The premise of the book was very intriguing, but for the most part the author did not deliver. It was a struggle to finish the last 3rd of the book and the ending felt less than credible simply because of the author's presentation -- in another's hands I could easily have accepted that story line. All in all it was generally a disappointment, with just enough little spiritual gems scattered along the way to keep you reading until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what to expect with the theme of a German policeman investigating murders in Nazi Germany in 1943. The author seemed to have done a great deal of historical research, using an actual atrocity as the basis for the novel. It provided a reminder that not all Germans were Nazis or supporters of Hitler and the consequences, potential or actualized, for choosing that stance. I really enjoyed learning more about this period of history from this perspective. As a lover of the mystery genre, I felt the mystery element more than held its own with historical theme. Would definitely recommend this book to mystery and historical fiction lovers.

I found this book rather off putting. It took me 3 tries before I got through it. It is very well written, but the author seems incredibly detached from his characters which is surprising given the nature of the topic. None of the characters were particularly appealing even as they work through their angst at being in Auschwitz and all the memories and assumptions that entails. Olin's relationship with Sister Catherine is a puzzle to say the least. My overall reaction on completing the book was "I just don't get it." Obviously the majority of other reader do get it and enjoy it based most reviews.

I enjoyed this book as an interesting character and cultural study. I lived in Asia and traveled extensively in China in the late '90s and felt the author did an excellent job of reflecting the character of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. His character development exploring Paul's deep grief, as well as the trauma of the Chinese characters who grew up as victims of the Cultural Revolution was insightful and poignant. However, as a great fan of mystery novels, I found the mystery aspect of this novel disappointingly lacking in development. Perhaps he was a bit overambitious in selecting a murder mystery as the vehicle for the story. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. This is the first novel I've read by this author and I plan to read his prior novel and would gladly read future books.

This is one of the best books I've read all year! I really didn't know what to expect, but the author pulled me into the story quickly and held my interest throughout. She did an excellent job of bringing together multiple threads of multiple life lines and weaving them together in a totally credible fashion. I was quite impressed with her insights on the darker side of our human natures and more than once recognized a character's snide thought or comment that I've had in my own head and never shared out loud. This would definitely be a good book club read as there is a lot of material to generate discussion.

I was extremely fortunate to be able to read this book virtually straight through – as it was I had a hard time finding a stopping point when I needed to break away. It was that compelling. I was interested through the opening pages, but by the end of the second chapter I was fully hooked. The author does an excellent job painting word pictures with only the letters written by the various characters during the first and second world wars. The characters are well developed as they are portrayed through their written words and you come to feel that you know and care about each of them as the book progresses.

This book reminds us of the intimacy and power of the written word to convey the soaring joys and searing pains of our human hearts and lives. I think this would be a great selection for book clubs and generally for those who enjoy literary novels. I should note that although it is a novel about a romance, it's not "chick lit" – my husband enjoyed it as well!

As a mystery lover and someone who grew up in Tucson and did volunteer work with Law Enforcement in that area a few decades ago, I was excited to start a stroll down memory lane as the book opened. I enjoyed the introduction of Brigid as a smart sassy woman "of a certain age" who happens to be a former FBI agent. Carlo and her relationship with him were quite intriguing. The general writing and pace of the book were enjoyable. However, Brigid's actions and motivations as described stretched my credulity too thin, which resulted in a sense of disappointment overall. I would gladly read another book in a series featuring Brigid Quinn with the hope the author would develop the primary characters with a bit more depth and substantiate a more realistic plot line. I believe this book would be of interest for mystery lovers with a particular fondness for books in the private investigator sub-genre.

I approached this book with much anticipation after having read all the reviews. Perhaps it's just me, but I found the book interesting, but not compelling. I would have hoped for more depth in the discussion of the various books' relevance to the situations in the mother's and son's lives. At times the discussion seemed too brief and superficial to carry much emotion or significance. Overall I was disappointed and probably would not recommend it, even if I did note some of the books I will want to check out for my own future reading.

This is the first book I've read by this author. It took me a little bit to sink into the rhythm as I was not familiar with the main characters and the Icelandic nomenclature. But I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author went about weaving the various threads of the story as events evolved. I particularly enjoyed the psychological aspects of the characterizations and found the overall development fascinating. I chose this book for our December Mystery Book Club Meeting and I think this book will generate a lively discussion. I definitely plan to read other books by this author.

Although the title and cover information seemed very intriguing, I was never able to connect with the characters and feel a part of the mystical experience presented. The author did not offer enough support for this theme so as to make it credible, unlike the Night Circus which I enjoyed immensely. There were too many questions which remained unexplained or with insufficient development. Overall, I found it a bit disappointing.

