Scan barcode
cindypager's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The writing in this series is beautiful.
srash's review
5.0
So far, this has been the most gripping book in the series for me. I sacrificed sleep to read on. :) The resolution to the mystery is quite different from the TV adaptation--and considerably more sordid.
omnibozo22's review against another edition
4.0
Third in the Vienna Blood series, this time focusing on a rural military high school that churned out German fascists at the turn of the 20th century. Using Freudian and Sherlockian techniques, a cop and a psychologist figure out multiple crimes while the shrink sorts out his own love quandries.
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
Still interesting if somewhat intricate this time around. And darker. The dark clouds of intolerance, of xenophobia are gathering. Still, Tallis paints a sumptuous picture of Vienna at the turn of the 20e century.
This one is more focused on philosophy and music than visual art. There is quite of bit of Nietzsche in this one.
The whole sub-plot of possible conspiracy, terrorists and well... spies is played in sourdine while the main plot of a young student found dead at a military school takes the reader on a wild chase full of twists and turns.
Overall a good installment in the series.
This one is more focused on philosophy and music than visual art. There is quite of bit of Nietzsche in this one.
The whole sub-plot of possible conspiracy, terrorists and well... spies is played in sourdine while the main plot of a young student found dead at a military school takes the reader on a wild chase full of twists and turns.
Overall a good installment in the series.
theomnivorescientist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Frank Tallis, a clinical psychologist and now a full-time author famous for his Liebermann crime novels. Fatal Lies is the third novel in this series set in 1900s Vienna at the brink of great scientific and industrial breakthrough surrounding the adventures of Vienna police inspector Oskar Reinhardt and psychiatrist Max Liebermann who also happens to be the student of yes, Sigmund Freud. This particular volume leads the duo crime solvers on a journey through a military boarding school for Viennese boys and investigates the murder of a teenage boy. Tallis infuses his medical knowledge about psychoanalysis throughout the book as I am sure is the underlying skeleton of the series. Solving crimes through observation of human behaviour. A bit like Conan Doyle but Tallis creates a Vienna like no other. The rise of Freudian practices, the Austro-Hungarian political landscape, the coffee houses and Viennese bakeries, opera and of course waltz and classical music. I made copious notes. There are chapters dedicated to the analysis of certain pieces. Next thing you know I was playing Fur Elise on a piano app on my laptop. More than the crime and the solution itself, this series needs to be cherished for its historical accuracy and a love for neuroscience. One single caution: please keep a gap between two Liebermann novels. They are dense and need a palate cleanser in between.
fmoreno's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this book. Once again there was a big twist in the plot. Trezka, a Hungarian violinist was a spy for her country.
I was really shocked. The way Liebermann discovers this fact is amazing. I love Liebermann and his conjectures.
Liebermann continues to fight his feelings for Amelia. The man who is seen with Amelia by Max is not her lover, as Max thought but he is in fact her half brother. (another shocking twist)
I would like to have seen the author explore Amelia's feelings for Max. In the end of the book they go to this ball and Max decides to take his time to win Amelia's heart. The author doesn't mention nothing more about that line of thought. I'm really hoping they stay together.
I really love the way Max Liebermann and his intuition.
He's amazingly talented.
I was really shocked. The way Liebermann discovers this fact is amazing. I love Liebermann and his conjectures.
Liebermann continues to fight his feelings for Amelia. The man who is seen with Amelia by Max is not her lover, as Max thought but he is in fact her half brother. (another shocking twist)
I would like to have seen the author explore Amelia's feelings for Max. In the end of the book they go to this ball and Max decides to take his time to win Amelia's heart. The author doesn't mention nothing more about that line of thought. I'm really hoping they stay together.
I really love the way Max Liebermann and his intuition.
He's amazingly talented.
amandareid's review against another edition
4.0
This series is just so fantastic. I'm all revved up for the 4th installment which is due out next year! You know a book is good if it makes you want to visit the country in which it's set and in this case it's Austria, Vienna to be exact. The short chapters make for a very fast page-turner. The whole series is highly recommended!