Product Description

In the grip of a Siberian winter in 1902, a serial killer in Vienna embarks upon a bizarre campaign of murder. Vicious mutilation, a penchant for arcane symbols, and a seemingly random choice of victim are his most distinctive peculiarities. Detective Inspector, Oskar Rheinhardt summons a young disciple of Freud - his friend Dr. Max Liebermann - to assist him with the case. The investigation draws them into the sphere of Vienna's secret societies - a murky underworld of German literary scholars, race theorists, and scientists inspired by the new evolutionary theories coming out of England. At first, the killer's mind seems impenetrable - his behaviour and cryptic clues impervious to psychoanalytic interpretation; however, gradually, it becomes apparent that an extraordinary and shocking rationale underlies his actions...Against this backdrop of mystery and terror, Liebermann struggles with his own demons. The treatment of a patient suffering from paranoia erotica and his own fascination with the enigmatic Englishwoman Amelia Lydgate raise doubts concerning the propriety of his imminent marriage. To resolve the dilemma, he must entertain the unthinkable - risking disgrace and accusations of cowardice.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91799 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

From the Publisher
' A murder mystery of great intelligence' the Times

From the Inside Flap
In the grip of a Siberian winter in 1902, a serial killer in Vienna embarks upon a bizarre campaign of murder. Vicious mutilation, a penchant for arcane symbols, and a seemingly random choice of victim are his most distinctive peculiarities. Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt summons a young disciple of Freud - his friend Dr. Max Liebermann - to assist him with the case. The investigation draws them into the sphere of Vienna’s secret societies – a murky underworld of German literary scholars, race theorists, and scientists inspired by the new evolutionary theories coming out of England. At first, the killer’s mind seems impenetrable – his behaviour and cryptic clues impervious to psychoanalytic interpretation; however, gradually, it becomes apparent that an extraordinary and shocking rationale underlies his actions ….

Against this backdrop of mystery and terror, Liebermann struggles with his own demons. The treatment of a patient suffering from paranoia erotica (a delusion of love) and his own fascination with the enigmatic Englishwoman Amelia Lydgate raises doubts concerning the propriety of his imminent marriage. To resolve the dilemma, he must entertain the unthinkable – risking opprobrium and accusations of cowardice.

From the Back Cover
quotes to come

Customer Reviews

Second outing for Liebermann
Second of the Liebermann series (following Mortal Mischief and preceding Fatal Lies) this once again presents an intriguing murder mystery set in turn of the century Vienna (1902).

The first book introduced Detective Rheinhardt of the Austrian security service and his friend Dr Liebermann, a young clinical psychologist and disciple of Freud. In this outing they are faced with a series of violent and horrific killings in Vienna which start with an anaconda in the Vienna zoo (a favourite of the Emperor!) and continue with the murder of prostitutes, a chicken-seller and an African man-servant. Bizarre clues are found (a padlock, a blood-painted `cross') which point to a crime that takes in freemasonry, opera, German race theories and secret societies...

This is a well-written and intelligent novel which paints a vivid picture of early C20th Vienna, most particularly the rise of the race theories that later informed the Aryanism of Hitler and the Nazis. The story is multi-layered so that we are pulled into the personal life of Liebermann, torn between his pretty but frivolous fiancée and the enigmatic Englishwoman Amelia Lydgate. We also get to meet Freud and witness some rather wickedly funny `Freudian' episodes from Liebermann's professional life.

A small flaw is the lack of differentiation in the `villains' who remain fairly opaque. And the ending descends into the slightly farcical... but that doesn't spoil the enjoyment of what is an intelligent and entertaining take on the detective novel .

Cakes, turn of the century Vienna and mystery
In 1902 a serial killer is stalking Vienna, pursued by Detective Inspector Oskar Reinhardt with the help of Freudian psychologist Dr Max Liebermann. On one level this is a great murder mystery and balancing of Reinhardt's old style detection and Libermann's radical theories, an early form of forensic profiling. Tallis has created an excellent story, with lots of clever twists that keep you guessing, secret societies, early fascism, nationalism and racial hatred.

What shone for me, however, was Tallis' evocation of turn of the century Vienna, a city poised between ancient traditions and the new world of Freud and Klimt. Liebermann's following of Freud and his treatment of a patient convinced he is having an affair with a member of the royal family bring to life the new wave of thinking breaking across Europe at the time. This is also brought to light by Tallis' backstory of Liebermann's sweet but shallow finacee, obsessed with social niceties, and Amelia Lydgate, a new kind of woman asserting her right to an education and equality with men. I particularly loved the descriptions of Vienna, especially their endless visits to tea houses for the kind of cakes Austria is still world first for today.

So a great read but enjoyably more than that, recommended

Liebermann is back
Vienna Blood is the second book in the Liebermann papers series. It is very well written and kept me enthralled from beginning to end. In places it seemed to be trying too hard to show Vienna as a racial melting pot full of Xenophobia and anti-sematism where racial integration was forced on an unwilling people by the powers that be, making society a breeding ground for differing groups of bigots. All this is obviously a pointer to the evils of Nazism. Some might say Britain is becoming like that now?
Anyway there are touches of humour (try reading the part about the sewer without thinking about "The Third Man" film and the thrilling climax is very Errol Flynn). Despite that there are plenty of red herrings and when the killer is finally revealed you will be left wondering how he got away with it until the final revelation.
So if you like your detective novel that is both cerebal and action packed this book will probably be right up your street.