Ronald H. Balson’s The Girl from Berlin is the fifth installment in his Liam Taggart & Catherine Lockhart series. I actually didn’t even realize this book was part of a series when I requested it from Netgalley; I just saw that it was a dual timeline WWII historical fiction that focused on the rise of the Nazis and knew that I had to read it. Thankfully, even without four novels of background on main characters Catherine and Liam, I was still easily able to follow along and enjoy the compelling story of The Girl from Berlin.

Catherine Lockhart and Liam Taggart are a very likable duo. Catherine is a very successful attorney in the United States, and her partner Liam, is a private investigator. I enjoyed the way they worked together, like yin and yang, to get the job done, as well as their easy banter. It made me want to go back and read the prior four books to watch them work together more.

Aside from having a likeable team leading the way, I also found both timelines and their stories equally compelling. The modern day timeline features Catherine and Liam being approached by an old friend who has an elderly aunt in Tuscany who is in desperate need of legal assistance. A powerful corporation is claiming that they actually own the property that the aunt has lived on all her life, and they have served her with an eviction notice. The aunt has a deed to her property, but somehow the corporation also has a deed so the question is whose deed is valid? Catherine and Liam don’t know if they can help but are willing to give it their best shot. Prior to taking off for Tuscany, the aunt sends Catherine a bound handwritten manuscript. She will not discuss the manuscript but indicates that all the answers anyone needs regarding the ownership of the property are in this manuscript, which leads us the second timeline. I found the aunt to be a very sympathetic character as well. I mean, how can you not love a scrappy old lady trying to keep a greedy corporation from kicking her off her land?

The second timeline takes place within the pages of this manuscript as Catherine reads it on her flight. It is a journal of sorts kept by a woman named Ada Baumgarten, a Jewish girl who was born in Berlin at the end of WWI. The manuscript details Ada’s life as a violin prodigy and her growing friendship with a boy named Kurt. It goes on to detail how life was in Germany in the space between WWI and WWII, especially the way Hitler and the Nazis began to slowly consolidate their power in the lead up to WWII. The manuscript reminded me a lot of Anne Frank’s diary as she chronicled how life became more and more restrictive for Jews and how persecution of them just grew and grew the more powerful Hitler got. Ada’s story is a powerful one and an emotional one as we see how she, her family, friends, and neighbors are all impacted by the Nazis and the utter hatred that they ushered in with them as they rose to power.

In addition to finding each of the individual timelines so compelling, I was also captivated waiting to see how the author was going to weave them together into a seamless tale. How does Ada and her journey through WWII fit in to the modern-day story of this elderly Italian aunt who is in danger of losing her home? I’m not going to say anymore about this, but just know that he does and that he does so brilliantly.

Overall I found this story a very satisfying read, but I did find the passages that focused on specific details of Ada’s musical performances less interesting than the rest of the novel and found myself skimming through them at times. I think if I was a musician, I probably would have appreciated those details a bit more, but as someone who is non-musically inclined, just knowing Ada was a gifted violinist and that it made some of the Nazis treat her differently was enough information for me.

Ronald H. Balson’s The Girl from Berlin is a powerful tale that is filled with secrets, lies, and corruption. However, it’s also a tale of hope, determination, and resilience. And even though Catherine and Liam are technically the main characters, the real stars are Ada and the Italian aunt and what connects them. For that reason, you can easily read The Girl from Berlin even if this is your first time reading a book in this series. If historical fiction and dual timelines are your thing, don’t hesitate to pick up a copy of the The Girl from Berlin.

Have read Balson's books since Once We Were Brothers. Great historical stories. Definitely recommend his titles to everyone.

4.5 stars

Amidst all the books on this site, you occasionally come across a rare masterpiece and, with no prior expectations, I was overjoyed to find that this was one of those books.

Switching brilliantly between two perspectives, the first follows Chicago lawyer Catherine and her PI husband Liam as they travel to Italy to assist with a property dispute. An elderly lady is being wrongfully evicted from her home with strong evidence suggesting that she is not the rightful owner. Interspersed with this story is a manuscript narrated Ada Baumgarten, a Jewish German girl. It documents her life growing up as a prestigious violinist during the war.

