A interesting read and a nice departure from the current set of crime novels. Smoke filled cafes and opulent opera houses are frequented by the upper classes who are unaware of the secret underground worlds lying beneath their feet. The multilayered plot unfolds at a luxurious pace. We meet a multitude of characters throughout the book including a cameo by the infamous Dr Freud. Told with great attention to detail, the book is loaded with tidbits of information perfect for your next dinner party. My favourites were discovering there were established rules for duelling and mouth watering descriptions of Viennese pastries. A cake may be just a cake but Tallis certainly leaves you wanting another piece.
In the grip of a Siberian winter in 1902, a serial killer in Vienna embarks upon a bizarre campaign of murder. Vicious mutilation, a penchant for arcane symbols, and a seemingly random choice of victim are his most distinctive peculiarities. Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt summons a young disciple of Freud - his friend Dr. Max Liebermann - to assist him with the case.
The investigation draws them into the sphere of Vienna’s secret societies – a murky underworld of German literary scholars, race theorists, and scientists inspired by the new evolutionary theories coming out of England. At first, the killer’s mind seems impenetrable – his behaviour and cryptic clues impervious to psychoanalytic interpretation; however, gradually, it becomes apparent that an extraordinary and shocking rationale underlies his actions …
Against this backdrop of mystery and terror, Liebermann struggles with his own demons. The treatment of a patient suffering from paranoia erotica and his own fascination with the enigmatic Englishwoman Amelia Lydgate raise doubts concerning the propriety of his imminent marriage. To resolve the dilemma, he must entertain the unthinkable – risking disgrace and accusations of cowardice.
A fascinating portrait of one of the most vibrant yet sinister cities of fin-de-siecle Europe. On top of this Tallis has laid a murder mystery of great intelligence - The Times
An astute and beautifully written psychological thriller ... his handling of the psychoanalysis and criminal pathology are fantastic ... a romping tale - Scotland on Sunday
Tallis spices things up with a cast of outlandish suspects and colourful witnesses, and a series of mounting suspicions, wrong turns and dead ends creates an exhilarating chase - Telegraph
Author
About Frank Tallis
Frank Tallis is a writer and pracitising clinical psychologist. He has published seven non-fiction books (including Changing Minds: The History of Psychotherapy as an Answer to Human Suffering and Hidden Minds: A History of the Unconscious). He has also written two novels; Killing Time and Sensing Others, both published by Penguin. In 1999 he received a Writers' Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and in 2000 he won the New London Writers' Award (London Arts Board). . He lives and works in London.
