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Liebermann Papers #6
Death and the Maiden
Ida Rosenkranz is top diva at the Vienna Opera, but she’s gone silent for good after an apparent laudanum overdose. Learning of her professional rivalries and her scandalous affairs with older men, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt and Dr. Max Liebermann suspect foul play instead. Their investigation leads them into dark and dangerous conflicts with Gustav Mahler, the opera’s imperious director, who is himself the target of a poison pen campaign, and Karl Lueger, Vienna’s powerful and anti-Semitic mayor. As the peril escalates, Rheinhardt grows further into his role as family man, while Liebermann finds himself at odds with his inamorata, Amelia, who’s loosening both her corset and her tongue in the new feminist movement.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
87 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
Frank Tallis
46 books396 followersAka F.R. Tallis.
Dr. Frank Tallis is a writer and clinical psychologist. He has held lecturing posts in clinical psychology and neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry and King's College, London. He has written self help manuals (How to Stop Worrying, Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions) non-fiction for the general reader (Changing Minds, Hidden Minds, Love Sick), academic text books and over thirty academic papers in international journals. Frank Tallis' novels are: KILLING TIME (Penguin), SENSING OTHERS (Penguin), MORTAL MISCHIEF (Arrow), VIENNA BLOOD (Arrow), FATAL LIES (Arrow), and DARKNESS RISING (Arrow). The fifth volume of the Liebermann Papers, DEADLY COMMUNION, will be published in 2010. 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). In 2005 MORTAL MISCHIEF was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award.
Dr. Frank Tallis is a writer and clinical psychologist. He has held lecturing posts in clinical psychology and neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry and King's College, London. He has written self help manuals (How to Stop Worrying, Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions) non-fiction for the general reader (Changing Minds, Hidden Minds, Love Sick), academic text books and over thirty academic papers in international journals. Frank Tallis' novels are: KILLING TIME (Penguin), SENSING OTHERS (Penguin), MORTAL MISCHIEF (Arrow), VIENNA BLOOD (Arrow), FATAL LIES (Arrow), and DARKNESS RISING (Arrow). The fifth volume of the Liebermann Papers, DEADLY COMMUNION, will be published in 2010. 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). In 2005 MORTAL MISCHIEF was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 24, 2013
I want Frank Tallis to write more novels in the Liebermann Papers series
May 4, 2020
Pats labākais šajā sērijā ir jūgendstila estētika un Z. Freids,kurš stāsta anekdotes par ebrejiem!
March 31, 2011
This series just keeps on improving. This was another utterly engrossing outing for psychiatrist Dr. Max Liebermann and his good friend, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt set in 1903 Vienna.
Music has always played a role in these novels as the two friends share a deep love of music and regularly meet to play together and discuss compositions. In this volume the case they are investigating centres on music.
When Ida Rosenkrantz, an operatic diva, is found dead it is initially thought that she either committed suicide or had accidentally overdosed on laudanum. However, a broken rib is discovered during the autopsy which suggests a darker possibility. As they probe deeper into Rosenkrantz's life they discover connections to a number of powerful men, including the demagogue anti-Semitic Mayor of Vienna, who could prove a dangerous enemy.
There are also two musical sub-plots. In the course of their investigation they meet with the director of the court opera, Gustav Mahler, who is struggling against various factions that are seeking to depose him and seeks Liebermann's aid. In addition, Liebermann finds himself becoming obsessed with the death of an obscure young composer some years previously and a piece of piano music that may contain a coded message. There is also his continuing attraction to his former patient, the Englishwoman Miss Amelia Lydgate.
As always Tallis does a superb job of recreating fin de siècle Vienna in all its beauty, while not neglecting to touch upon issues such as political corruption, anti-Semitism and a distant rumblings that we, as readers, know will eventually lead to the outbreak of the Great War and the rise of National Socialism. There is always a Gothic touch to his novels, in its themes as well as in the architecture of Vienna and Max's melancholic musings on love and death.
Music has always played a role in these novels as the two friends share a deep love of music and regularly meet to play together and discuss compositions. In this volume the case they are investigating centres on music.
When Ida Rosenkrantz, an operatic diva, is found dead it is initially thought that she either committed suicide or had accidentally overdosed on laudanum. However, a broken rib is discovered during the autopsy which suggests a darker possibility. As they probe deeper into Rosenkrantz's life they discover connections to a number of powerful men, including the demagogue anti-Semitic Mayor of Vienna, who could prove a dangerous enemy.
There are also two musical sub-plots. In the course of their investigation they meet with the director of the court opera, Gustav Mahler, who is struggling against various factions that are seeking to depose him and seeks Liebermann's aid. In addition, Liebermann finds himself becoming obsessed with the death of an obscure young composer some years previously and a piece of piano music that may contain a coded message. There is also his continuing attraction to his former patient, the Englishwoman Miss Amelia Lydgate.
