What a fantastic book! With two storylines that connect from the beginning this story seemed like such a unique take on a topic that is the focus of a lot of books - World War II.

The "present day" storyline is centered around an older woman in Italy who is being forced off her property by a corporation. She swears that the land is hers and she is connected with Catherine and Liam Taggert who come to the rescue to get to the bottom of the mystery. The historical storyline starts in 1918 and begins in Berlin with a young girl who is learning the violin from her accomplished father and has big dreams of joining a symphony.

The historical storyline shows up in the current storyline as a memoir that Catherine and Liam are told hold all of the answers to help Gabi keep this land. It was so natural as to how the story was introduced and became a part of the current storyline.

I loved the historical storyline. Ada Baumgarten's view of the war was so unique and interesting. She watched her precious city of Berlin slowly get invaded and watched her friends and families lives get completely turned upside down. In the height of it all, she was lucky to move to Italy, but she also watched the same thing happen there. It was interesting how she was both safe and in the crossfire of the Nazis.

If you are hesitant to pick up World War II books or historical fiction in general, I would challenge you that this should be the one for you to pick up and try. I fell in love with the characters in both storylines and loved how easy they flowed back and forth.

After reading Once We Were Brothers and this book, Ronald H. Balson has just become one of my few favorite authors. I'm really regretting not keeping Once We Were Brothers.

This is such an incredible novel I've come across in a while! Mr. Balsom most certainly has done his research. He is so eloquently talented with words where he brings the story alive immediately from the beginning to the end, holding your interest. He is one of the few phenomenal storytellers of our time.

First of all, having read Once We Were Brothers over a year ago, I did not know he had written other books until The Girl From Berlin came out. This book is the fifth book of Liam Haggard and Catherine Lockhart series. Now, this should not scare you off because this can be a stand alone novel and I can tell you why. The heart of this novel truly sets on the mystery, music, and historical details of the main character who wrote the journal.

This is a historical novel which takes place pre WWII and during WWII and present which are alternated back and forth but easy to keep up. Once you start reading the first couple of pages, there's no turning back. Balsom did an incredible job bringing the depths of history, music and feelings alive. I LOVE how he conveyed a story to each of the classical music pieces.

It isa not for a quick reading. This novel will bring out all kinds of emotions from you. It is intended to be savored reading and long after you finish reading the book.



I truly truly enjoyed this story. It is one of the best WWII stories I've come across this year. I'd say this beats Lilac Girls, Nightingale, and All the Light We Cannot See hands down. I will read his other books and continue to read more of his books in the future.



I recieved this marvelous ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thank you!

Enjoyed reading this book about property rights, World War ll and a big corporation. A David vs Goliath set in Italy with a vineyard in the back ground.
The characters were well developed and the plot was interesting enough to keep my interest.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion,.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I requested it. So I probably would have enjoyed this more had I read the prior books. But I loved the history in this book and how we saw the rise of Hitler in Germany and the perspectives of those in Berlin. It was both chilling and heartbreaking. I’d definitely recommend to people who love historical fiction.

While there are no shortage of books that focus on World War II, Ronald Balson has once again written a gripping piece of historical fiction. While this is the fifth book featuring Liam and Catherine, it can easily be read as a stand alone novel. In this novel, Liam and Catherine have been asked to travel to Italy to assist a friend's elderly aunt who is about to be evicted of her own land. Land that has been in the family since the 1940's. This modern day legal situation is coupled with the diary of a young girl from Berlin which is the only background information that the aunt will provide for her defense. Told from the dual time periods, this was a fascinating approach to the impact of the war on Jews not only in Berlin but also in Italy. And I for one have read very little historical fiction that focuses on Italy during the war.
If you enjoyed the Nightingale, I would definitely recommend this and any other of the books from Balson.

This is the first book that I have read by Ronald Balson and it won't be my last. The Girl from Berlin is filled with suspense and history is entwined in the lives of Liam and Catharine. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this story.

