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Product Description
Product Description
A cultured city scarred by war. . . . An eastern émigré with scars and secrets of her own. . . . A young woman claiming to be a Russian grand duchess. . . . A brazen killer, as vicious as he is clever. . . . A detective driven by decency and the desire for justice.
. . . A nightmare political movement steadily gaining power. . . .
This is 1922 Berlin.
One of the troubled city's growing number of refugees, Esther Solomonova survives by working as secretary to the charming, unscrupulous cabaret owner "Prince" Nick, and she's being drawn against her will into his scheme to pass a young asylum patient off as Anastasia, the last surviving heir to the murdered czar of all Russia. But their found "princess," Anna Anderson, fears that she's being hunted—and this may turn out to be more than paranoia when innocent people all around her begin to die.
About the Author
Ariana Franklin is a former Fleet Street reporter who lives in Hertfordshire, England.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ariana Franklin is the pseudonym of a well-known author of historical novels, Diana Norman, wife of the film critic Barry Norman. She is a former Fleet Street Reporter and lives in Hertfordshire.
Having read the author's other two books, the Mistress of the Art of Death and The Serpent's Tale, I decided to try this novel written before the above two. Although this book was an interesting read I cannot say that I enjoyed it as much as the above two, possibly because they were medieval novels, a period that I enjoy reading about very much.
However it would be unfair to criticise the book simply because of the period of history it depicts and all things being equal it was an enjoyable read. The storyline of the book takes place in Berlin, three or four years after the end of the war and revolves around a scheme to pass a young asylum patient off as Anastasia, the last surviving heir to the murdered Russian Czar . . .
The plot is both believable and inventive and the book is well written, in fact everything a reader could want from a good story.
Having read the author's other two books, the Mistress of the Art of Death and The Serpent's Tale, I decided to try this novel written before the above two. Although this book was an interesting read I cannot say that I enjoyed it as much as the above two, possibly because they were medieval novels, a period that I enjoy reading about very much.
However it would be unfair to criticise the book simply because of the period of history it depicts and all things being equal it was an enjoyable read. The storyline of the book takes place in Berlin, three or four years after the end of the war and revolves around a scheme to pass a young asylum patient off as Anastasia, the last surviving heir to the murdered Russian Czar . . .
The plot is both believable and inventive and the book is well written, in fact everything a reader could want from a good story.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I borrowed this book from my local library and found it so fascinating I had to buy my own copy. The fiction book combines fact with fiction, and focuses mainly on the Anna Anderson legend. I found all the characters intersesting, and the historical events and people very accurate. The story itself had lots of twists and turns, the biggest of all at the end. In all, this book is a must read.
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Franklin combines skillful dialogue and plotting in a new take on the tragic history of Anastasia Romanov, the Russian princess who may or may not have been executed during the Russian Revolution. Central to the retelling are the female perspectives on discounted lives, sexual battery, and the reduction of women to pawns in an ongoing clash of egotistical, cynical, and predatory males. By setting the story in an unstable post-war environment, Franklin enlarges on the social and political situations that further denigrate women as citizens and human beings. Don't miss this one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting first novel
I bought this book as I had enjoyed the Mistress of the Art of Death series. The book is brilliant on the historical research of Berlin in the twenties and thirties and the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ms. E. Boulton
Why isn't this a bestseller?
I sought out this book after reading the last of the late, lamented Ariana Franklin's wonderful medieval murder mysteries, not quite sure what to expect, but this is every bit as... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Bookwoman
a franklin
not her usual kind of work but wow what an excellent story, set in the times of the spanish civil war with plenty of twists and turns.
Published 11 months ago by Mr. B. F. Knowles
A nail-biting all-nighter.......
Set in a depressed pre-War Berlin, the writer weaves a web of stalking suspense, involving two main characters drawn together by their courage, sexual attraction, and a quest to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Songbird
city of shadows
I was very disappointed in this book. The story concerns Anna Anderson, the woman purporting to be Princess Anastasia. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Carroty Nell
A Change of Style
Ariana Franklin has come up with a completely different style of novel from her historical stories. As one would expect from this author the story line is excellent and flows... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. Brian A. Bibey
murder in wiemar
I've read her previous historical murder novels set in medieval times and really enjoyed them, but was not looking forward as much to this one which is set in Weimar Germany [even... Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2010 by J. C. Day
Fantastic book
Finished this book a few weeks ago and still thinking about it. Ariana Franklin has served up a fantastic tale revolving around the appearance in Berlin of a woman claiming to be... Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2010 by Ms. S. Vassie
Good book, but I didn't particularly like it
Very good picture of the horrors of disintegrating Berlin, but I felt I knew too much about the story already. I like the other books by this author that I have read better.
Published on 28 Jan 2010 by Bunter
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