As always Tallis does a superb job of recreating fin de siècle Vienna in all its beauty, while not neglecting to touch upon issues such as political corruption, anti-Semitism and a distant rumblings that we, as readers, know will eventually lead to the outbreak of the Great War and the rise of National Socialism. There is always a Gothic touch to his novels, in its themes as well as in the architecture of Vienna and Max's melancholic musings on love and death.
May 5, 2012
Vienna (again) - so much pleasure from Frank Tallis' writing. I don't usually focus on "descriptive" passages in mystery novels - but somehow Frank Tallis brings Vienna to life through vision, smell, taste and atmosphere. Along with the delight of the senses he offers an exploration of the human mind, heart and soul - a perfect mix for a great detective novel.
September 21, 2017
When you read a good book, you want it to end and you don't want it to end 😐
About Liebermann Papers as whole: This series got me so overwhelmed; the era, historical figure allusions (Sigmund Freud, ladies and gentlemen), the suspense, the simple method of the case, medical background.. The list will not stop.
Tallis's narrative is among the best, the way he entangles many characters and many motives into one big mystery is awesome.
About this book: Not the best. Character development is certainly celebrated, but the case is ordinary.
About Liebermann Papers as whole: This series got me so overwhelmed; the era, historical figure allusions (Sigmund Freud, ladies and gentlemen), the suspense, the simple method of the case, medical background.. The list will not stop.
Tallis's narrative is among the best, the way he entangles many characters and many motives into one big mystery is awesome.
About this book: Not the best. Character development is certainly celebrated, but the case is ordinary.
April 18, 2020
Great story with interesting characters.
May 11, 2013
First Sentence: The lord marshal and the lord chamberlain, Prince Rudolf Liechtenstein, were observing Emperor Franz Joseph from the staircase.
1903 Vienna is a city of great learning, enlightenment, technological advancements, beauty, art and culture. It is also a city whose subtext of politics, antisemitism and peril grows with each day. Diva Ida Rosenkranz of the Vienna Opera is dead. Although her doctor proclaims it suicide due to an overdose of laudanum, DI Rheinhardt differs and proclaims it a murder. The investigation is complicated by politics. Gustav Mahler is the Director of the Vienna Opera but someone has been sending critical letters to the paper, trying to get him removed. Can Rheinhardt discover the identity of the letter writer? Liebermann becomes so taken with the life and works of composer David Freimark, he convinces Rheinhardt to have Freimark exhumed. What will they find?
This is a time of an enlightened Vienna where women could study medicine and attend lectures on equality. It is the time of Freud and Mahler; where psychiatry and music play a key role. There is a fascinating listing of technological achievements, and information on pathology, showing advancement in detection methods, as is the profiling by the detective while still at the crime scene and the use of crime scene photos. However, this was also a time when things were changing…”Perhaps bad things could still happen in this beautiful, cultured city.” and antisemitism is on the rise.
Being new to the series, I had a hard time figuring out who were the protagonists. It took a long time to realize the relationship between Rheinhardt and Liebermann. They weren’t really well introduced to the readers, nor was much backstory provided and their personalities seemed quite flat. However, as the story progressed, I became quite taken with them, both individually and as friends. Three quarters into the book, I was completely enchanted by them and wanting to know, and read, more of them.
There is a very good intermingling of actual historical characters-- Emperor Franz Joseph, Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, and others--into the plot enhances the story’s veracity and strengthens the sense of time and place. There are wonderful scenes of Liebermann and Freud “…Freud found sex in the most unlikely places.” and his night at the opera with Arianne Amsel; a woman he is courting, as well as scenes of Rheinhardt meeting Emperor Franz Joseph and the witch.
The author’s descriptions are incredibly lush, both placing us within the scene and, at times, striking our emotions. While music is a central theme of the story, He also uses music to create images. There are passages that make you stop and consider…”the age of one hundred. Who was ever ready to die? There would always be one more book to read, one more person to see, one more hour or fleeting yet indispensable minute to spend.” One of my favorite passages, however, is after Rheinhardt reads a bedtime story to his daughter…”What are fairy tales? … Fairy tales were educational. Set in distant lands and among peoples comfortably removed from everyday life, fairy tales introduced children to the idea of badness existing in the world. They helped prepare children for the harsh reality of human iniquity.”
The plot started out just a bit of a slog, with a feeling of being uncertain as to where it was going or why it was interesting. That feeling disappeared as the story progressed, to the point where it is hard to stop reading. As the story proceeds, the plot becomes more complex, even introducing a second and third mystery. The trail of the original murder becomes more complicated and the stakes higher. The end was completely realistic and very well done. There is even an excellent portent—something I usually abhor—about the future which left me eagerly anticipating the next book.
