Fatal Lies

In glittering turn-of-the-century Vienna, brutal instinct and refined intellect fight for supremacy. The latest, most disturbing example: the mysterious and savage death of a young cadet in the most elite of military academies, St. Florian's. Even using his cutting-edge investigative techniques, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt cannot crack the school's closed and sadistic world. He must again enlist the aid of his frequent ally, Dr. Max Liebermann, an expert in Freudian psychology. But how can Liebermann help when he a crisis of his own: handling his conflicted and forbidden feelings for two different women, one a former patient? As the case unfolds, powerful forces will stop at nothing to keep a dark secret.
"Frank Tallis has surged to the front of the
field riding his dark horse, Vienna in the last days of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire…While it's always a delight to visit the ballrooms where Strauss is
played and the opera house where Mahler is rehearsing and the coffeehouses
where ideas are devoured mit Schlag, this smart series has far more to offer
than decorative charm."
"Tallis's singular achievement is to bring vividly to life
many of the glories and dangers of a great city at a crucial moment in its
history…Immensely satisfying…The author delights us with rich, often gorgeous
prose…[He] has an exceptional ability to move seamlessly among varied plot
elements, characters, and emotions…If you're looking for the best in popular
fiction, it's well worth seeking out."
"Another immensely satisfying novel in Frank Tallis'
intelligent and subtle Dr. Liebermann/Inspector Rheinhardt series…Dense,
engrossing…A fine adventure."
"St. Florian's Military Academy outside Vienna
serves as the forbidding backdrop for Tallis's stellar third historical to
feature Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt and Dr. Max Liebermann…Several late twists
lead to a startling resolution of this compelling tale."
"What is basically a murder mystery becomes
something quite extraordinary as Tallis skillfully weaves in the politics,
history, music, and social customs of turn-of-the-century Vienna. Another
outstanding entry in an erudite and mesmerizing series; a must for
historical-mystery devotees."