Interesting, but I found it a bit tedious in the places. The humor was evidently too subtle for me, as I did not find it nearly as funny as others have described. I enjoyed the descriptions of life in Europe and the US in that time frame , but can't say that I ever really connected with either of the characters. Rather frustrating after some of the glowing reviews.

I was pulled into this book from the beginning – loving the lyrical descriptions which set the scene and atmosphere. The author did a fine job of weaving in the threads of past and present and interweaving the different characters. I found the story compelling and read the book virtually straight through. A disappointment was that the literary tone with which the book opened was not carried throughout, settling for a more ordinary, somewhat choppy, approach as the story progressed. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and think lovers of mystery novels will be intrigued as the author sustained the suspense and mystery surrounding Adam’s disappearance until the very end.

I seem to be in a distinct minority among the various reviews I have read, but I did not find this book particularly enjoyable or credible. I've done volunteer work with police officers and have been friends with detectives and patrol officers at various points in my life life. The idea that an untrained civilian who is a witness and a sister to another potential suspect would be allowed, much less invited, to participate in a homicide investigation just stretched my credibility past the breaking point.

We are given no information on Tai's background to allow us to believe she has the requisite investigative skills that would provide her entree into this situation. I frankly did not care much for or respect Tai in this process and found Trey to be the only intriguing character. It was a slog for me to finish the book and only did so on behalf of my Mystery Book Club.

I would really give this a 3.5. I loved the historical aspects of the novel bringing the story of Paganini's life and the history of the Il Cannone violin. But I thought the mystery aspect of the novel was pretty weak. My favorite genre is mysteries, so I was a bit disappointed that the "mystery" in the novel did not seem a well connected aspect , more of an afterthought. But nonetheless it was still an enjoyable read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author conveyed a deep sensitivity and connection with the emotional threads that bound and separated the members of this family. I hated having to put the book down and at the close of each chapter looked forward to rejoining that character when next we met. I think this will be an excellent choice for book clubs, generating significant discussion.

I really wanted to like this book; even going so far as to start over again from the beginning after eighty pages in an attempt to find what I had “missed” the first time. I never found what I needed to bring it all together in a coherent whole which would have supported the author’s premise. The author shows promise with some beautiful prose and interesting insights, but much of the dialogue seemed awkward. I tried, but ultimately was never able to suspend my disbelief and just sink into the spell of the story which is what I always hope for with a good novel.

My first thought as I began reading "Charles Jessold" was “this is delicious!” which seemed a bit incongruous for a musical novel, but I was “hungry for more!” As I continued through the intricate twists and turns that comprise the narrator’s tale of murder set against a background of love won and lost, psychological intrigue, musical history, and war, I generally found Mr. Stace’s prose to be amusing, clever, engaging, and far from the run of the mill approach to unwinding a mystery. In this way I truly enjoyed this book. My only two quibbles with the novel were that there was a section about half to two- thirds into it where it began to get a bit tedious and I was feeling myself wanting to jump ahead, but then I was back following intensely for the last several chapters; and the other quibble was at times I found the musical references a bit too erudite and I was wishing my musical knowledge was a bit more “up to snuff”. Overall I enjoyed the book a great deal and I would definitely recommend it to other mystery lovers.

I was deeply intrigued with the first paragraph -- rereading it more than once just to be sure -- and by the end of the first page I was totally smitten with this book. At first I found the interweaving of Lexie’s and Elina’s stories a bit jarring and disjointed, but then I settled into the author’s rhythm and enjoyed the episodic intertwining. In the midst I always took the time to step back to appreciate her incredible, poetic descriptive prose. I am not a mother myself and it’s no longer a possibility for me, yet the author’s description of a new mother’s fears, confusion, fatigue, and yet fiercely intense bonding with her baby seemed so very authentic to me in a way that I have never before seen presented. By the end of the book I didn’t want it to end, but the ending was so very perfect I felt at peace. The author did an incredibly masterful job in weaving all the threads of the two women’s stories together into a cohesive, beautiful multicolored tapestry. I continued to ponder the book after I finished, making the connections that were not apparent except in hindsight. I consider this one of the finest books I’ve read in a long time and think it will make an excellent selection for book clubs.

I loved this book! I was pulled into the story immediately and fascinated with all the twists and turns as well as the historical detail. It was intricately plotted, but yet avoided becoming cumbersome with details. I was unable to predict the outcome, but the resolution was fully consistent and satisfactory with the plot development. I highly recommend this book!!

This book was my introduction to the writings of Kate Grenville, and I must say I am delighted to have finally made her acquaintance and plan to read more of her work. I thoroughly enjoyed the lush, lyrical power of her descriptive prose. However, I finished this book wanting more, wishing that she had explored the weightier themes more deeply. I think this is a good book, well worth reading, but feel the author missed the opportunity to develop it into a great book with a more powerful story.