“Death and the Maiden” was a very good read. Not only do I want to read future books in the series, but I want to go back and start from the beginning.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN (Hist/Pol Proc-DI Oskar Rheinhardt/Dr. Max Liebermann-Vienna-1903/Gaslight) – VG
Tallis, Frank – 6th in series
Random House, 2012
1903 Vienna is a city of great learning, enlightenment, technological advancements, beauty, art and culture. It is also a city whose subtext of politics, antisemitism and peril grows with each day. Diva Ida Rosenkranz of the Vienna Opera is dead. Although her doctor proclaims it suicide due to an overdose of laudanum, DI Rheinhardt differs and proclaims it a murder. The investigation is complicated by politics. Gustav Mahler is the Director of the Vienna Opera but someone has been sending critical letters to the paper, trying to get him removed. Can Rheinhardt discover the identity of the letter writer? Liebermann becomes so taken with the life and works of composer David Freimark, he convinces Rheinhardt to have Freimark exhumed. What will they find?
This is a time of an enlightened Vienna where women could study medicine and attend lectures on equality. It is the time of Freud and Mahler; where psychiatry and music play a key role. There is a fascinating listing of technological achievements, and information on pathology, showing advancement in detection methods, as is the profiling by the detective while still at the crime scene and the use of crime scene photos. However, this was also a time when things were changing…”Perhaps bad things could still happen in this beautiful, cultured city.” and antisemitism is on the rise.
Being new to the series, I had a hard time figuring out who were the protagonists. It took a long time to realize the relationship between Rheinhardt and Liebermann. They weren’t really well introduced to the readers, nor was much backstory provided and their personalities seemed quite flat. However, as the story progressed, I became quite taken with them, both individually and as friends. Three quarters into the book, I was completely enchanted by them and wanting to know, and read, more of them.
There is a very good intermingling of actual historical characters-- Emperor Franz Joseph, Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, and others--into the plot enhances the story’s veracity and strengthens the sense of time and place. There are wonderful scenes of Liebermann and Freud “…Freud found sex in the most unlikely places.” and his night at the opera with Arianne Amsel; a woman he is courting, as well as scenes of Rheinhardt meeting Emperor Franz Joseph and the witch.
The author’s descriptions are incredibly lush, both placing us within the scene and, at times, striking our emotions. While music is a central theme of the story, He also uses music to create images. There are passages that make you stop and consider…”the age of one hundred. Who was ever ready to die? There would always be one more book to read, one more person to see, one more hour or fleeting yet indispensable minute to spend.” One of my favorite passages, however, is after Rheinhardt reads a bedtime story to his daughter…”What are fairy tales? … Fairy tales were educational. Set in distant lands and among peoples comfortably removed from everyday life, fairy tales introduced children to the idea of badness existing in the world. They helped prepare children for the harsh reality of human iniquity.”
The plot started out just a bit of a slog, with a feeling of being uncertain as to where it was going or why it was interesting. That feeling disappeared as the story progressed, to the point where it is hard to stop reading. As the story proceeds, the plot becomes more complex, even introducing a second and third mystery. The trail of the original murder becomes more complicated and the stakes higher. The end was completely realistic and very well done. There is even an excellent portent—something I usually abhor—about the future which left me eagerly anticipating the next book.
“Death and the Maiden” was a very good read. Not only do I want to read future books in the series, but I want to go back and start from the beginning.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN (Hist/Pol Proc-DI Oskar Rheinhardt/Dr. Max Liebermann-Vienna-1903/Gaslight) – VG
Tallis, Frank – 6th in series
Random House, 2012
April 13, 2012
It's 1903, which means for those of use living in the "future", WWI will start soon. But in Vienna, Dr Max Liebermann sees the anti-Semitic tension rising, and dismisses the uprising in Serbia. But all these big picture events don't matter, what this book is concerned with is to find the murderer of the famous opera diva Ida Rosenkrantz.
If you've read this series before, you'll know that this series uses psychology, or psychology as it was understood then to solve crimes. Dr Liebermann is a musical psychologist, who offers consultation to his friend Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt. He (Dr Liebermann), is also a big fan of Freud, which is why most of the interpretations regarding the character of the victim/suspects go through a Freudian analysis. And for some reason, I felt that Dr Freud appeared the most in this book (but then again, I haven't read the whole series).
This series was very interesting, especially with the ending. I won't give spoilers (please please please don't let what I write be a spoiler), but suffice to say, this is one time where justice as we understand it is made to metaphorically bow down to a higher power. Rheinhardt is made to make a tough choice in this case, and I'm actually happy to see that he chooses his family ahead of his work.