I was engufed in this book the moment I started it. I really did love it and loved the different POV's between the past and present. My only issue was how drawn out Ada's orchestra stories were. Although they were interesting, I felt like they were overdone and started to get distracting to the actual story.

The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H Balson is the fourth in a series featuring Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart husband and wife legal/private investigative team who have been hired by the owner of their favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago to investigate a property matter involving his aunt and her villa/vineyard in Italy. This book was a complete surprise to me since I was unaware of this series, which is a shame. This book centered on an autobiography written while its author was interned in a concentration camp during World War II. She had smuggled it out and as Liam and Catherine read it, both the horror of the Holocaust and the reality of Gabrielle's ownership became abundantly clear.

Ada Baumgarten has been a violin virtuoso in Berlin when it became clear that it was not a healthy place for Jews to live. She was a second-generation concert violinist and her father's friend and Berlin Symphony conductor managed to obtain for her a temporary job in Bologna, Italy, where things were safer for Jews. There she made a name for herself and lived happily for many years. After several years there her father managed to sell their home in Berlin and smuggle the cash to Bologna in his violin case, which was totally illegal at the time and eventually the Gestapo figured it out and arrested him eventually leading to his death in the concentration camp. Ada and her mother used the money to buy a villa and small vineyard in the country where her mother becomes a farmer. Twists and turns abound. As with any Holocaust novel, there is plenty of heartbreak, as well.

I am a lover of mysteries, cozies and more hard-core. The Girl from Berlin was a wonderful read, from start to finish. Mostly cerebral but with a fair dose of violence. It is a motivator to go back and read the other books in the series. Balson has a way with words, and with characters. Catherine and Liam are both low key but powerful characters. The peripheral characters had depth and held my interest. I loved the way to autobiography took us into the past and yet was so pertinent to the present. The plot was powerful and intricate. Well worth the time. I highly recommend this book. You will not be sorry if you give it a try.

I was given a free ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. #netgalley #thegirllfromberlin

When Catherine and Liam are asked by a friend to help his aunt, Gabi, who is being evicted from her vineyard in Italy that she has owned for 70 years they set off for Italy to do what they can. Before they arrive they are given a manuscript telling the story of Ada Baumgarten a young Jewish German violinist who had incredible talent but lived through the Holocaust..... but how are these two stories connected and how can it help save the vineyard for Gabi?

Another great book in the series, the story of Ada was so fascinating and moving I couldn't put it down I always find books about this period very interesting but heartbreaking and emotional at the same time but definitely a series worth reading

This book like all those set during the great World Wars is so emotional, so factual, so matter of fact at most times that it brings all the cruelty, the in humaneness of dictators, of racism, of actual bitter hatred back, that it is frightening. It also spins a story of generations of people who strive to survive, of selflessness and always thinking of others

Set in Germany our family is upper middle class Jewish. Educated in the arts at the height of his career Baumgarten does not think that his life is going to be fraught with danger. Even when all the signs show that Jews are no longer to be tolerated, he is protected by his profession and goes on for much much longer than others. It is at others persuasion that he knows that the future for his daughter who is herself a prodigy is bleak that moves are made to send them out of Germany to Bologna.

From here the story of Ada and her mother evolves always with the hateful Nazi powerforce behind them. Italy is not safe either but where else are they to go. Opportunities are there in Vienna but Austria is swallowed by Nazi Germany. They have left going to America too late and with the death of Ada's grandfather that sponsorship avenue is closed to them.

Told in two time lines. WW1 and 2017 the story starts from trying to prevent an old lady Gabriella from being evicted from her vineyard where she has lived for 70 odd years. Even though judgement has been given, her nephew approaches a hot shot lawyer in Chicago pleading with her to take the case. Facing obstacle after obstacle Caroline and Liam knows that the whole thing is off when registrar books are missing, lawyers are evasive and seem to have been bought over, one clerk turns up murdered and a company that no one knows anything about.

In history you go back decades to turn up a hatred between a German officer and a young girl and someone who seeks revenge at every turn. Unraveling pages of a family history that is convoluted at best, you also read about slices of history that most people would like to forget.