My initial reaction when reading the synopsis was what is the connection between an Italian property and a German girl born decades earlier? My interest was piqued and I was intrigued to discover this connection. Without spoiling, I was shocked when I found out, not knowing at all where the story was going. My emotions were truly touched throughout Ada's narrative, especially towards the end of the novel. I can't lie and say I didn't shed tears. What a beautiful story with two interesting themes. The property dispute was something I had no prior knowledge of and this gave the book an educational purpose in my eyes. Similarly, I have read many books centered around the Holocaust, but none from the eyes of a wealthy/famous family who must utilise their talents in order to survive. This was a different perspective that gave the story an original angle.

All in all, one of my favourite books of 2018 so far. I absolutely applaud the author for bringing this magical and poignant story to life.

I enjoyed "The Girl from Berlin", but like many of these books that contain a "modern" story and a "historical" story, I found myself drawn more the historical story and would want to just skim the modern one getting to the chapters written about Ada Baumgarten. The ending ties the two stories together nicely, but I felt like it was contrived and hard for me to believe that if Gabby, the owner of the villa in Tuscany, was threatened with being thrown off her land the most she would do would send a German manuscript to her new attorney.
Reading about the book, I realize that Catherine and Liam are characters in a series, and this is the first book I've read about them, which may add to my being more invested in the historical story.
It was heart wrenching to read about the Baumgarten's struggles during the war - there were so many times I wanted to shout "leave - just leave". It is so hard to read about these families of German Jews who were so invested in their homes, professions, and neighborhoods, when you know what is waiting for them.
I recommend this book for people that enjoy WWII fiction. I am curious to go back and read some of Balson's earlier books.

The most recent installment of the series of novels featuring the duo of P.I. Liam Taggart and Attorney Catherine Lockhart is a thoroughly engrossing addition to Ronald H. Balson's work. In "The Girl From Berlin," Ada is a child prodigy violinist from Berlin who comes of age during the 1930s, just as Hitler is attempting to take hold of the country and surrounding areas. As Ada's life is torn apart, she moves to Bologna, Italy. The book's alternating chapters feature Ada's story set against Taggart and Lockhart's investigation into events related to her relocation to Italy. This is a solid WWII novel, complete with tragic events, intrigue, history, and a deep sense of cultural life in WWII Germany and Italy.

This is a beautiful story that weaves the past and the present. In the present there is a land dispute in Italy. In the past a young Jewish violinist during WWII. We learn how these two seemingly separate stories come to interact with each other. This was a beautifully written story and my first by this author. It will not be my last.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The Girl From Berlin by Ronald H. Balson
by Good Book Fairy in 2018, Judaic, Legal Thriller, Music, Suspense, WW2

My Review: 4.5 stars

The Girl From Berlin kept me glued to the pages with a wonderful dual time period story. Balson again brings back his characters Liam and Catherine, a private investigator and attorney, respectively. Since the authors first book, Once We Brothers, we’ve watched this duo grow together both professionally and personally. I enjoy that common thread through all of the novels.

This book read most like his first, which was my favorite out of them all, with deep roots in Europe, a satisfying mystery and beautiful scenery. While in Florence, I took a quick jaunt into Siena for a wine tasting tour. I can attest to the wine’s purity and excellence. That soil is worth fighting for. I enjoyed that the present day storyline took place in Siena as it gave the reader a clue as to how things are now. It showed first hand how handwritten records were preserved and the importance of their accuracy.

Of course most of the action happens in Berlin, so it was Ada’s story that kept me flipping the pages furiously. Through her family dynamics, her life as a brilliant young violinist and her relationship with Kurt, we saw her continual persistence and perseverance. Balson hits the target in creating strong, passionate female protagonists in all of his novels and Ada is no exception; her story of courage and steadfastness was incredible. I just adored the scenes that take place in the opera houses that Ada performed in. I was recently in Vienna and got to see a small Baroque orchestra and was blown away by the splendor of it all. Balson portrayed these opera houses with the richness they deserve.

Although this is book five of a series, it can completely stand alone, so don’t let that deter you from reading this. Fans of historical fiction, WW2 and Judaic fiction fans, this is a must read!