And if you're a Dr Liebermann/Amelia fan, just prepare yourself for good news. And what I can say is "at last!".
Apart from all that, the other thing I found interesting was the appearance of religion. Dr Liebermann is a Jew, but claims not to believe in a God, yet I have this persistent feeling that he hungers for God. Of course, Freudian theories will never allow him to say that. Apart from this internal conflict that may exist only because I over-analyse, I thought that the anti-Semetism was very well portrayed. I'm not sure how it was in that era, but it felt real, the slow but sure rise in anti-Jewish sentiments.
Of course, the descriptions of music, food and the general evocation of the place was excellent. I don't really need to talk about it.
Since I'm using this as part of the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge, I could classify this under either the Historical or the Psychological Suspense. Can I use both?
(First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliiophile)
If you've read this series before, you'll know that this series uses psychology, or psychology as it was understood then to solve crimes. Dr Liebermann is a musical psychologist, who offers consultation to his friend Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt. He (Dr Liebermann), is also a big fan of Freud, which is why most of the interpretations regarding the character of the victim/suspects go through a Freudian analysis. And for some reason, I felt that Dr Freud appeared the most in this book (but then again, I haven't read the whole series).
This series was very interesting, especially with the ending. I won't give spoilers (please please please don't let what I write be a spoiler), but suffice to say, this is one time where justice as we understand it is made to metaphorically bow down to a higher power. Rheinhardt is made to make a tough choice in this case, and I'm actually happy to see that he chooses his family ahead of his work.
And if you're a Dr Liebermann/Amelia fan, just prepare yourself for good news. And what I can say is "at last!".
Apart from all that, the other thing I found interesting was the appearance of religion. Dr Liebermann is a Jew, but claims not to believe in a God, yet I have this persistent feeling that he hungers for God. Of course, Freudian theories will never allow him to say that. Apart from this internal conflict that may exist only because I over-analyse, I thought that the anti-Semetism was very well portrayed. I'm not sure how it was in that era, but it felt real, the slow but sure rise in anti-Jewish sentiments.
Of course, the descriptions of music, food and the general evocation of the place was excellent. I don't really need to talk about it.
Since I'm using this as part of the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge, I could classify this under either the Historical or the Psychological Suspense. Can I use both?
(First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliiophile)
March 13, 2013
I can't tell you that I read this novel for my usual reason - as anyone who follows my reviews knows, I'm trying to help other new authors and to build the "platform" of people who would be interested in reading my own historical novel, 3 Through History, also available at Amazon. Frank Tallis doesn't need my review, but it turned out that I needed to read his book!
Tallis's Vienna is the city of Mahler and Freud, where the forensic psychiatrist and the detective were using psychiatric tips that make Sir Arthur Conan Doyle look like a hack, but lacking any forensic physical tools except a keen eye and a canny wit.
As a former opera singer myself, I read with a certain degree of personal investment when Mahler appeared in the script. A rivalry between a rising star with deep psychological and sensual needs and a seemingly perfect, established star would appeal to anyone, not just a musician, but in fact, I know almost all the music referenced in the novel. Now there's a good one. All the other details of the Viennese society described in this book matched dead-on with what I had learned from my experience in opera, singing Wagner.
If you are the kind of reader who likes a convincing murder mystery, and any unfamiliar trappings get in your way, you would find this book tedious. But if you are any other kind of mystery reader, or a reader of historical fiction for whom the mystery is only one way to structure the book, you will revel in the historical accuracy where you walk the streets of Vienna, and take the train to the various other locales that our heroes have to visit, you will revel in the opportunity to travel in place and time.
Tallis's Vienna is the city of Mahler and Freud, where the forensic psychiatrist and the detective were using psychiatric tips that make Sir Arthur Conan Doyle look like a hack, but lacking any forensic physical tools except a keen eye and a canny wit.
As a former opera singer myself, I read with a certain degree of personal investment when Mahler appeared in the script. A rivalry between a rising star with deep psychological and sensual needs and a seemingly perfect, established star would appeal to anyone, not just a musician, but in fact, I know almost all the music referenced in the novel. Now there's a good one. All the other details of the Viennese society described in this book matched dead-on with what I had learned from my experience in opera, singing Wagner.
If you are the kind of reader who likes a convincing murder mystery, and any unfamiliar trappings get in your way, you would find this book tedious. But if you are any other kind of mystery reader, or a reader of historical fiction for whom the mystery is only one way to structure the book, you will revel in the historical accuracy where you walk the streets of Vienna, and take the train to the various other locales that our heroes have to visit, you will revel in the opportunity to travel in place and time.
