Brun Campbell was the young white piano student of Scott Joplin in The Ragtime Kid (also reviewed on Myshelf), which took place in 1899. Now in 1951, Brun and a seventeen-year-old boy named Alan Chandler, who is also a fan of ragtime music, become friends. They both attend the Scott Joplin festival in Sedalia, Missouri, hoping to obtain Joplin's journal.  Brun must raise $5,000 to buy the journal, which he hopes to contribute to a lasting memorial to the ragtime great.

Racial relations and divisions during that era, as well as music history and the contributions of Joplin, give this story many layers to think about. This story is rife with racism as the Ku Klux Klan make plans to use dynamite to bring down the building where the festival will be held, and kill everyone in attendance. The upcoming festival has divided the town along racial lines, but many from both factions will attend the ceremonies.

Karp uses his rare talent to craft a mystery steeped in music tradition and real historical figures. The characters are compelling and the plot lively with escalating suspense and a satisfying ending.  The Ragtime Fool works as a stand alone novel, though I would recommend reading The Ragtime Kid and The King of Ragtime (also reviewed on Myshelf) first.  I thoroughly enjoyed all three novels, and The Ragtime Fool tidies up the series.