I was thrilled to read Ronald Balson’s fifth novel, The Girl from Berlin, featuring the husband/wife duo of investigator Liam Taggart and lawyer Catherine Lockhart—and even more thrilled to discover that Balson returns to a WWII time slip theme. This time the couple are asked to investigate the attempt by a large wine company to take away the small Italian vineyard of an elderly woman who has worked the land for decades. VinCo claims that Gabriella Vincenzo lacks good title. When public land registers go missing and local attorneys refuse to take her case, Catherine and Liam are suspicious.

Meanwhile, Gabriella gives Catherine the manuscript memoir of Ada Baumgarten, a violinist from Berlin who once owned the vineyard. The story line alternates between modern day Italy and 1930s Germany and Italy. Ada’s father was concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic and Ada, herself, a violin prodigy. But Goebbels was engaged in a program of Nazification of the arts: dismissing Jewish musicians, banning Jewish composers, bringing literature and the fine arts into line with Nazi ideology. Ada takes a temporary position with an opera orchestra in Bologna with hopes that her parents will soon join her and then all three can emigrate to America. But that is not to be.

I valued this look into the effect of Nazism on the arts, having recently learned that more books and libraries were destroyed during WWII than at any other time in history. The classical music community did not escape unscathed. Readers of Bradford Morrow’s The Prague Sonata –- another WWII time slip novel set against the backdrop of music -- will enjoy this book as well.

However, also being an attorney, Balson serves up a legal mystery with our history lesson. Which deed is authentic? Which is a fake? Property law is far from dull in this book, and the reader will learn the complications faced by Jewish landowners in years past. Heartily recommended for those who enjoy legal thrillers with WWII roots.

ook 5 in the Catherine Lockhart &Liam Taggert series, The Girl from Berlin takes the pair from Chicago to Tuscany, where they tackle a corporation who wants to oust an elderly woman from her vineyard. As Catherine scrambles to adjust to Italian legalization, she is given a journal written by a German musician that may hold answers to the vineyard 's origins.

Considering that I just finished The Girl They Left Behind, a person might think that I wouldn't want to delve back into another World War II background story. Yet, here I am once again. We have Ada, a vibrant German musician, only child of a musician father and a socialite mother living in Berlin. The focus is specifically on how one family watched as their civil liberties were stripped and their highly educated and cultured country fell under the spell of Nazism. It's always difficult to read a book like this one because of course I, the reader are from the "future" and these characters are living in the "past" and everytime they uttered the sentence "Well, we can't go right now"... well, it's a struggle not to scream. Of course, that only reinforces that so many people could not even imagine what was going to end up happening. That is perhaps a big reason for me to continue re-visiting this time period again and again.

The Girl from Berlin illustrates he bonds of family, the sacrifices of parents, and the fierce ability of some to continue keeping secrets.

I was drawn to this book based on its description, not realizing it was part of a series. It worked just fine as a standalone. What I was able to gather is that Catherine Lockhart is an extremely talented lawyer based in Chicago and Liam Taggart is her husband and partner-in-crime/private investigator. The story was engaging from the get-go! An elderly woman in Italy is being evicted from a property when it is discovered that she isn't the legal owner, enter Catherine and Liam. As they are unraveling the mystery to get to the truth, the reader is guided back to the story of Ada, a German-Jew, during the rise of the Third Reich in Berlin during the years leading up to WWII and throughout the War. Ada is also a violin prodigy and the daughter of the concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmonic. As a lover of classical music, I thoroughly enjoyed the attention and detail paid to describing the music being played and highlighting what a cultural cornerstone the Orchestra was in Germany, even during the Nazi rise to power. The mystery is carefully unraveled, one layer at a time. I really enjoyed this book, cover to cover, and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys WWII historical fiction with a twist.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Girl From Berlin finds husband and wife team PI Liam Taggart and attorney Catherine Lockhart in Tuscany trying to help the aged aunt of a friend stay in her home on the land where she has lived since childhood. Vinco, a multibillion dollar company insists that her deeds are invalid and that they own it. A judge has ruled in their favor, but Catherine uncovers enough questionable issues to make her think that something is wrong and asks that the case be opened again.

The aunt gives Catherine a copy of a memoir written in German during WWII by Ada Baumgarten, and tells her to read it - it might give her the information she needs to win the land dispute. But what does a young Jewess have to do with a property dispute in Italy? The story moves back and forth between the present day case in Italy and the life of Ada, and it is in her story that the book comes alive.