January 3, 2013
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I love historical fiction and mystery, and it's great when they're combined. This is the 6th book in the Max Liebermann series, but I never really felt lost or like I was missing anything from previous books.
Vienna's top diva dies and detective inspector Oskar Reinhardt is on the case. Although it looks like suicide he suspects otherwise and asks psychologist Max Liebermann to assist him in finding the case.. The characters in the story were well developed and some were just plain crazy. The suspect list varies from eccentric opera singers to the mayor of Vienna. This novel takes place in really the infancy of psychology, so it was very interesting how they started applying psychology to criminal investigation, and includes a cameo of Sigmund Freud himself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical novels or psychological mysteries.
I received this book as a goodreads first reads.
Vienna's top diva dies and detective inspector Oskar Reinhardt is on the case. Although it looks like suicide he suspects otherwise and asks psychologist Max Liebermann to assist him in finding the case.. The characters in the story were well developed and some were just plain crazy. The suspect list varies from eccentric opera singers to the mayor of Vienna. This novel takes place in really the infancy of psychology, so it was very interesting how they started applying psychology to criminal investigation, and includes a cameo of Sigmund Freud himself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical novels or psychological mysteries.
I received this book as a goodreads first reads.
January 17, 2012
Pretty much the same formula as the others in the series, young doctor (an adept and admirer of Sigmund Freud) helps his friend from the Security Office to solve a murder case. There are plenty of allusions to historic personalities (Mayor Lueger, Gustav Mahler, the Emperor ...) and the plot, although interesting enough, clearly takes a backseat to the painting of a lively picture of fin-de-siècle Vienna.
There's some romance, too, thrown in for good measure (for those in the know: Yes, there's some progress with Ms. Lydgate.)
An enjoyable read if not exactly great literature.
There's some romance, too, thrown in for good measure (for those in the know: Yes, there's some progress with Ms. Lydgate.)
An enjoyable read if not exactly great literature.
September 19, 2021
Tallis's books seem almost like total immersion in turn-of-the-century Vienna. I'm excitedly awaiting the last of the series, having just finished "Death and the Maiden." Other reviewers here have done a superlative job in discussion, and I've perused their comments to see if anyone else found that justice may have taken a back seat to political power and potential backlash from the police commissioner, should Reinhart have carried through with an arrest of a high - ranking government official. Am I wrong about this unresolved ending?
If I am correct, I see so much similarity to American political division right now; the top instigator (and his cronies) who drove the attack on our Capitol has yet to be subpoenaed. The Justice Dept. is grabbing up smaller fish first? Anyway, little seems to change in our world when it comes to men and their incessant search for power and money.
Great book!
If I am correct, I see so much similarity to American political division right now; the top instigator (and his cronies) who drove the attack on our Capitol has yet to be subpoenaed. The Justice Dept. is grabbing up smaller fish first? Anyway, little seems to change in our world when it comes to men and their incessant search for power and money.
Great book!
November 6, 2012
HA!
Okay, now that I've got THAT out of my system. The review.
1903. Austria. A young, increasingly popular opera soprano is found dead at her home due to an apparent laudanum overdose. This overdose falls into question when a broken rib is discovered, insinuating that the singer was smothered prior to her death. Inspector Rheinhardt and Dr. Liebermann investigate the supposed murder, placing themselves in a precarious position with the leaders of the community – in particular Mayor Lueger. Because opera is central to this plot, there is a plethora of historic musical allusions to composed like Brahms (Liebermann is quite the enthusiast). While investigating the opera singer’s death, a decades old murder is unearthed involving a composer and his protégé. Freud makes several appearances throughout the novel, and his shocking new theories on the psychology of desire influence Dr. Lieberman significantly throughout his investigation. It is a murderous romp through early twentieth century Austria rich with lavish historical detail.
All in all, I tremendously enjoyed my first introduction to the Max Liebermann series. I had no difficulty both following and enjoying the plot and characters of the book without prior introduction – no small feat for a book that is sixth in an ongoing series. I would certainly pick up another, and I would definitely consider starting with the first in the series and back-tracking to see what I may have missed. I would recommend this to mystery aficionados, history buffs, music lovers and those with an interest in Freudian psychology.
Special thanks are due to Random House and author Frank Tallis for this Good Reads First Reads opportunity. Thank you for the opportunity to sample the series. I’ll be sure to pick up another – as I was enchanted with both Dr. Liebermann and the lush historical fiction of early twentieth century Vienna.
February 2, 2020
Liebermann and Rheinhart are music lovers and it shows in many of the chapters. I liked it because Max also finally has Amelia Lydgate as his fiancee. A perplexing problem. They solve the murder in a round about way.
