guitar design.
A member of the Order of Canada and recipient of the Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence in the Crafts, Laskin is celebrated not only for his instruments but for transforming inlay art into a medium of storytelling. Each of his instruments is both a playable work of art and a narrative carved in wood, shell, and metal.
In ‘The Stradivari Formula,’ Laskin turns his narrative gift toward fiction, crafting a mystery steeped in the language of luthiers, art history, and obsession. The story imagines the discovery of a hidden secret inside one of Antonio Stradivari’s rare guitars—a secret that sets off a chain of intrigue spanning continents and centuries.
As a luthier of more than fifty years, Laskin’s fascination with Stradivari’s enduring mystique served as the spark for the book. “There are five known Strad guitars, but only one is playable,” Laskin has said. “That anomaly stuck in my head and made me wonder why Strad made guitars. My next thought was to imagine why that happened.” From that single question, an intricate web of mystery took form.
The novel follows a circle of contemporary Canadian guitar makers who stumble upon a discovery that threatens to upend everything known about the great Italian master. Blending meticulous research with narrative tension, Laskin brings authenticity to every detail—from the smell of lacquer to the ethics of restoration and the community spirit among builders.
While readers are drawn into the suspense of the novel, they also find themselves immersed in a world few have glimpsed: the quiet, obsessive, creative life of the craftsperson. Laskin’s writing invites the same close attention and emotional resonance that characterize his instruments.
Beyond his life as a builder and author, Laskin is a respected musician and songwriter, with recordings on the legendary Fogarty’s Cove label and a performance history spanning Canada and beyond. He is also a co-founder of Borealis Records—Canada’s first national folk label—and a founder of the Canadian Folk Music Awards, institutions that continue to support artists across the country.
As with his acclaimed non-fiction books—’A Guitarmaker’s Canvas,’ ‘Grand Complications,’ and ‘The World of Musical Instrument Makers’—Laskin’s new work unites craft and imagination, bridging the tactile and the intellectual. His voice as an artist, whether through wood or words, remains distinctly Canadian: thoughtful, generous, and endlessly curious.
‘The Stradivari Formula’ invites readers to consider how artistry, legacy, and mystery intertwine. For Laskin, the making of a guitar and the crafting of a story both spring from the same impulse—to search for harmony between truth and beauty, between structure and soul.
With this novel, Laskin offers an artist’s meditation on creation itself—a tale that resonates not only with lovers of mystery and music but with anyone who believes in the enduring power of craft.
For purchase visit:
https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-stradivari-formula/9781554556441.html