We learn Ada's story through two points of view: through the memoir she has written, and in present tense as it is happening to her. Ada was born in 1918 to a first-chair violinist and concertmaster with the Philharmonic symphony in Berlin and his wife. Because of her father's talents and position, her family is privy to the social circuit of the day. Her father teaches her to play violin as a child, and discovers she is a gifted prodigy. Her talent wins her a seat in the Berlin Junior Orchestra and that is just the start of an illustrious career. It is through Ada's eyes that we watch the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany.

Balson's rich descriptions and well-developed characters make Germany in the years prior to, and during WWII come alive. I felt completely enveloped in the time period, and learned much that I did not know previously.

I have read all of Balson's books and will continue to do so, The Girl From Berlin almost didn't make it to 4 stars for me because I found the current day storyline a bit weak and tedious. He does successfully tie the two storylines together though, and the book does make the reader wonder how long repercussions of Hitler’s era will be felt, and will continue to color what happens in today’s world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This is a well-written and researched book. Balson takes his modern main characters to Tuscany to help solve a land disputed which has roots in WWII. He weaves the story of a Jewish family from Berlin into the novel and the reader learns some things along the way.
This is the 5th book starring his main characters, and it is a good one!

Lindas Book Obsession Review of “The Girl From Berlin” by Ronald H. Balson St. Martin’s Press, Oct. 2, 2018

Ronald H. Balson, Author or “The Girl From Berlin”, has written an intense, edgy, captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, page turning and riveting novel. This is the fifth Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart novel, but can be read as a stand only. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Suspense , Mystery with some Historical History Background.

The author describes some of his colorful characters as complex and complicated. Catherine and Liam are asked to do a favor for a friend, and check out his Aunt’s claim of property disputes in Italy. The Aunt will lose her home and land if something isn’t done. There is a legal question of deeds, contracts and dates of land ownership. When there is in adequate information, loss books of information , attempted arson and a dead body, this is becoming a dangerous quest.

Upon further investigation, Catherine and Liam realize this goes back to Germany and a young girl by the name of Ada Baumgarten , an accomplished first chair violinist in Berlin. There is a journal in their possession that shows that Ada was Jewish, and the timing is around Hitler’s uprising, and World War Two. How does this affect the aunt’s property in Italy? Who are the big corporations fighting to evict her, and why? How does this become an international matter?

I loved everything about the story, and especially was touched by Ada’s story. I highly recommend this novel to readers that enjoy a suspenseful mystery. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down after I started to read it!

The book starts with a real estate issue in Italy and progresses into the life of a family in WWII and the persecution of Jews. And how one family because of their musical talent helped delay that persecution.

A good historical fiction that is well written. A history none of us should ever forget.

This book was excellent. An elderly woman in Italy has a big corporation wanting to take her land and home away from her. A couple Catherine and Liam in Chicago are told about the case and go to Italy to help her keep her property. They are given a memoir to read that tells the life of Ada Baumgarten. She is a Jewish child growing up in Berlin during the reign of Hitler.
You jump from current day fighting against the big corporation to Germany in the past. The history of Ada is so interesting, inspiring and sad.
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading fiction during the rise of Hitler.

Even this is not the first book in the series, it didn't felt like I was missing something for complete reading experience. I love to read this kind of books and it kept my attention until I finished it. The story gives us insight of the life during 1930's and present time. Both life stories Ada's and Gabi's entwine seamlessly and it is such a beautifully and heartbreaking when we discover the connection between them.
Both storyline and characters are well built and I liked them.

Another great story by Ronald Balson. All the characters came to life so well on the pages that it felt like I had Ada’s journal in my hand. Very well told in a dual-narrative, it follows a young girl coming of age in pre-war Berlin. The way Balson tied the past narrative with the present kept me up reading until late at night, anxious to put all the pieces together. It almost took on an air of mystery, making me wonder how the story in the present was connected to the story of the past. The setting of the book was rich in history and transported me right into the heart of WWII. The cities of Berlin, Bologna, Rome and the countryside of Tuscany came alive for me as the descriptions were so thorough and colorful. Having the dates in the chapter headings kept me very clear on the progress of the unrest in Europe in the late 1930’s and into the 1940’s. Ada's progress as a renowned violinist was the theme throughout the book, retold as though I was listening to the concerts in which she played. Although it is a work of fiction, the context reads like a history book, keeping my interest until the very last page. Balson’s writing style is clear and fluid, flowing like a gentle, rippling stream. I can’t wait for his next book!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H. Balson in exchange for an honest review. Over the years I have read all or at least most of the novels written by Ronald H. Balson. Whenever he writes a new novel I feel compelled to seek it out. The Girl from Berlin was one of my favorites. I was drawn in almost immediately. It was very hard for me to put this novel down.