The characterization was excellent, the story telling even more so.

Did not realize this was part of a series but loved it nonetheless. The author ties in the past and present to solve a modern day mystery. Highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H Balson. Though I requested this book without realizing it is part of a series of the book, I found that one could read it regardless of it they had read the previous books. The title jumped out at me because I love a good WWII story and this one seemed to take a new approach.

I really loved the sections focusing on Ada and Kurt. They were strong and really well written. Their story together was a unique one. I don't want to give away too much to the reader about the various plot elements, but I love seeing both of them develop as characters.

I thought the sections focusing Catherine and Liam were less strong. I found myself skimming those sections. This could be where it would have be helpful to read the previous books. I didn't feel much a connection with either character. Regardless, I enjoyed this book and will probably go back at some point and read the previous releases from this author.

Such a wonderful story. I enjoyed the writing style and characters in this one, and the setting was well portrayed.

4.5 Stars

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Taggert, a private investigator, and Lockhart, a high power lawyer, are a couple who have been roped into help their friend, Tony's aunt who is being evicted from her vineyard...in Italy. They agree to take the case but are not sure they can help her fight a high power company. On their way to the airport Tony send them a memoir his aunt has sent over and she begs them to read it on the way. Inside this memoir is the harrowing story of Ada, an acclaimed concert violinist living in Berlin at the beginning of WWII. She is a young woman and a Jew fighting to rise in the orchestra ranks in the highly volatile time. Adding to her turmoil she falls in love with Kurt, second chair violinist turned German Nazi soldier. Lockhart and Taggert must figure out how Ada and Tony's aunt are connected and will it be enough to save her vineyard.

This is part historical fiction and part lawyer drama. It was an enjoyable read, the characters are very likeable and the twists of the story kept me intrigued. I have not read any of Balson's other works but will be adding them to my "to read" list and although this is the 5th novel in the series it is a stand alone. I recommend this one highly for historical fiction fans.

I was hoping this would be a great ready but unfortunately, it just didn't grab me and I had to force myself to read it.

The Girl from Berlin” is perfect for a vacation when reading is subject to interruption by plane and train travel. The story holds your attention and calls you back, even in the midst of outside distractions.

Balson is obviously trying to compare the US’ political situation to Hitler’s climb to power, and I think the comparison is valid and works. However, I question some of Balson’s vocabulary choices. Some of his phrases attributed to WWII sound more like the 2016 campaign, but his point is well taken.

The story, set in the 1930s and 1940s, of a talented violinist, Ada Baumgarten, and her parents, is juxtaposed with a lawsuit involving a property dispute in the present time. The book describes very well how Italian and German laws were used and manipulated during the Fascist period to cover up and disguise true ownership of property.

The book held my attention and the characters were for the most part believable and sympathetic (with the exception of the villain, of course). “The Girl from Berlin,”set in Berlin, Bologna, Pienza, and Rome, will provide some hours of interesting reading, particularly for music lovers and Italophiles. Much of the story is sad, but read it as a warning of where scapegoating leads.

The Girl from Berlin is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it. The book starts out as a legal mystery. Signora Gabi Vincenzo is at risk of being forcibly evicted from her home by VinCo S.p.A., one of the largest wine producers in Italy, which covets her land, especially the award-winning wines she produces, and has obtained a court ruling that it owns the land, which she disputes. Her nephew is a restauranteur in Chicago and enlists the help of lawyer Catherine Lockhart and her husband Liam to prevent the eviction. Catherine is reluctant to help, as she does not speak Italian and cannot practice law in Italy, but is persuaded to at least travel to Italy and meet with Gabi and see if anything can be done, as the local lawyers who had been hired had been unsuccessful. Before they leave for Italy, they are given a translated manuscript that Gabi insists they read. When they arrive, she refuses to explain why they need to read the manuscript, but insists it will help explain things. Part of the story details Catherine and Liam's efforts to unravel the mystery regarding the ownership of Villa Vincenzo before it is too late.

