Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
The Empty Mirror (Karl Werthen (Viennese) Mystery #1)
by
J. Sydney Jones (Goodreads Author)
The summer of 1898 finds Austria terrorized by a killer who the press calls “Vienna’s Jack the Ripper.” Four bodies have already been found, but when the painter Gustav Klimt’s female model becomes the fifth victim, the police finger him as the culprit. The artist has already scandalized Viennese society with his erotically charged modern paintings. Who better to take the...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
January 20th 2009
by Minotaur Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
267)
Jones, J. Sydney. THE EMPTY MIRROR: A Viennese Mystery. (2009). **1/2. The author is an expert on Vienna and things Viennese. He has written guidebooks for the city and a history of the city. He has chosen to set this mystery, his first, in Vienna in 1898. The city is being terrorized by a serial killer, called “Vienna’s Jack the Ripper.” Four bodies have been found so far and there is, as yet, no viable suspect. The fifth body, however, turns out to be a model who has posed for Gustav Klimt. Su...more
A solid, deliberate historical fiction piece,
It is unfortunate that the book doesn't contain any historical notes at the conclusion (I have the ARC, Advanced Reading Copy, from Amazon Vine so perhaps the novel itself will contain one). The base of this story is fact; a spin on the reasons behind the death of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her son Rudolph, the Crown Prince of Austria making it historical fiction.
The inclusion of painter Gustav Klimt and criminalist Inspector Hanns Gross, both r...more
It is unfortunate that the book doesn't contain any historical notes at the conclusion (I have the ARC, Advanced Reading Copy, from Amazon Vine so perhaps the novel itself will contain one). The base of this story is fact; a spin on the reasons behind the death of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her son Rudolph, the Crown Prince of Austria making it historical fiction.
The inclusion of painter Gustav Klimt and criminalist Inspector Hanns Gross, both r...more
Murders and Mayhem in Historic Vienna....., March 9, 2010
Welcome to the Vienna of 1898. It's summer and Gustav Klimt, the handsome, notorious artist who adds elegant gold or colored touches to his paintings, is in eminent danger of being arrested. The fifth victim of a vicious murderer has been found on the grounds of the Prater amusement park built to celebrate Fran Joseph's fiftieth jubilee as emperor. Since June, disfigured bodies drained of blood with broken necks and severed noses have bee...more
Welcome to the Vienna of 1898. It's summer and Gustav Klimt, the handsome, notorious artist who adds elegant gold or colored touches to his paintings, is in eminent danger of being arrested. The fifth victim of a vicious murderer has been found on the grounds of the Prater amusement park built to celebrate Fran Joseph's fiftieth jubilee as emperor. Since June, disfigured bodies drained of blood with broken necks and severed noses have bee...more
Books set in Vienna always, eventually, get to the food. Sacher tortes and coffees of various kinds, sausages, spaetzle, and of course schlagsahne. (The only German I know is "mit schlagsahne, bitte.")
J Sydney Jones' The Empty Mirror is a mystery in which a former criminal attorney, Karl Werthen (now practicing what seems to be property transfer law or something similarly boring), and a famed criminologist, Dr Hans Gross, team up to prove that Werthen's friend, Gustav Klimt, is innocent of a str...more
J Sydney Jones' The Empty Mirror is a mystery in which a former criminal attorney, Karl Werthen (now practicing what seems to be property transfer law or something similarly boring), and a famed criminologist, Dr Hans Gross, team up to prove that Werthen's friend, Gustav Klimt, is innocent of a str...more
"The Empty Mirror" owes a great deal to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. In fact, Holmes is mentioned several times throughout the novel, which sees a physician-turned-criminologist and a lawyer investigating a series of Jack the Ripper-type slayings in fin-de-siecle Vienna. Werthen, the lawyer, is brought into the fray when one of the victims is revealed to be an artists' model for his client Gustav Klimt.