February 2
I must have read a library book the last time because I just bought Death and the Maiden
and the Mephisto Waltz
to have all of Frank Tallis's books. As I said before I enjoyed Liebermann and Rheinhart because of their love of music and then the cigar and brandy afterwards. There were three deaths that they were striving to deal with, Fräulein Rosenkrantz, an opera star, David Freimark, a 40 year old accident, and Frau Professor Saminsky, a Dr. of Fräulein Rosenkrantz's. At the same time Max Liebermann was disturbed by his engagement to Clara Weiss, which he recently broke off, because of his feelings for Amelia Lydgate, who he recently got engaged to. Bodies were dug up, bodies were seen at the morgue, and bodies were described as to how they died. It was interesting because of all the intrigue with the mayor of Vienna, and also the King who was so important at this period in time. It leaves a lot to be analyzed and discussed and then we go back to his love of music.
February 2
I must have read a library book the last time because I just bought Death and the Maiden
and the Mephisto Waltz
to have all of Frank Tallis's books. As I said before I enjoyed Liebermann and Rheinhart because of their love of music and then the cigar and brandy afterwards. There were three deaths that they were striving to deal with, Fräulein Rosenkrantz, an opera star, David Freimark, a 40 year old accident, and Frau Professor Saminsky, a Dr. of Fräulein Rosenkrantz's. At the same time Max Liebermann was disturbed by his engagement to Clara Weiss, which he recently broke off, because of his feelings for Amelia Lydgate, who he recently got engaged to. Bodies were dug up, bodies were seen at the morgue, and bodies were described as to how they died. It was interesting because of all the intrigue with the mayor of Vienna, and also the King who was so important at this period in time. It leaves a lot to be analyzed and discussed and then we go back to his love of music. 
March 1, 2013
Pitch perfect historical mystery! I won this book in First Reads, and I just love it!
Fin-de-siecle Vienna lives and so do the characters.
'Death and the Maiden' unravels the mystery surrounding the death of a beautiful opera star. The events unfold in a vividly realized Vienna among people for whom love and knowledge of music are deep and essential components of their identities.
This book is satisfying on so many levels. Death and the Maiden offers many of the joys of general and literary fiction, as well as a fine murder mystery. The characters are simply wonderful, both the fictional and the historical. They are still very vivid even after I've closed the book. One thing about mystery fiction is that you can have a very well plotted mystery but, very often, only the sleuth is memorable. That's not the case here. Even the most minor characters are luminous.
This is the 6th book in the series, and I will, of course, be reading them all. 5 stars.
Fin-de-siecle Vienna lives and so do the characters.
'Death and the Maiden' unravels the mystery surrounding the death of a beautiful opera star. The events unfold in a vividly realized Vienna among people for whom love and knowledge of music are deep and essential components of their identities.
This book is satisfying on so many levels. Death and the Maiden offers many of the joys of general and literary fiction, as well as a fine murder mystery. The characters are simply wonderful, both the fictional and the historical. They are still very vivid even after I've closed the book. One thing about mystery fiction is that you can have a very well plotted mystery but, very often, only the sleuth is memorable. That's not the case here. Even the most minor characters are luminous.
This is the 6th book in the series, and I will, of course, be reading them all. 5 stars.
February 10, 2017
Smart and incredibly well written.
You get music theory, psicology, Freud, history, and political intrigue to go along with a slow-build mystery that gets explored from every angle.
You get music theory, psicology, Freud, history, and political intrigue to go along with a slow-build mystery that gets explored from every angle.
February 16, 2013
Tallis is totally hit or miss, and this one is a hit. Lots of great characters, glimpses into the musical and food scenes of Vienna, you can tell he did a lot of research, and the writing is less grinding than usual. Two things I wish he would have avoided: a) the sexual dumplings, and b) all the dithering Liebermann does over Amelia Lydgate. JUST KISS HER ALREADY OK AND LET'S GET ON WITH THE BOOK.
December 27, 2012
As I read this book, I kept hoping that it would get to the "mystery" part of the story. First time reading this author, and I guess it is okay, if you are looking for a lot of filler around your mystery. Too many distractions, about so many other different subjects. I do appreciate the opportunity to have received this thru "firstreads".
February 14, 2022
This is such a great series of historical whodunnits. With Freud, Mahler, the Emperor Franz Joseph and the mayor of Vienna all part of this sixth installment, music and politics combine to make this one of the best of the Liebermann Papers series.
March 7, 2013
I have always enjoyed this series, and this selection did not disappoint. Vienna and Opera with plenty of psychology.
November 28, 2012
I love the Max Liebermann mysteries and a bad cold last week gave me the perfect excuse to spend an afternoon reading this one--what a pleasure to be whisked away to Vienna for the day!
December 6, 2022
Pas aimé du tout.
L intrugue est pour moi parasité par cet cours de musique présent continuellement au fil de la lecture. Difficile et usant pour une novice
Dommage
L intrugue est pour moi parasité par cet cours de musique présent continuellement au fil de la lecture. Difficile et usant pour une novice
Dommage
March 28, 2020
This may be my favorite in the Liebermann Papers series. Fewer deaths in the present (meaning Vienna 1903), but an interesting cold case. Also Gustav Mahler, who has been mentioned at least in earlier volumes (Liebermann admires him, goes to concerts and operas he directs, even bumped into him in a recent volume, though the maestro doesn't acknowledge him) figures prominently in the plot line. Other famous figures from the era come to the fore as well: Franz Josef and the antisemitic, notorious mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger, while not as prominently featured as is Mahler, are very much in evidence throughout the text.
Otherwise, the usual suspects (not literally) in this case)the old and more than a bit odd pathologist is
with us again, as is Detective Reinhardt's irritable boss, and very interesting developments with Liebermann and Amelia Lydgate, the brilliant and unpredictable young woman who was once Liebermann's patient and is now...studying medicine and...well, you'll have to read it to find out.
I don't like to give much away about the plot, especially in detective fiction, but the writing remains very good - gets a bit preachy in the very end, but resolves nicely...and relatively happily! If anyone has been reading my reviews you'll know that I've been giving them 3 stars - not a punishment, but 4 and five stars are reserved for fewer of my favorite, and very favorite, books. Well, as you see, this one earns 4 stars! As I write this I have the Kindle version of what may be the last in the series - but who knows? Maybe Tallis will give us more.
Otherwise, the usual suspects (not literally) in this case)the old and more than a bit odd pathologist is
with us again, as is Detective Reinhardt's irritable boss, and very interesting developments with Liebermann and Amelia Lydgate, the brilliant and unpredictable young woman who was once Liebermann's patient and is now...studying medicine and...well, you'll have to read it to find out.
I don't like to give much away about the plot, especially in detective fiction, but the writing remains very good - gets a bit preachy in the very end, but resolves nicely...and relatively happily! If anyone has been reading my reviews you'll know that I've been giving them 3 stars - not a punishment, but 4 and five stars are reserved for fewer of my favorite, and very favorite, books. Well, as you see, this one earns 4 stars! As I write this I have the Kindle version of what may be the last in the series - but who knows? Maybe Tallis will give us more.
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February 20, 2023This is the 6th of seven books in the Liebermann series, and in several ways I think
it's the best, certainly the most unusual. Once again Max and Oskar solve the case, but the resolution is unsatisfactory. The initial murderer is uncovered and meets his fate, but the other players involved, though known to our heroes, are too powerful to be brought in, much less even to be accused. Worse, the personal fortunes of Max and Oskar are improved, but only because pursuing the case would lead to their destruction. They are left complicit.
On the other hand, the social changes continue, as women begin the struggle to achieve equality..in all ways. It's worth mentioning that the TV series diverges greatly from the books in regard to the family and romantic events in the lives of Max and Oskar, which to my mind diminishes the actual story. Here, Max, who considers himself thoroughly modern in his tastes and attitudes, discovers that in fact his behavior is far more 19th century than he thought, allowing his politeness to excuse his reluctance to act on what he really feels, or even to know what he really feels. Miss Lydgate, who disappears entirely from the TV show with no explanation, continues on her journey of self-discovery, and the couple finally have the courage to be together. Oskar, whose family continues to thrive here, as opposed to TV, comes to realize that what he loves is more valuable to him than always being always in the right.
All in all, this book is a huge advance in character development.
it's the best, certainly the most unusual. Once again Max and Oskar solve the case, but the resolution is unsatisfactory. The initial murderer is uncovered and meets his fate, but the other players involved, though known to our heroes, are too powerful to be brought in, much less even to be accused. Worse, the personal fortunes of Max and Oskar are improved, but only because pursuing the case would lead to their destruction. They are left complicit.
On the other hand, the social changes continue, as women begin the struggle to achieve equality..in all ways. It's worth mentioning that the TV series diverges greatly from the books in regard to the family and romantic events in the lives of Max and Oskar, which to my mind diminishes the actual story. Here, Max, who considers himself thoroughly modern in his tastes and attitudes, discovers that in fact his behavior is far more 19th century than he thought, allowing his politeness to excuse his reluctance to act on what he really feels, or even to know what he really feels. Miss Lydgate, who disappears entirely from the TV show with no explanation, continues on her journey of self-discovery, and the couple finally have the courage to be together. Oskar, whose family continues to thrive here, as opposed to TV, comes to realize that what he loves is more valuable to him than always being always in the right.
All in all, this book is a huge advance in character development.
June 5, 2018
2.5 estrelas
Sem dúvida, o mais fraco da série e que pobre forma de a terminar (se bem que a série não termina aqui, pois já este ano o autor regressou à série Liebermann com um novo livro, passados 8 anos desde o anterior, este).
Não achei propósito nenhum à pesquisa de Liebermann aos músicos que morreram há cerca de 40 anos atrás.
O enredo da morte, aparentemente, suicídio da diva da ópera, também acabou por se revelar uma desilusão, pelo desenlace.
A única coisa positiva foi mesmo
Sem dúvida, o mais fraco da série e que pobre forma de a terminar (se bem que a série não termina aqui, pois já este ano o autor regressou à série Liebermann com um novo livro, passados 8 anos desde o anterior, este).
Não achei propósito nenhum à pesquisa de Liebermann aos músicos que morreram há cerca de 40 anos atrás.
O enredo da morte, aparentemente, suicídio da diva da ópera, também acabou por se revelar uma desilusão, pelo desenlace.
A única coisa positiva foi mesmo
August 31, 2017
I really like this series and wish there were more books after this, the 6th in the crime series featuring turn-of-the-20th-century Viennese psychoanalyst, fencer, and amateur crime-solver, Dr Max Liebermann, who helps his friend, detective Oskar Rheinhardt, solve the murder of an opera diva in Mahler's opera house in 1903, when already the menacing shadow of incipient Jewish persecution hangs over the city, as Vienna’s powerful and anti-Semitic mayor Karl Lueger is front and center. (Lueger, like Mahler and Freud, was a real person; he established the Austrian Christian Social Party, kept Jews from serving in his administration, and Hitler viewed him as an inspiration.) Meanwhile, Liebermann makes the moves on his heretofore friend, Amelia, who is more than ready for him to act.
January 30, 2024
This is my second Max Liebermann novel and it was nearly flawless. Frank Tallis's recreation of turn-of-the -century Vienna is rigorously researched and colorfully rendered, but without being overburdened by unnecessary detail. The end notes, in which he describes the sources for the descriptions, actions, and even some of the dialogue of the historical characters, such as Gustav Mahler, are fascinating, and almost sent me back to the beginning to better appreciate how he wove this information into his narrative. A good detective yarn with two very different murders (thank god, there wasn't a serial killer anywhere to be found). The final wrap-up/reveal was a slightly clumsy piece of staging, but hardly enough to spoil a great mystery.
May 5, 2024
As with the previous five books (and yes, you need to read them in order to fully appreciate the evolving relationships between the characters), this one is a very satisfying story about the murder of Ida Rosenkrantz, a soprano famous in Vienna operas. More so than in the other books, the investigator Oskar Rheinhardt takes center stage and appears more thoughtful and perceptive than he had before. Still, he continues to call on his psychoanalyst sidekick, Max Liebermann, who provides insights into the minds of the victim and suspects. Max is disturbed by a visit from Clara, his former fiancé, and an unexpected overture from Amelia Lydgate, a big reason why he broke off his engagement with Clara. Of course, Freud and Mahler are there too.
February 5, 2017
This is my first book by the author - have not read the 5 books prior to the volume.
The author takes you to another world - steeped in classical music and a healthy dose of psychology. It is set in an era long time ago(Sigmund Freud has just started becoming famous, or rather infamous, in this book). The classical music references were frankly lost on me and almost went right over my head at most times, but psychology has always fascinated me - and a glimpse of that at the start totally reeled me in. There are regular appearances of Sigmund Freud, which were well integrated. Though the story has a multitude of characters, each one has been woven quite well in the mystery.
The author takes you to another world - steeped in classical music and a healthy dose of psychology. It is set in an era long time ago(Sigmund Freud has just started becoming famous, or rather infamous, in this book). The classical music references were frankly lost on me and almost went right over my head at most times, but psychology has always fascinated me - and a glimpse of that at the start totally reeled me in. There are regular appearances of Sigmund Freud, which were well integrated. Though the story has a multitude of characters, each one has been woven quite well in the mystery.
May 20, 2020
Another in the Vienna Blood series. Finally LIebermann gets over his reluctance and finds himself sharing fireworks with his English unattainable object. Along the way he and the inspector solve a forty year murder and a current one. Lots of music, art, food and detective work, plus Freudian sexology. Again, there was nary a fingerprint mentioned, in keeping with the forensics techniques of the time. The autopsy scenes were interesting for how crude they were, especially after reading around 20 Patricia Cornwell books. I also continue to cringe at the amount of smoking and drinking there characters do. At least the murders are interesting and less disgusting than those horrible habits.
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