What do you think?
Rate this book
Mozaik
Što može slijepa pijanistica protiv spleta strašnih umorstava, iza kojih stoji zavjera kojoj je dosege teško i zamisliti? Ipak, ona može mnogo. Jer joj snagu daje silna želja da osveti smrt svoje majke. A može još više kad se udruži s čovjekom kojega k istom cilju vodi druga želja, ali podjednako jaka... opsesivna želja da razriješi tajnu nestanka Jantarne sobe, jedne od najvećih umjetnina u povijesti svijeta.
543 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1998
45 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Lynds
74 books236 followersNew York Times bestseller Gayle Lynds is the award-winning author of ten international espionage novels. Library Journal calls her “the reigning queen of espionage fiction.” The London Observer says she’s a “kick-ass thriller writer.” Lee Child calls her “today’s best espionage writer.”
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
Born in Omaha, NE, and raised in Council Bluffs, IA, Gayle graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism. While there, she often sneaked into classes and readings at the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was blessed by remarkable teachers — among them were John Irving in rhetoric and Kurt Vonnegut in a literature class. For her, the university was a lively petri dish of books, writing, and adventure.
Gayle officially began her writing career as a reporter for The Arizona Republic, where a series of her investigative pieces made such an impact that they led to changes in state legislation. Later she took a job as an editor with rare Top Secret security clearance at a private think tank that did government work. Assorted shadowy figures passed through, and not only ideas but engineers and artists seemed to bounce off the walls. She was inspired. She wanted to write about what she was seeing and experiencing.
Expressing her love of mainstream literature, she wrote short stories that were published in literary journals. Simultaneously, she wrote male pulp novels in the Nick Carter series. Soon the two forms began to jell in her mind. The first novel under her own name, Gayle Lynds, was Masquerade, a New York Times bestseller that Publishers Weekly later listed as one of the top ten spy novels of all time.
Others of her novels have been prize winners. The Last Spymaster won Best Novel from both the American Authors Association and the Military Writers Society of America. The Book of Spies was a finalist for both the Nero and Audie awards. The Coil won Best Contemporary Novel from Affaire de Coeur. Mosaic was RT Thriller of the Year. Mesmerized was a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. With Robert Ludlum, she created the Covert-One series, one of which, The Hades Factor, was a CBS miniseries.
Gayle’s previous husband was Dennis Lynds, an award-winning detective novelist who died in 2005. They had lived several decades in Santa Barbara, CA, where they raised their children. In 2011, a new stage of her life began when she married John C. Sheldon, a long-time resident of Maine. A retired judge, John is a former prosecutor and defense attorney and Visiting Scholar to Harvard Law School. Today they live on fourteen acres of oaks, maples, hemlocks, and white pine outside Portland. A voracious reader, John had never written fiction when they met. Now they have collaborated on three short stories.
Gayle is a member of the Association for Intelligence Operatives and cofounder (with David Morrell) and former copresident of International Thriller Writers, Inc. ITW’s annual celebration is ThrillerFest, held every July in New York City.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 8, 2018
A+. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I bought it at a used book lot for $3 thinking I may not even like it but hey, three dollars ain't bad. Now it's probably one of my favorite books I've ever read. Good read. 10/10 would recommend.
September 1, 2022
eponymous sentence:
p235: "It's like a mosaic, all the different colors swirling in and out of each other."
ocr:
p32"You're surer' She trembled with hope.
p57: The question bad surprised Julia, and she immediately thought about the alexandrite ring the murderer had stolen.
p90: After all, Jesus had allowed himself to die upon the cross for the love of ail souls, good and evil.
p90: With the kindness Ruth and me patient determination of Job, he worked to save them and to quiet the doubt that he was worthy of so vital a task.
p401: It looks as if it will turn out to be worm nearly twenty-one billion dollars, the largest foundation in the world.
grammar:
p37: She angry.
p300: "You're telling me it's... it's all truer?"
full stops:
p47: Sam had always wanted to see that
For nearly two centuries it's been the crowning glory of the Catherine Palace outside St. Petersburg.
p93: It was on the steps of this structure that Creighton had announced his candidacy for U.S. president
Walking toward it, Creighton glanced absently around.
p385: Creighton followed She'd never seen her father so outraged, and she was afraid So sge followed.
cement:
p126: And it all echoed against buildings large and small, the clamor trapped in the metropolis's concrete canyons, escaping only at intersections to be trapped again in another part of the cement maze.
