Now this is a good short book. Characters are build-up enough to connect with them and you just have to finish it in one sitting.

A big four and a half stars, I devoured this book!! It connects past and present though a piece of music 'Incendio'. You start with Julia discovering this piece of music in Italy however as soon as she plays it when she gets home, strange and violent things start happening with her daughter. Is this connected to the music? You are then taken back in time to Italy, just as fascism was really starting to show its true and brutal face and we start to understand the origins of the composition. The story is well written, holds you captive and repackages well known history in a refreshing and suspenseful way. A great read!

Many thanks to NetGallery and Random House for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, to read and review.

Wow! I've loved Tess Gerritsen's other books, but this was a real thriller! The back and forth between present day and the past was at first confusing until the story lines came together. The twist at the end made perfect sense, even as other details coming to light were depressing to hear.

Great read!

Leest als een trein, heerlijk tussendoortje. But then again, al Gerritsen haar boeken lezen als een trein dus haar 300p’s boeken kunnen dat ook zijn

How has it taken me so long to read this book by one of my favorite authors!? A perfect blend of psychological thriller and historical fiction, I was absorbed in the stories quickly. I didn’t see the resolution coming, which made it even more of an enjoyable read. Can’t wait to listen to the waltz that was inspired by the story.

A good quote, “Beware the ignorant, Lorenzo. They’re the most dangerous enemy of all, because they are everywhere.”

Just ok. Not really very compelling, though the history is very real and very sad. It felt rushed, like the author couldn't wait to get to the end but didn't bother to get the reader excited to get there with her. A mediocre beach read that I wouldn't recommend.

Misschien wel het slechtste boek dat ik ooit heb gelezen. Waardeloos! Eén ster omdat het anders lijkt alsof ik hem niet heb beoordeeld, maar eigenlijk is het die ster niet waard.

I'm a huge Tess Gerritsen fan so I was excited to read this book, a departure from the Rizzoli & Isles series. I found myself quickly pulled into the story and quickly identified with Julia. The underlying supernatural theme in the first part of the book was hard to reconcile with Gerritsen's previous fiction but once I wrapped my head around it I enjoyed it. Intertwining Lorenzo's story with Julia's helped support the plot unfold. I found myself more interested in the historical story than the modern story. Gerritsen did an excellent job of conveying the experience of the Jews deported from Venice and the horrors inflicted on countless humans by fascists and Nazis. I was sickened and angry as I finished several chapters. I was however, disappointed at the speed with which the novel wrapped up. A story of such breadth and depth was sadly tied up into a pat conclusion that felt trite. The epilogue was its saving grace and I was surprised to discover Gerritsen had composed Incendio. Overall a 5 star for the first 3/4 and a 3 star for the last 1/4. I'd give it a solid 4+