Very different genre for Gerritsen as I’d only read her Rizzoli and Isles series, but a great stand-a-lone story of intrigue. What’s not to love about a storyline that includes Venice!

Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen was not her usual novel. In this book the story bounced between two different characters and time periods. Julia from the present and Lorenzo from the past, historically 'WWII Italy. While I enjoyed the Lorenzo part of the story the Julia story was frustrating and I considered not finishing the book. By the end the author explained everything quite neatly...

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the review copy of this book

Tess Gerritsen's books are always fantastic I have read her novels for years and this is no exception, just brilliant and recommend to anyone who loves a taut crime thriller.

3.5 stars, but I rounded up. I listened to this one on audio, which I loved because Gerritsen actually had someone compose a waltz to be played along with the story, which gave it so much more "flavor" than it would have by just reading it. I'm a sucker for a dual timeline book, which this is, and my heart was broken by Lorenzo and Laura's story, as it is with every well-written and researched World War II tale. I loved the way everything was resolved, however I hate, hate, hate it when someone is wrongly accused of something (or no one believes them), it just gives me such anxiety. I could have done without all of that, although I see the point in the end.

I love Gerritsen's series books, but this standalone is definitely worth reading as well.

I am a huge fan of Tess Gerristen's Rizzoli and Isles series. Playing with Fire was a departure from her usual medical thriller. This one was more of a cerebral/historic thriller with a bit of a magical twist. The danger that Julia faced was a little far-fetched which made the book less enjoyable but the story of the Jewish families in 1940's Italy redeemed the book. It was a sad story to read but an important piece of history that needs to be remembered.

The only book by this author I couldn’t finish, sadly. Nothing about the tale or characters grabbed me, unlike most of her work - was very disappointed. But thanks to netgalley for the opportunity

Title: Playing with Fire
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Format: eBook (ARC)
Publisher: Ballentine Books



*I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Playing with Fire is one of those stories that bounces back and forth between the past and present. In this case, the past is the holocaust, and then we have some strange things going on in the present.

Julia is the main character from the present we follow. Her story is one I was not interested in for the first half of the book. She’s a violinist in a quartet, a wife, and a mother of a charming little girl. She is traveling in Italy when she comes across a small shop, and finds an interesting book of music. In the book of music is a hand composed piece of music. She hears the notes in her head and just has to get it.

After returning home she thinks it would be interesting to play this new piece of music. She thinks it will sound beautiful. When she plays it though, her daughter stabs and kills the family cat. Distraught she puts the music away, but she can’t get it out of her mind. She eventually plays it again, and this time her daughter stabs her in the leg with a broken piece of glass. Fearing becoming crazy like her mother, Julia basically makes herself crazy trying to figure out what is going on with her daughter.

Lorenzo is the composer of this mysterious music, and you can probably guess, is who we follow in the past. He is a Jew, and feelings towards Jews in Italy are just turning sour. He is asked to play a duet for a competition with a girl his age named Laura, her family is Catholic, but are sympathetic to the Jews and in fact do everything they can to help them. Lorenzo has written a duet for them. He spends one day a week at her house with her father, practicing the music, and falls in love.

They get to the competition, but they have been removed from the program due to Lorenzo being a Jew. Laura however, won’t hear of it. There is a good scene here so I’m not going to say much other than, this is where things for Lorenzo and Laura get complicated.

I had a hard time trying to think of what I would rate this. I had a hard time reading Julia’s story for the first half of the book. What is set up though makes the ending all that more spectacular. (If you too are struggling with her story, stick with it, it gets soooo much better.) If I take my feelings toward the beginning out of the equation, the ending is 5 of 5. But the ending wouldn’t be that wonderful without the set up. Julia’s story is the only part I had trouble with, but I very much enjoyed Lorenzo’s.

I fell in love with how Lorenzo spoke of his music, and how he described Laura. I could relate to him putting his family first, and trying to be respectful of Laura and her father. And the ending…what an ending. I was almost in tears. Overall, I guess I’d have to give this 3.75 stars of 5.

Great writer! A very well written story with a beautiful and surprising ending. A story of Venice in two times and two dramas unfolding. Julia is a musician, who happens to buy sheet music in Rome. Lorenzo is a musician who composed the piece Julia has. He was a Jewish musician and composer from World War II. Julia searches answers to what happened to the composer and why the music is so beautiful yet haunting. Many adventures and danger occur as Julia discovers the truth behind the music and the musician.

I wavered on a star rating for this, because up until close to the end this was a definite 4 star book for me. However, the ending was so very terribly convenient and rushed, and I was very disappointed. The historical fiction aspect of this book was tragic and fascinating, and Julia's contemporary story was immediately intriguing.

Gerritsen is always on my Must Buy list because she's always at the top of her game. Kudos for Playing With Fire.