The novel alternated between two time periods and settings where Balson introduced Ada, a young Jewish violin protege who lived in Berlin with her family at the beginning and during World War II and Gabi, an old Italian woman who lived on her family vineyard in 2017 near Siena in Tuscany. Gabi was being threatened by a huge conglomerate, VinCo. They were trying to prove that they were really the rightful owners of Gabi's vineyard and were trying to force Gabi to vacate her property that had been in her family for generations. Having had no success of proving VinCo wrong with the help of Italian lawyers, Gabi reached out to her nephew in the United States for help. Her nephew succeeded in convincing Catherine Lockhart and Liam Haggard to go to Italy and take his Aunt's case. With Catherine's and Liam's unrelenting digging and prying a connection between Ada and Gabi was discovered that was emotionally heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.

This is a novel that should not be missed. It was one of my favorites this year. I can't stop talking about it. It left such an impact on me. This is definitely one of Ronald H. Balson's best books. I highly recommend it..

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Girl from Berlin is the 5th book in a series with the characters of Catherine Lockhart, a lawyer, and Liam Taggart, a private investigator. Readers need not be concerned if they are unfamiliar with the series since these two characters are rather minor figures in this novel. They serve as a investigatory thread from the horrific events of World War II to the lush vineyards of present-day Tuscany.

Elderly Gabi is threatened with eviction from her vineyard and home by a powerful corporation that claims ownership of the land. Acquainted with Gabi's nephew in America, Catherine and Liam travel to Italy to help. They have no illusions that they will be successful since local lawyers were already defeated, they don't speak Italian, and they don't really know the Italian system of jurisprudence. Incomplete property records only compound the problem.

A translated memoir from Ada Baumgarten might be the only first-person account of the history of the very valuable real estate that Gabi claims to own. Excerpts from the memoir are actually the vast majority of the book. Ada, the daughter of a well-known musician and his wife, is a very talented young Jewish violinist, growing up in Berlin when the threats of Nazism are on the upswing. Her major focus, however, is her musical career. Females, not matter how extraordinarily talented, are not welcome as members of any prestigious orchestra. Her exceptional aptitude shines through and she is able to secure limited showcases for her work. At times her expertise protects her from the ravages of the Nazi extremism but it also hinders her ability and willingness to escape to a less dangerous environment. Her parents, specifically her father, believe the commitments made to an orchestra are critical and therefore plans to leave Germany are always in the future. Ada and her mother depart for Italy simply because Ada secures a one year contract in Bologna substituting for a violinist on leave.

Balson captures the sweet naivete of the young violinist while describing her connection to the music she plays. As the Nazis gain power and take on the world, Ada clings to her violin and the music. Of course, no one is truly safe from the vitriol and violence of the Nazi regime. Italy might be safer that Germany but it is not safe for Jews. Ada and her family are caught up in the nightmare of war.

Gabi's connection to Ada is at first unclear since Gabi would have been a very young child during World War II. Balson slowly reveals that connection while clearly demonstrating the long-term waves of greed and evil that Nazism let loose in Europe.

It was a nice read though it is not one of my favorite WWII novels. Narrated from two different periods: the past (during the war) and the now (present day) and by several points of view.

The past told in the form of memory is written in a beautiful way, involving classical music during the war, however, explaining interesting historical details. On the other hand, in my opinion, the present could have had a more elaborate and interesting plot, I think the author could have made the plot more striking and could have created characters with which you could identify yourself better, I could not connect with any of them, They lacked the depth of emotions that characterize dramatic events.

Overall, it was a pleasant and quick read.

Thank you to St. Martin Press and NetGalley who provided me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. #TheGirlfromBerlin #NetGalley