The book incorporates political intrigues of the day as well as an outsta...more
The book incorporates political intrigues of the day as well as an outsta...more
This mystery/political thriller is set in late 19th century Vienna. It begins with the work of a serial killer, who dumps his victims on the grounds of the Prater, a popular amusement park in the city. When the painter Gustav Klimt is implicated in the murders, two lawyer friends of his begin to investigate. This is a somewhat unconventional mystery, as the mystery only takes up about half the book. The second half connects the mystery to a broader political conspiracy. The author clearly knows...more
A mostly enjoyable historical mystery set in 1890s Vienna. Karl Werthern is the main character, a lawyer, who had given up criminal cases to do only estate planning. However, he is bored, and when his friend that painter Gustav Klimt needs help against a murder charge, Werthern is only too happy to take up the case. Eminent criminologist, Hans Gross, insinuates himself into the case and provides a good foil to Werthern.
I liked the characters, especially Werthern, and the setting, although all th...more
I liked the characters, especially Werthern, and the setting, although all th...more
Set in Vienna, Austria the end of the 19th century this book involves a mass murderer, along the lines of Jack the Ripper. Or is that the real motive behind the deaths? There are also allusions to Sissi's death, the favorite Empress, and the real reasons behind her assination. Interesting, but not enough characterization for me. Characters were a bit flat. Plot was great.
I was interested in this book because 1) it is a mystery-suspense novel that is 2) set in Vienna. In terms of the latter, I did enjoy the setting—the author did a nice job describing the city, incorporating things that are uniquely Viennese, etc. In terms of the mystery-suspense aspect, I wasn't quite as enamored with the plot or the building of suspense.
For me, not as good as the Frank Tallis series set in the same location and era. This series has more real life characters make appearances than the Tallis series. This volume involves a conspiracy to put only "right thinking" royalty on the Austia-Hungary throne. The conspiracy involves the death of Prince Rudolf at Mayerling ten years earlier and the assassination of his mother in 1898.
I loved this book. Set in Vienna in the 1890's it is an interesting murder mystery. Tying in the death of the Empress and the events at Mayerling make for curious speculation. I agree that these characters are right up there with Holmes and Watson or Poirot and Hastings. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Unfortunately,did not pass the 50 page test. Set in Vienna in 1898, the premise sounded interesting, but, for me, didn't deliver. Maybe I should just finally admit to myself that most historicals bore me. 1ell written, however, and should not deter fans of this genre.
I just couldn't put this book down - the first in the Viennese mystery series. I had already read the second in the series 'Requiem in Vienna' which was awesome and 'The Empty Mirror' didn't disappoint. I just can't wait for the next book in the series. Highly recommended!
The story was sort of like the history of Vienna before WWI with a little murder thrown in to make history more palatable if you are not normally a fan of history. I liked it and enjoyed being reminded of previous visits to Vienna, where, to me, history is very interesting.
This is an interesting period piece set in late 1800s in Vienna. There are some terrific references to modern criminologic methods set against the time prior to the death of Franz Ferninand.
Just fine. Moved a bit slow, and the mystery was a bit too obtuse for me. Still, I enjoyed it, and will probably read the sequel.
Well, for me this was just an okay read. It got a little too complicated and convoluted for my taste. Overall the story was good enough. I won't be rushing out to get the next Viennese mystery though.
The Empty Mirror by J. Sydney Jones (2008)
Slow at first, but then picked up nicely.
Engaging, quick to read but not overly simple. Enjoyable.
A fun historical mystery set in Vienna in the late 1890's with references to all the famous residents and royalty.
Bored lawyer Karl Werther and his psychology professor Hans Gross follow a case of street murders in Vienna into a rotten conspiracy at the heart of the declining Habsburg Empire--were the deaths of the Empress Elisabeth and her syphilitic son Rudolph really political assassinations? With cameo appearances by Arthur Schnitzler, Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, Richard von Krafft-Ebbing and a particularly obnoxious Mark Twain visiting as a tourist.
Bland and boring, with flat characters and little feel for the setting.
Interesting interpretation of Kronprinz Rudolf, Sissi, etc. Famous personalities such as Gustave Klimt and Sigmund Freud. touches on anti-semitism in Vienna.
Setting is Vienna during the 1800s. Peopled with well know characters of the time period...Klimt and all his ladies. Good mystery with a setting I know.
SO very disappointing, especially compared to Vienna mysteries by Frank Tallis. Got to the point where I laughed every time a new "famous person" appeared.
May 14, 2013
Heather McWilliams
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2013
Rose Monae
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