Much of the book is the story of the manuscript/memoir, which is written by and about Ada Baumgarten, a German Jew, who is an extraordinary violin player and the daughter of a great violinist and concertmaster. The story of her musical training and performance career is intertwined with the rise of Hitler and the Nazis and the persecution of the Jews. The combination of her talent and the influence of her father and her uncle, who is the principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, opens up opportunities that a female musician would not normally have and provides her with some degree of protection and shelter from the persecution of the Jewish population, at least temporarily. The author does a masterful job of portraying the changes in Berlin and Germany as Hitler rises to power and the Nazis begin the steady persecution of the Jewish population and prepare for the eventual war. Most of Ada's story focuses on the years 1935-1944, during which she experiences some career triumphs, but also considerable danger and tragedy, especially since she has made an enemy of a vengeful and power-hungry Wehrmacht officer.

The story is very engaging; you will not want to put it down. The characters are well developed and compelling. Ada's story is extremely powerful; the reader cannot help but feel anger and disgust at what her and her family, friends, neighbors, and associates have to endure because they happen to be Jewish -- being deprived of careers and businesses, property, basic rights, and ultimately, for many of them, their lives. While the persecution of (and extermination of many of) the Jewish population in Germany and eventually other European countries is known to anyone familiar with their world history, it is still disturbing to read about the steady discrimination and persecution of the Jewish population (as well as other "undesirable"), while the non-Jewish German population largely either does nothing or actively assists. It is a vivid portrayal of the decline of a civilization.

While it is evident that Ada's story is somehow relevant to Gabi's story and current situation, the author does a great job of keeping the mystery intact until late in the book, when all the pieces come together. If you are a musician or a fan of classical music and opera, you will enjoy the descriptions of the various musical works that Ada plays.

I am very glad I had the opportunity to read a review copy through NetGalley.

Quick read and very absorbing! Dual timelines take the reader on a fast ride to solve a modern day mystery in Tuscany, the resolution of which is rooted in the fate of a young Jewish musician living in Nazi Germany. Both stories are compelling and steeped in historical fact. While there is sufficient detail of the rise and acceptance of fascism, its purpose is to give context to the relationships that form the heart of this novel. While most of those relationships are so believable and familiar they might remind readers of their own families, a few strain credulity. It did not spoil the story.

This is the latest entry in a series of novels, featuring mystery sleuths, Liam Taggert and Catherine Lockhart. While I generally start at the beginning of a series and religiously work my way forward, I did not feel distracted by references to previous books in the series. I enjoyed this entry enough so that I have already purchased the first book, Once We Were Brothers.

The Girl From Berlin is a spellbinding tale that shifts back and forth between World War 2-era Europe and modern-day Tuscany. Featuring an intrepid husband and wife investigator/lawyer team, this riveting story of love, loss and hidden crimes will keep you mesmerized until the conclusion. Fans of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale will want to give this a read. Excellent!

I can't believe I am still discovering new things about the effects of WWII on people living in Europe during that time. I've read literally hundreds of stories, but never knew what Jewish professional musicians living in Berlin endured -and escaped- due to their talent. Balson sheds light on the long-term effects of Naziism in Europe in his series of historical fiction stories featuring Catherine Lockhart and Liam Taggart. (I was not familiar with this series and feel that this book stands on its own.)

This story starts in Tuscany in 2017, where Catherine and Liam have been hired to solve a land dispute between an elderly woman, Gabi Vincenzo, and a mega-company through a manuscript written by Ada, a young violin prodigy during the 1940's. Catherine and Liam gradually uncover the details surrounding the deed and how Senora Vincenzo came to own it. The bulk of the story centers around Ada, and I just loved her! I can tell the author has a knack for bringing the reader into the story. This book contains so much cultural detail of multiple areas from 1930's Berlin to present day Tuscany. You will love the beautiful descriptions of the orchestra, the food and wine, and the scenery! This is an unforgettable fictional story that actually reads like a memoir! It really does touch you on an emotional level. Seeing as I tend to lean toward reading historical fiction combined with suspense and great storytelling, I will be sure to read more by Balson.