A Death in Vienna, by Frank Tallis
The death of Charlotte Lowenstein in turn-of-the-century Vienna has Detective Oskar Reinhardt perplexed. The beautiful medium had no shortage of admirers or enemies, but the circumstances surrounding the murder are baffling, and have the Viennese authorities whispering about supernatural powers at work. Reinhardt decides to seek help from an unusual source: his good friend Dr. Max Liebermann, a psychoanalyst and disciple of the infamous Dr. Sigmund Freud.
I found A Death in Vienna utterly absorbing. As I read, I found myself oddly … well, jealous. I wish I could write a book like this. Tallis has a powerful ability to make his historical period come to life. The descriptions of the Viennese streets, the cafes, the food the characters eat, the intellectual and political movements that pulse through this metropolis, are all so vivid. And Tallis absolutely nails the depiction of the hospital where Liebermann works — I might even assign chapters from this book to undergraduates in order to illustrate the turn-of-the-century conflicts over medical and psychological treatments for hysteria. Liebermann sometimes comes across as just a little too modern, a little too correct about everything, but both Oskar and Max are well-rounded, compelling characters, and their friendship is warm and genuine.
I don’t want to say too much about the mystery of Charlotte Lowenstein’s death, but the solution is both elegant and ingenious, and the path towards finding that solution is very well-plotted. Highly recommended for fans of historical mysteries.
Yes! This looks so great. You’re going to make it hard for me to write my dissertation at this rate:)
I feel that same jealousy of Elise Juska. You wouldn’t think that somebody who writes just-above-chick-lit could have such a powerful mastery of descriptions, but she really does. Also Alice Sebold, because even her second book is amazingly and hauntingly well written.