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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A psychiatrist/sleuth in turn of the century Vienna., March 4, 2006
This review is from: A Death in Vienna (Hardcover)
Frank Tallis's "A Death in Vienna" features psychiatrist Max Liebermann, who is a disciple of Sigmund Freud. Vienna is a cosmopolitan capital that delights the senses with its beautiful music, architectural wonders, scenic vistas, and culinary delights. It is also the birthplace of psychoanalysis, of which Max is an expert practitioner, much to the disdain of his superior, Professor Wolfgang Gruner. Gruner prefers to treat hysteria with electricity, while Max feels that it is far more productive and humane to to help his patients by exploring their dreams and subconscious memories.
Max's best friend and confidante is Detective Oskar Reinhardt, who often calls on Max for his expert opinion. It seems that Max's superior powers of observation and his expertise in diseases of the mind make him an excellent amateur sleuth. Oskar presents his friend with a enigma involving a beautiful young woman, Charlotte Lowenstein, who is found dead in her sitting room. She was apparently shot, but no bullet or exit wound was found. In addition, suicide can be ruled out, since there there was no murder weapon at hand. To make matters even more bewildering, the sitting room door was locked from the inside and no one could have climbed out of the window. Since Charlotte was a medium who frequently conducted seances, some people suspect that a supernatural force killed her. However, Max scoffs at this idea and he sets out to help his friend solve the crime. In addition, Max is preoccupied with treating a patient named Amelia Lydgate, who is suffering from partial paralysis. He uses hypnosis in an attempt to uncover the source of his patient's distress.
Frank Tallis has written an engaging novel that is also a travelogue of Vienna in the late nineteenth century. Max is an appealing character, who is courageous, brilliant, insightful, and compassionate. His friendship with Oskar extends not only to professional matters, but the two also enjoy music, meals, drinks, and cigars together. Oskar is a happily married man whom Max intends to emulate when he settles down with the woman he has been seeing, the lovely Clara Weiss.
"A Death in Vienna" is a clever "locked room" mystery with a truly ingenious solution. Tallis depicts his large cast of characters with flair, and he includes pointed social commentary about the political situation in Vienna, the role of women during the turn of the century, and the ugly specter of anti-Semitism that was already poisoning the atmosphere in Austria. The book has a cliffhanger ending which will entice readers to stay tuned for the next installment in this series.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A psychological mystery!, June 22, 2006
This review is from: A Death in Vienna (Hardcover)
This psychological mystery/thriller is set during a time of great change, in particular the introduction of psychological theory by Dr. Freud, and of females into the medical profession. One of the primary characters is suffering from hysteria, a condition which was considered by some medical practitioners of the early 20th century to be due to female hormones. Fortunately she is treated by a doctor who has read Freud and understands the new "talking" cure. He is able to discover the roots of her illness and eliminate symptoms.
In addition there is also a murder mystery, set among the seances of the active spiritualist movement of the time.
Tallis does a nice job of blending the development of early psychological theory with the cultural history of Vienna. He is adept at tying together the socio-economic strands that created oppression for women and minorities yet also details personal triumphs over such oppression by members of those minorities.
The writing is fairly good and the characters are interesting. For me there were too many characters to keep track of and not enough about the characters that I found interesting. Nevertheless if you like a psychological mystery it is worth a look!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unique dectection method in charming period piece, July 26, 2006
This review is from: A Death in Vienna (Hardcover)
Just as the dark moods and buoyant spirits of London of the late 19th century contrast in the narratives of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, so does the pomp and gloss of imperial majesty scrape up against the black, sordid underbelly of Vienna in Tallis' fin de siecle mystery.
The star of the piece is a young Jewish doctor interested in the fledging discipline of psychiatry. He navigates carefully through the corridors occupied by the controversial Sigmund Freud, the anti-Semitic Karl Lueger, Mayor of Vienna and other fascintating denizons of that era.
The mystery which the young doctor helps solve is a variant of a closed door puzzle, the suspects are well-drawn and the solution is satisfying.
The surprise was the skill with which Tallis, a psychiatrist himself with a spate of published texts, handles the descriptive passages. His insights and flourishes are worthy of the best descriptive writers. As a frequent visitor to Vienna and a reader of many texts and novels about the city, I was amazed to read exquisite passages which captured so exactly the feel and mood of the city. I must add that I am generally more inclined to narrative than description but Tallis is so exceptional in the latter that one almost forgets the former.
All in all, I would strongly recommend this worthy first novel in what one hopes will be a long series.
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