A Death in Vienna (Hardcover)

~ Dr. Frank Tallis Dr. (Author) "A ROILING MASS OF BLACK cloud had risen from behind the Opera House like a volcanic eruption of sulphurous smoke and ash..." (more)
Key Phrases: young governess, larger key, Miss Lydgate, Herr Doctor, Amelia Lydgate (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

British author Tallis (Love Sick) sets his intelligent murder mystery in the stormy, atmospheric Austrian capital at the turn of the 20th century. Psychoanalyst Max Lieberman, a contemporary of Freud's, takes time out of his busy schedule treating hysterics to help his friend Det. Oskar Rheinhardt solve the perplexing case of a beautiful medium found dead in a locked room on the day of her weekly séance. She's left a suicide note and died of a gunshot to the heart, but there's no weapon or bullet in her body. Rheinhardt is certain she's been murdered, and as he interviews each of her clients, he uncovers a number of potential suspects with motive enough for murder—but without the know-how to accomplish this impossible deed. Midway through the investigation, one of the medium's clients is bludgeoned to death in his sleep—also inside a locked room. Despite Rheinhardt's superior sleuthing and Lieberman's keen observational and analytical abilities, the murderer and the key to his modus operandi elude them until help comes from an unlikely source. Tallis convincingly animates Lieberman and Rheinhardt in a picturesque Vienna roiling with cultural and intellectual change. (Mar.)
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From Booklist

Too many characters crowd this otherwise clever whodunit set in turn-of-the-century Vienna. The circumstances of medium Charlotte Lowenstein's murder befuddle Detective Oskar Rheinhardt from the start: her body is found in a room locked from the inside. She has been shot, but there's evidence of neither a bullet nor a gun. Rheinhardt decides to consult his longtime friend, psychoanalyst Max Liebermann. Although all signs point to a supernatural killer, Liebermann, who puts a premium on hypnosis, dreams, and accidental utterances (Freudian slips), isn't so sure. He interviews members of Fraulein Lowenstein's seance circle, some of whom seemed more drawn to her beauty than her credentials in the occult. Among them: a nervous banker, a neurotic locksmith, an unkempt count, and a lustful stage magician who fled the city shortly after the crime. Tallis is a clinical psychologist and an expert on obsessive behavior, and his third novel is worth reading, not so much for the story as for the atmospheric renderings of the Viennese cafe scene (including many mouth-watering mentions of pastry) and for cameo appearances by Mahler and Freud. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802118151
• ISBN-13: 978-0802118158
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #633,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A psychiatrist/sleuth in turn of the century Vienna., March 4, 2006

By	E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting setting. Dragging plot., May 14, 2007

By	Kel "acountkel" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews

A Woman is murdered in the early 20th century of Vienna. There is no bullet found and the door of the room where the murder takes place is locked from the inside. Dr. Lieberman is called by his detective friend to help solve the case. I thought the setting was interesting. I liked the references to Sigmund Freud. The mystery did not grab my attention, however. I thought there were too many mini-plots that were really not pertinent to the story. I wondered if they were intentional to make the book longer. The resolution was weak. There wasn't enough of a surprise at the end. Disappointing and not highly recommended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A psychological mystery!, June 22, 2006

By	Snowbrocade (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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!