?
p237: They swung open, and standing there was a why man with a red face and a stony expression.
It's not uninteresting, but somehow I can't keep my attention to it. I haven't figured it out yet.
p235: "It's like a mosaic, all the different colors swirling in and out of each other."
ocr:
p32"You're surer' She trembled with hope.
p57: The question bad surprised Julia, and she immediately thought about the alexandrite ring the murderer had stolen.
p90: After all, Jesus had allowed himself to die upon the cross for the love of ail souls, good and evil.
p90: With the kindness Ruth and me patient determination of Job, he worked to save them and to quiet the doubt that he was worthy of so vital a task.
p401: It looks as if it will turn out to be worm nearly twenty-one billion dollars, the largest foundation in the world.
grammar:
p37: She angry.
p300: "You're telling me it's... it's all truer?"
full stops:
p47: Sam had always wanted to see that
For nearly two centuries it's been the crowning glory of the Catherine Palace outside St. Petersburg.
p93: It was on the steps of this structure that Creighton had announced his candidacy for U.S. president
Walking toward it, Creighton glanced absently around.
p385: Creighton followed She'd never seen her father so outraged, and she was afraid So sge followed.
cement:
p126: And it all echoed against buildings large and small, the clamor trapped in the metropolis's concrete canyons, escaping only at intersections to be trapped again in another part of the cement maze.
?
p237: They swung open, and standing there was a why man with a red face and a stony expression.
It's not uninteresting, but somehow I can't keep my attention to it. I haven't figured it out yet.
January 2, 2019
++++This is one of the most suspenseful and terrifying novels I have ever read. Julia Austrian is a renown concert pianist who has established her reputation while blind with the aid of her mother as her manager. She is the granddaughter of Daniel Austria and Lyle Redmond and the niece of a trio of amoral uncles and a cousin who among them plan to be the richest, most powerful family in the US & perhaps the world. Murders, thefts, treachery, violence, subverting the law, and manipulation are all used to ensure dominance.++++
March 17, 2023
Entertaining, Hitchcock-like thriller, complete with the hero and the heroine falling in love during a chase (shades of North By Northwest), a pesky psychological ailment (ala Vertigo), and grand political schemes murkily described (ala The Man Who Knew Too Much, Foreign Correspondent, etc).
Not politically realistic. (And almost, dare I say, quaint, given the events of Jan 6, 2021)
But, as I said, it is entertaining. If you like Hitchcock, you'll like this.
October 26, 2025
Action-packed polit thriller about corruption, how wealth destroys lives and intruige. Felt fitting in the current climate even though it's nearly 30 years old.
Some things felt like typically 90s, but I really enjoyed the suspense Lynds created on every page.
The psychological elements were really interesting, and I quite enjoyed how music tied into the discussion of trauma.
The ending seemed a little too easy for my taste, but other than that, I flew through those 562 pages.
Some things felt like typically 90s, but I really enjoyed the suspense Lynds created on every page.
The psychological elements were really interesting, and I quite enjoyed how music tied into the discussion of trauma.
The ending seemed a little too easy for my taste, but other than that, I flew through those 562 pages.
August 28, 2018
This was a great read about The Amber Room which was stolen by HImmler during WWII. Loved the characters of Julia and Sam and was happy to see them end up together. Happy to see the nasty Maya and Creighton get their just desserts. I'm looking forward to reading The Book of Spies next. If you haven't read any of Lynd's books, I think you should!
Read
November 26, 2021Complex Thriller
A rather convoluted plot, well written but a bit slow at times. Also let down slightly by several typos and the occasional missing word (Kindle edition).
However, overall I enjoyed the book. Whenever it picked up pace, it was both exciting and thrilling.
A rather convoluted plot, well written but a bit slow at times. Also let down slightly by several typos and the occasional missing word (Kindle edition).
However, overall I enjoyed the book. Whenever it picked up pace, it was both exciting and thrilling.
December 17, 2025
It´s one of thos books that stuck with me. Keeps you on your toes, has turns you would never imagine and the historical component is truly interesting. The characters make you feel all the feels and enjoy it throughout.
August 28, 2018
Probably 3 1/2 Great plot action people were just a little too good and too bad for me
April 14, 2019
Awful. Characters one dimensional, plot unbelievable, dialogue asinine. Ugh. I only finished it out of morbid curiosity
May 18, 2020
Not one her best written books 📖👎
October 31, 2021
This read deserves 10 stars easily!
February 22, 2020
Well written mystery surrounding political intrigue and the mystery of the fabled lost Russian Amber Room.
May 23, 2013
A mosaic is a picture created from tiny pieces, and it isn't until all of the pieces are put together, that the picture is revealed. That is what Gayle Lynds did when writing Mosaic. The reader is given small pieces of the puzzle until we finally are able to see the whole picture.
Mosaic tells about Creighton Redmond, a presidential candidate who will stop at nothing to gain the White House. Then there is blind Julia Austrian, a concert pianist, and niece to Creighton, who regains he sight just in time to see her Mother brutally murdered. The connection between Julia's mother and Sam Keeline, a CIA agent, is a package both receive from an unknown sender. Neither is given the chance to read its contents. Julia's mother is killed before she looks at it and Sam's boss demands he turn over his package. The sender, none other than Lyle Redmond, who has been declared insane and installed into a guarded nursing home. At the heart of all of the is the fabled Amber Room.
Mosaic tells about Creighton Redmond, a presidential candidate who will stop at nothing to gain the White House. Then there is blind Julia Austrian, a concert pianist, and niece to Creighton, who regains he sight just in time to see her Mother brutally murdered. The connection between Julia's mother and Sam Keeline, a CIA agent, is a package both receive from an unknown sender. Neither is given the chance to read its contents. Julia's mother is killed before she looks at it and Sam's boss demands he turn over his package. The sender, none other than Lyle Redmond, who has been declared insane and installed into a guarded nursing home. At the heart of all of the is the fabled Amber Room.
September 11, 2012
An exciting tale of a wealthy and very talented pianist who witnesses her mother's murder while suffering from psychological blindness. She eventually teams up with a CIA agent and the two are soon framed by the evil leaders of the blind woman's family. A vicious presidential campaign and a fortune built on art treasures stolen from Russia during WWII are among the interwoven subplots.
Although implausible, the story is well written and highly suspenseful. This is very much a page turner.
Although implausible, the story is well written and highly suspenseful. This is very much a page turner.
February 26, 2008
Mosaic I got from the library because of a positive recommendation on a blog, not sure which one – I should find out, because I actually found it to be one of the worst titles I’ve read recently. All intrigue and violence and unrealistic events – it just begs to be made into a bad action movie.
September 1, 2010
Pianis who supposedly has every advantage suddenly goes blind. And no one can for sure figure why. Then as her sight comes back, her mother and best friend is murdered. And from there everything breaks loose into quite a chase.
November 14, 2008
Read back in January 2002 when Lynds writing hasn't been corrupted by the "Ludlum" collaborations.
February 8, 2009
This novel has never ending action scenes. The story is complex, puzzling and entertaining. The subplots in my view were brilliantly tied together to make this thriller an exciting page turner.
July 11, 2020
Fun and exciting thriller. Entertaining.
December 6, 2011
Overall an interesting and complex tale of wealth, politics, and conspiracy. At times a little more drawn out than necessary, but very entertaining and engaging.
June 23, 2014
too long
July 3, 2014
A very well written face paced book. It is easily evident that the author researched well before writing this story.
January 1, 2019
2019-#1 - Mosaic by Gayle Lynds. (OK I read all but the last paragraph of this book last year but determined to do better this!). Written in 1998, workman-like, pacey, enjoyable thriller set during the course of a presidential campaign when one of the candidates is trying to dirty the name of the front runner with sex scandals etc (laughing ironically at the thought of a sex scandal stopping someone become POTUS these days!). Cliched protagonists - she: blonde, beautiful, honed, intelligent pianist - related to the family of the candidate doing the dirty tricks - but blind. he: square-jawed, honed, PhD in history but also very handy with guns and stuff. False accusations of murder and chases ensue. Also some nazi stuff and stolen Russian imperial treasure makes an entry.
My heart sank at the dodgy sex scene in the first chapter. But fortunately no more descriptive sex scenes in the rest of the book (not because I'm a prude but because they're usually of no consequence to the story and badly written). Luckily there were only two moans, one of them soft, and no searching tongues or arched backs in the rest of the book.
My heart sank at the dodgy sex scene in the first chapter. But fortunately no more descriptive sex scenes in the rest of the book (not because I'm a prude but because they're usually of no consequence to the story and badly written). Luckily there were only two moans, one of them soft, and no searching tongues or arched backs in the rest of the book.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews