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The Fractured Talisman: A Trina Piper Thriller
Mysterious artifacts stolen from Europe's museums…
Billionaires gathering high in the Alps…
Ancient power fused to modern AI…
Historian Trina Piper thought Vienna would be a quick winter getaway. A little culture. A little coffee. A little alone time with Interpol agent Ulrik Stander. But when the renowned Kunsthistorisches Museum is robbed by an invisible thief, she finds herself on the hunt for pieces of a powerful talisman lost over a century ago.
Someone is collecting those pieces. But who... and why? The answer lies high in the Swiss Alps at an annual gathering of the world’s elites, where sinister schemes lurk behind the glamor of posh parties and ritzy châteaus. Among backstabbing billionaires—who claim to want to save the world, but appear concerned only with increasing their own power—every move Trina makes is a risk, every step a landmine.
On top of it all, Ulrik seems… different. She can’t call him her boyfriend. She’s not even sure she can call him her friend. Whatever they are, they must work together to survive.
With a dangerous assassin on the loose, Trina will use every skill she has—including her budding alchemical powers—to not only stop her nemesis from manipulating the global financial system, but also to save the people she loves. Even if they don’t love her back.
If she succeeds, she’ll face an even greater mystery. One that makes her question everything she knows, and everything she thought she was.
If she fails, she’ll lose everything—and everyone—she cares about, while the world’s economy becomes the playground of the powerful.
Once again, Trina is forced to risk it all... when all she really wanted in Vienna was a slice of Sachertorte and a double espresso.
And an outside chance at love.
See why fans call the Trina Piper Thrillers series “breathtaking… it’s Dan Brown meets JK Rowling” and say the books “grab your attention on the first page and keeps you spellbound until the final mystery is revealed....”
It all starts with book 1, The Newton Cipher.
Billionaires gathering high in the Alps…
Ancient power fused to modern AI…
Historian Trina Piper thought Vienna would be a quick winter getaway. A little culture. A little coffee. A little alone time with Interpol agent Ulrik Stander. But when the renowned Kunsthistorisches Museum is robbed by an invisible thief, she finds herself on the hunt for pieces of a powerful talisman lost over a century ago.
Someone is collecting those pieces. But who... and why? The answer lies high in the Swiss Alps at an annual gathering of the world’s elites, where sinister schemes lurk behind the glamor of posh parties and ritzy châteaus. Among backstabbing billionaires—who claim to want to save the world, but appear concerned only with increasing their own power—every move Trina makes is a risk, every step a landmine.
On top of it all, Ulrik seems… different. She can’t call him her boyfriend. She’s not even sure she can call him her friend. Whatever they are, they must work together to survive.
With a dangerous assassin on the loose, Trina will use every skill she has—including her budding alchemical powers—to not only stop her nemesis from manipulating the global financial system, but also to save the people she loves. Even if they don’t love her back.
If she succeeds, she’ll face an even greater mystery. One that makes her question everything she knows, and everything she thought she was.
If she fails, she’ll lose everything—and everyone—she cares about, while the world’s economy becomes the playground of the powerful.
Once again, Trina is forced to risk it all... when all she really wanted in Vienna was a slice of Sachertorte and a double espresso.
And an outside chance at love.
See why fans call the Trina Piper Thrillers series “breathtaking… it’s Dan Brown meets JK Rowling” and say the books “grab your attention on the first page and keeps you spellbound until the final mystery is revealed....”
It all starts with book 1, The Newton Cipher.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2025
40 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 20, 2025
I received an ARC of this nove. My review is 100% Mine. Trina Piper's 3rd full adventure is a wonderful combination of intrigue and mysticism, interwoven with numerous dangerous situations involving, as usual, the ruthless Order of Neptune.
Here we are treated to a madcap chase once Trina leaves London. Mystery and intrigue takes Trina and her 'i wish he would be be my boyfriend", the stalwart Interpol Agent Ulric, from Vienna, to innsbruck. And on to Davos and the World Global Finance event therein.
The Order of Nepune's malevolent Head Zaveta,now in the open, together with the dangerous killer Svetlana, seeks to bring financial ruin to targeted groups, countries and individuals, for a Price, making use of the unified fragments of The hitherto Fractured Talusman.
These event prove dangerous and potentially deadly to Trina and Ulric. Death a hairs breath awy as combative events unfold. The danger throughout is greater than ever before with deadly consequences should Trina and Ulric fail to recover and protect The Talisman.
As as reader i enjoyed a magnificent end battle as both sides, The Order and Trina's group The Keepers, battled for possession of the fabled Talisman. A wanton, destructive battle ensues, Zaveta and Svetlana use brutal tactics combining both magic and guns in their pursuit of the Talusman. And i (we as readers) get to meet hitherto Sleeper members of The Keepers, balancing the confrontation, the Talisman's destiny in doubt.
This authors use of incidental characters is, ibn my view, his Trademark. Such characters providing entertainment, wry humour and invaluable short term aid in tricky situations.
.This novel is no different. The incidental characters are superbly humourous, active in certain action situations and providing occasional lighthearted humour at key tines.
Steve Ruskin excels in the use of such characters and I delight in and. Get quite a few laughs out of the situations ib whuch these characrers play their parts. Wonderful. What an author!!!!!!
I highly recommend this book. It gave me real oleasure.. a great addition to the Series., great story, buy the book. You won't be disappointed. Treat yourself to a few hours of gripping adventure and pure delight. More please !!!!! Yep !!!
Here we are treated to a madcap chase once Trina leaves London. Mystery and intrigue takes Trina and her 'i wish he would be be my boyfriend", the stalwart Interpol Agent Ulric, from Vienna, to innsbruck. And on to Davos and the World Global Finance event therein.
The Order of Nepune's malevolent Head Zaveta,now in the open, together with the dangerous killer Svetlana, seeks to bring financial ruin to targeted groups, countries and individuals, for a Price, making use of the unified fragments of The hitherto Fractured Talusman.
These event prove dangerous and potentially deadly to Trina and Ulric. Death a hairs breath awy as combative events unfold. The danger throughout is greater than ever before with deadly consequences should Trina and Ulric fail to recover and protect The Talisman.
As as reader i enjoyed a magnificent end battle as both sides, The Order and Trina's group The Keepers, battled for possession of the fabled Talisman. A wanton, destructive battle ensues, Zaveta and Svetlana use brutal tactics combining both magic and guns in their pursuit of the Talusman. And i (we as readers) get to meet hitherto Sleeper members of The Keepers, balancing the confrontation, the Talisman's destiny in doubt.
This authors use of incidental characters is, ibn my view, his Trademark. Such characters providing entertainment, wry humour and invaluable short term aid in tricky situations.
.This novel is no different. The incidental characters are superbly humourous, active in certain action situations and providing occasional lighthearted humour at key tines.
Steve Ruskin excels in the use of such characters and I delight in and. Get quite a few laughs out of the situations ib whuch these characrers play their parts. Wonderful. What an author!!!!!!
I highly recommend this book. It gave me real oleasure.. a great addition to the Series., great story, buy the book. You won't be disappointed. Treat yourself to a few hours of gripping adventure and pure delight. More please !!!!! Yep !!!
January 2, 2025
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This story begins with Piper in her lab trying to work with fire and raising and alarm. She is later rescued by Fiona who takes her for a drive where she can pratice with Fire easier and safer. After she is driven back, Ulrik contacts her to come to Vienna for a case he is working on. Once she arrives, she is taken to meet with an antique dealer. She soon learns about a Homas that has been taken. Once she provides Ulrik with identifying Svetlana as the person responsible, Ulrik thanks her and tells her she is done and to go back to England. The next day things change when another object is taken and because of the theft, they wind up going to Switzerland.
To learn what happens in Switzerland, what relevance the items taken in Vienna had, who was behing it as well as how it ended, then you need to read this book. You won't be sorry and definitely waiting to read the next one in the series.
This story begins with Piper in her lab trying to work with fire and raising and alarm. She is later rescued by Fiona who takes her for a drive where she can pratice with Fire easier and safer. After she is driven back, Ulrik contacts her to come to Vienna for a case he is working on. Once she arrives, she is taken to meet with an antique dealer. She soon learns about a Homas that has been taken. Once she provides Ulrik with identifying Svetlana as the person responsible, Ulrik thanks her and tells her she is done and to go back to England. The next day things change when another object is taken and because of the theft, they wind up going to Switzerland.
To learn what happens in Switzerland, what relevance the items taken in Vienna had, who was behing it as well as how it ended, then you need to read this book. You won't be sorry and definitely waiting to read the next one in the series.
December 21, 2024
Best. Trina Piper. Ever.
Ruskin tells a tightly plotted, historically based, supernatural thriller that kept me fully engaged (and up too late) enjoying the story, trying to anticipate what would come next.
Not easily predictable (which I like), full of twists and turns, The Fractured Talisman is a must-read for anyone who enjoys history with a twist of the supernatural thrown in.
Things that earned this book five stars from me:
- Tight writing
- clean, closed-door romance
- minimal cursing
- vivid descriptions
- subtle foreshadowing
- lots of action and suspense
- no gratuitous violence
- solid friendships/teamwork
- author's final chapter notes that reveal what bits of the book are historical fact
- resolution to this story with room for additional books in the series
I received an ARC; this is my honest review.
Ruskin tells a tightly plotted, historically based, supernatural thriller that kept me fully engaged (and up too late) enjoying the story, trying to anticipate what would come next.
Not easily predictable (which I like), full of twists and turns, The Fractured Talisman is a must-read for anyone who enjoys history with a twist of the supernatural thrown in.
Things that earned this book five stars from me:
- Tight writing
- clean, closed-door romance
- minimal cursing
- vivid descriptions
- subtle foreshadowing
- lots of action and suspense
- no gratuitous violence
- solid friendships/teamwork
- author's final chapter notes that reveal what bits of the book are historical fact
- resolution to this story with room for additional books in the series
I received an ARC; this is my honest review.
January 14, 2025
The story starts with Trina arduously working on her studies, graduate and otherwise. After a long break from him, she gets a call from her seemingly boyfriend Ulrik for help on a case. Things haven’t been going so well between them and Trina sadly describes their involvement as “two people traveling together in parallel.”
The story then continues with action, deception, and great locations. Things don’t always go right for the good guys. They may have magic on their side, but so do their opponents.
The novel ends with an interesting twist and several open story lines. I enjoyed this novel and can’t wait for Trina’s next adventure.
I received the book as an ARC in exchange for a fair review
The story then continues with action, deception, and great locations. Things don’t always go right for the good guys. They may have magic on their side, but so do their opponents.
The novel ends with an interesting twist and several open story lines. I enjoyed this novel and can’t wait for Trina’s next adventure.
I received the book as an ARC in exchange for a fair review
February 9, 2026
International espionage with magic!
These books hooked me with the first chapter of the first one. I love history and puzzles and these were right up my alley.
Trina Piper, a regular American student, gets caught up in international espionage and finds alchemy and magic are real.
Using her historical knowledge and burgeoning magic, she and her compatriots thwart the efforts of the Order of Neptune, a shadowy organization who want to cause chaos and uncertainty in the world.
There’s never a dull moment!
These books hooked me with the first chapter of the first one. I love history and puzzles and these were right up my alley.
Trina Piper, a regular American student, gets caught up in international espionage and finds alchemy and magic are real.
Using her historical knowledge and burgeoning magic, she and her compatriots thwart the efforts of the Order of Neptune, a shadowy organization who want to cause chaos and uncertainty in the world.
There’s never a dull moment!
January 15, 2025
Trina finds out about a talisman that has some very unique features as she goes on the hunt for it to try and keep it out of the hands of people who would use it nefariously she ends up kidnapped and forced to restore the fractured object. Will she be able to make the repair and still stop billionaires from being able to control many things they shouldn't or will the enemy win?
This is the best Trina Piper book to date! You won't regret the read!
This is the best Trina Piper book to date! You won't regret the read!
December 11, 2024
Powerful Historic Fiction
This is the best of the Trina Piper series to date, which is hard to say when the previous novels have been so well crafted. Its pace flows readily, is action filled, and historic and natural spaces described to bring the reader directly along with the characters.
The prequel, and now three novels, are well worth the read.
This is the best of the Trina Piper series to date, which is hard to say when the previous novels have been so well crafted. Its pace flows readily, is action filled, and historic and natural spaces described to bring the reader directly along with the characters.
The prequel, and now three novels, are well worth the read.
March 31, 2025
Excellent story grounded in history
This third Trina Piper novel continues the trend with excellence. The characters continue solid, with some new development. The plot line for this one is superb and kept me enthralled throughout. Tension on several levels intertwines to enhance each part. A stand-alone novel, but best if read in sequence.
This third Trina Piper novel continues the trend with excellence. The characters continue solid, with some new development. The plot line for this one is superb and kept me enthralled throughout. Tension on several levels intertwines to enhance each part. A stand-alone novel, but best if read in sequence.
April 6, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed The Fractured Talisman. It was a good combination of history/fantasy with Bond/Holmes/Merlin vibes. It was quite the adventures and I am looking forward to more adventures with Trina & Ulrik.
February 23, 2025
Trina's stories continue to be good historical fantasies. Looking forward to the next one.
December 28, 2024
THE FRACTURED TALISMAN is a fun, interesting tale with fascinating history masterfully interwoven with fiction. Each character is wonderfully unique. I enjoyed this book.
I reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book with no strings attached.
I reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book with no strings attached.
February 4, 2025
Another excellent entry in this series!! If you love Dan Brown and James Rollins but wish the protagonist was female, THIS is the series for you! Trina Piper is the capable, smart, and proactive action-adventure protagonist you’ve been waiting for! Steve Ruskin is a supernatural thriller author to watch. His background as a historian of science shines brightly and lends a unique depth to an already exceptional series. Don’t miss this one!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews