The Doctor's Daughter

by Vanessa Matthews

A prominent psychiatrist's daughter realises insanity can be found much closer to home when she unlocks secrets from the past that threaten to destroy her future.

It’s 1927, women have the right to vote and morals are slackening, but 23 year old Marta Rosenblit is not a typical woman of her time. She has little connection with her elder sisters, her mother has been detained in an asylum since Marta was born and she has spent her life being shaped as her father Arnold’s protégé. She is lost, unsure of who she is and who she wants to be. Primarily set in Vienna, this dark tale follows her journey of self-discovery as she tries to step out of her father’s shadow and find her identity in a man’s world. Her father’s friend Dr Leopold Kaposi is keen to help her make her name, but his interest is not purely professional and his motivations pose greater risks that she could possibly know.

Marta's chance encounter in a café leads to a new friendship with young medical graduate Elise Saloman, but it soon turns out that Elise has some secrets of her own.

When Marta’s shock discovery about her family story coincides with her mother’s apparent suicide, Marta can’t take anymore. None of the people she has grown to love and trust are who they seem. Her professional plans unravel, her relationships are in tatters and her sanity is on the line – and one person is behind it all.

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2015

Reviews

[Julie Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asked by the author herself to read and review The Doctor's Daughter and gladly agreed to review and be a part of the Blog Tour. It's really lovely and very humbling for me when an author contacts you direct after seeing you on Twitter, or hopefully seeing my Blog!!

Before I read it I had a few Twitter conversations with the author and she said that whether or not I liked the book, it will make me mad, glad and sad. It certainly did that!!

The book is mainly based in Vienna and is about a young woman called Marta who is the daughter of a Psychiatrist. Her father, as with most of the male characters in this book, is domineering, egotistical and (for want of a better word) sly!

Marta herself, is trying to be her own woman in a man's world, but has to deal with her own demons. I felt the author dealt with some often taboo subjects very well and it mad me sympathetic towards Marta as she felt very confused towards her family as her Mother was in an institution because of Mental Health and she had her own dealings with the illness going on.

This was a very dark story, but one I enjoyed reading and the author was right. I didn't like the male characters (who made me mad), the way in which Marta beat her demons to get on in life (made me glad) and the story of her poor Mother and how she was treated (made me sad)!!

Well done Vanessa for a stunning story and I absolutely love the book cover!

Thank you for letting me read this lovely book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor's Daughter is the first book I have read by this author.

For some reason I tend not to read many fiction stories set in this sort of time era but i really need to read more as I am obviously missing out.

Right from the start I was really intrigued, we meet two quite different women. Elisa, who from the very beginning seems a force to be reckoned with and Marta, who seems to be quite easily led and faces a few personal issues.

It may be set in the early part of the last century but the author has a great way of keeping the reader engaged in the story which as it unfolds I found quite disturbing in parts and certainly had a few twists in there as well. Due to the cover I must admit for some reason I didn't have any high expectations of the book but this is a classic case of don't judge the book by it's cover as it is a lot better than I gave it credit for.

This is very unlike any other story I have read, especially for this sort of era. I didn't like any of the male characters in the book, Marta's father and Leopold are very pompous and pretentious. I think it is very much about girl power in this story especially in a time where it is very much a man's world.

The Doctor's Daughter is very well written and certainly took me by surprise, will certainly read more by this author.

Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassandra (Thebookishcrypt) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

"The greater the independence the greater the hysteria"

There were many quotes in here that surprised me but this one stuck to me the most. This was the first book I have read by Vanessa and oh my goodness, it was so good! I don't recommend this to those under 18 because there are topics and situations not suited for them. Also, if you are dealing with depression, this may be a trigger for you.
I was completely blown away by this woman. Honestly, it took me some time to get into this book, it wasn't it's fault, I have been dealing with one of the worst slumps ever but when I found myself picking this baby up, I read quite a chunk of it at a time. It's quick to get through and it had me losing myself for a while. With that said, as soon as I reached a particular part by the last chunk of the book, I couldn't put it down for anything. This story is nothing short of tragedy, depression, devastation and darkness. I loved it. The chapters transitions into various characters but focuses mainly on Marta. Every character had such a strong voice that it was difficult not to listen to them, and believe in them, even if they were in the wrong.
Like I mentioned, this book follows Marta, the daughter of a psychiatrist living in a man's world that is 1927 in Vienna. Her journey sparks questions about everything dealing with life: For example, the way we eat, how we eat, and why we eat it. Marta has learned to dissect actions and I respect her for everything she went through. I still can't believe the gem I just read.
I was scared of this book from the moment I started it. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and when it did... I learned I never even saw it coming. Those plot twists were so unbelievably dark, I was astounded at the intricate web Vanessa wove. I was more than satisfied with the ending of this book, I recommend it if you're up to it!

[Babus Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-written dark historical mystery tells us about Marta Rosenthal, daughter of renowned psychiatrist Arnold Rosenthal in early nineteenth century Austria. Marta herself is a bright scientist, who yearns to conduct her own studies and be known for work in her own right, she is encouraged by family GP Leopold Kaposi, to plan to branch away from her father. Marta then meets the enigmatic Elise, a doctor, recently qualified from Paris, who has ambitions to further her career in the field of paediatrics and a gift for manipulation that has aided her to get far. Both women are trying to make it in what is very much a man's world, however, they do not realise the extent to which both their lives have been manipulated.

This thriller unravels tantalizingly drawing you in to the characters, who are flawed and have much to hide. At times whilst reading this it has the theatrics to make quite a compelling stage-play but there is a lot of internal dialogue we are witness to from Martha particularly which gives the psychological element to the novel and wouldn't translate as well to stage. What starts as a book about two bright women trying to make their way in a male-dominated competitive field turns into a dark thriller where the women face a ruthless antagonist who wields much power and is hell-bent on destroying them.

An intriguing historical read, I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Olga Miret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark tale of a singular time and an empowering friendship I am a psychiatrist, and when I read the plot of this book I could not resist. A book set in Vienna about the early times of psychiatry, and a woman, the daughter of a psychiatrist, trying to develop her own ideas and become independent from her father’s overbearing influence. I had to read it.
The book is fascinating and very well-written. I suspect that somebody without my background might enjoy the story more for what it is, and not try and overanalyse it or overdiagnose it. Arnold Rosenblit’s theories are suspiciously reminiscent of Sigmund Freud’s. And of course, he also had a daughter, Anna, who dedicated her life to study and develop child-psychology. I’ve read some of Freud’s works, but I haven’t read that much about his life, although from what I’ve seen, his relationship with his daughter was much more congenial than the one Arnold (a man difficult to like, although the description of his relationship with his wife is quite touching) had with Marta, the daughter of the title.
The book is written in the third person and mostly narrated through Marta’s point of view, although there are chapters from her friend Elise’s perspective, her father, and Leopold, a physician and long-time friend of the family.
Marta is a very complex character, and one I found difficult to simply empathise with and not to try and diagnose. Her mother was locked up in a psychiatric asylum when she was very young and she became the subject of her father’s observation. The father tried to keep her as isolated as possible from his other daughters, but the oldest daughter looked after her, even if minimally, and they were all in the same house. (It made me think of the scenario of the film Peeping Tom, although Arnold does not seem to have been openly and intentionally cruel.) She appears naïve and inexperienced, at least in how to behave socially and in her role and feelings as a woman, but she is a doctor, a psychiatrist, attends and organises her father’s talks and lectures, and teaches outside, therefore she’s exposed to society and has always been. This is not somebody who has truly grown up in isolation, although she has missed a guiding female figure in her life and the close emotional attachment.
She has her own psychological theories and ideas, but finds it difficult to make her father listen to her. She has very low self-esteem, self-harms and has been doing so for a long time, and when she enters a relationship with a man, she’s completely clueless as to standards of behaviour or how to interpret this man’s attentions (a much older man than her, but somebody with influence and who promises to help her). Although she was not brought up by her mother, I wondered how realistic some of her behaviours would be for a woman of her social class at that period. However, the novel does paint the fine society of the time as a close set-up with a very dark undercurrent, with drugs and alcohol being consumed abundantly, and adventurous sexual behaviours being fairly common, and perhaps Marta is reflexion of such contradictions. On the surface, very controlled (the ego), but with strong and dark passions underneath (the unconscious).
Eloise, the friend she casually meets (or so it seems at the time), is a formidable character, determined, strong-willed, and resourceful, prepared to fight the good fight for women in a society of men. It’s very easy to root for her.
There is a classical villain, that you might suspect or not from early on, but who eventually is exposed as being a psychopathic criminal. The difficulty I had with this character was that I never found him attractive enough or clever enough to justify the amount of power he had over everybody. He is narcissistic and manipulative but even he at some point acknowledges that he uses people but has no great contributions or ideas of his own. It is perhaps because we’re privy to Marta’s thoughts and we see behaviours most people wouldn’t see that we don’t fall for him, but later on he’s revealed to have behaved similarly with quite a few people, especially women, and for me, it was difficult to understand why they would all fall for him. Marta is a damaged individual and he takes advantage of it, but what about the other women? And the rest of society? Leaving that aside (it might be a personal thing with me), he’s definitely somebody you’ll love to hate. (I’m trying not to spoil the plot for readers, although the description of the books gives quite a few clues).
The ending, despite terrible things happening and much heartache, is a joy. Considering what has gone on before, everything turns very quickly, and it’s difficult to imagine that in real life psychological healing would be quite so complete and perhaps so smooth. But it is a fairy tale ending, and although a dark tale, one of sisterhood triumphant.
A word of warning, the book can prove a tough read, as some pretty dark things take place, and there are some cringe-inducing moments. It is not an easy read, but it will challenge you and make you think. And that’s not a bad thing.
I was offered a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Doctor’s Daughter is brimming with secrets and lies, and tackles the subject of abuse in its various guises: mental, physical and power. It’s undeniably suspenseful, and there’s some thunderously excellent prose with sinister stand-out moments.

Since she was a child, Marta Rosenblit had been treated very differently from her sisters and what she accepted to be an ordinary life to her was a fundamentally cruel existence. She’s an otherwise invisible entity, displayed at gatherings where her father can voice his strong views on psychological matters.

As a well-respected Doctor in this field, her father can dismiss any opinion she chooses to conceive herself as being incredulous, particularly if she’s making more sense than him. To persist with her fervent beliefs on psychological matters would be seen as bordering on the hysterical, and she could see herself joining her mother in an asylum. So, she listens politely, as she is force-fed his ideas and regurgitates these at timely intervals to reinforce her father’s expertise in his chosen subject.

Never knowing what made her mother become unwell, other than because she was born, her sisters are indifferent to her and without acquaintances to call on for advice she is left with her father treating her like a second class citizen, as if her mind were feeble simply because of her gender.

How can a young lady possibly compete with such strong characters in 1920’s Vienna when her voice is being lost amongst the crowd? As you follow her story, you’ll soon discover that it’s quite the impossible task for Marta and this in turn opens a revolving door of hidden suffering for her.

Everything was set to change when she meets Dr Leopold Kaposi, a friend of her fathers. She sees him as a ray of light. Little does this naïve young woman know of Dr Kaposi’s agenda, which will leave her swirling in an eddy of confusion, only adding to her already fragile state.

I was willing her to find the courage to open her eyes. It seemed she might do just that when an anonymous parcel arrived for her. Her furtive investigations to find the sender lead her to some awful truths with the help of an outspoken and newly qualified doctor by the name of Elise, who plays the most magnificent part. It turns out the ladies may have more in common than would first appear.

It all gets very dark indeed. Without a doubt, the appeal for me was whether Marta could find a shred of hope under the emotional debris. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

(My sincere thanks to the author for providing a PDF review copy of her book for review.)

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor's Daughter is an exceptionally well researched novel exploring the early years of psychiatry, friendship, betrayal and mental illness. It gives a fascinating insight into the role of women, particularly intelligent women, in the 1920s. Vanessa Matthews writing is detailed and atmospheric, giving you a real sense of Vienna in the early 20th Century.

Marta is a fascinating though contradictory character. She is very clever with ambitions of running a children's medical facility but has low self-esteem and is very much under the influence of her father. Women may have the vote and be becoming more independent in 1920s Vienna but in her household, her psychiatrist father is still the one in charge. Marta has been a bit of a project to him throughout her life as she has grown up without the influence of her mother. He has kept her apart from her sisters and in fact quite isolated from the world. He uses her as an example in some of his lectures and she seems to submit to this willingly, allowing his psychiatrist friends to poke and prod and examine. For all her intelligence, Marta was quite infuriating and in some ways seems to verify her father's opinions that all women are basically incapable of anything other than being looked after. She makes some very bad choices, especially when it came to her working and personal relationship with Dr Leopold Kaposi, a truly horrible, unlikeable character.

Rather unexpectedly, Marta becomes friends with Elise, a recently qualified paediatrician who, as a woman, is struggling to find work in her chosen field. Elise seems to offer Marta the chance to finally escape her father's influence and the opportunity to break out on her own. Elise is one of the more likeable characters in the novel. She is strong and determined and even when Marta let hers down, she stands by her. Elisa has her own secrets though, including a connection to Marta which isn't revealed until nearer the end.

This is quite a dark novel with some disturbing issues covered - control, self harm, sexuality, mental abuse. There are quite a few unexpected twists including one near the end which, not surprisingly when you find out what it is, sends Marta spiralling into a very dark place mentally.

With its dark subject matter, this isn't a book that you might say you 'enjoy' but it is a compelling and intriguing read and one I am glad I had the opportunity to read. For all its darkness, the ending offers the possibility of a happier future.

[Celeste Ní raois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author Vanessa Matthews, I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review..........

It’s Austria 1927, women have the right to vote and morals are slackening, but 23 year old Marta Rosenblit is not the typical woman of her time. She has little connection with her elder sisters, her mother has been confined in an asylum since Marta was born. Her father’s friend Dr Leopold Kaposi is keen to help her make her name, but his interest is not purely professional and his motivations pose greater risks than she could possibly know. Marta's chance encounter in a café leads to a new friendship with young medical graduate Elise Saloman, but it soon turns out that Elise has some secrets of her own. When Marta’s shock discovery about her family coincides with her mother’s apparent suicide, Marta can’t take anymore. Not one person around her that she has grown to love and trust are who they seem.

This is by no means a happy read and is quite dark and disturbing in places. This novel is primarily set in Vienna with a dark tale that follows her journey of self-discovery as she tries to step out of her father’s shadow and find her identity in a man’s world but is full of secrets, lies and betrayals. This was on my TBR pile for over 6 months and to be honest I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book but I didn't like it, I LOVED it but I'm just sorry I didn't pick it up sooner. It was well researched and constructed. The story flowed really well and does deal with a very sensitive and hard-hitting issue - I found I had a little tear in my eye at the end along with shedding a few along the way, so grab this book, curl up on the couch and prepare to have a few lump in your throat moments too. It definitely didn't disappoint. This is Vanessa Matthews second novel, her first been Melodies of my Other Life and I look forward to reading more work from her.

The Doctor's Daughter is currently on Kindle for £1.99 at the time of publication of this review and I'd HIGHLY recommend this book and especially if you're a fan of Historical Fiction.

[Linda Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

No spoilers review for this interesting and complex novel with author Q+A https://lindasbookbag.wordpress.com/2...

[Judith Barrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering it is a disturbing novel, with themes of manipulation and emotional and mental cruelty it might seem odd to read that I enjoyed The Doctor's Daughter. Yet I did; because I liked the writing style of Vanessa Matthews, because it is so sensitively written, and because of the compelling plot. Although I found it a little slow to begin (there is a lot of introspective internal dialogue) I soon became used to this and was more and more engrossed as the book progressed.

Mainly set in Vienna, in the early part of the last century, the story is populated by good rounded characters. Virtually isolated within her family, the protagonist, Marta Rosenblit, is complex yet with a certain naivety. Exposed to outside society but only within her father’s control as his protégé, and only as long as she doesn't challenge his expertise and opinions. Even so she holds a dream of being able to connect and make her way in this most patriarchal of worlds. Elise Saloman, a recently qualified paediatrician, who becomes Marta’s friend, is shown as a foil for the protagonist, being a strong-willed, resolute character. But even so Elise has secrets of her own – one that is ultimately revealed to have connections with Marta. Arnold Rosenblit is portrayed as a controlling, self-centred and formidable character with no empathy for Marta and no time for anyone who doesn't share his views on the female psyche. He could have been shown as a flat, unchanging character, but Matthews manages to show another layer to him by revealing his vulnerability in his relationship with his institutionalised wife. Leopold Kaposi, a physician and long-time friend of the family, is portrayed as self-obsessed, manipulative. As an antagonist he is the only character I felt didn't grow throughout the story. But that was okay; he was a good one to dislike and therefore I felt justified as his motivations were gradually revealed.

The book is mainly written as third person point of view, from Marta’s perspective. We are given access to her internal dialogue, which reveals the many facets of her given personality and also gives the readers her thoughts on the other players in her world. This is interspersed with the occasional viewpoint of other characters. The dialogue is excellent and remains true to each the characters all the way through the book.

There is little obvious intervention to describe the world the characters inhabit, yet throughout the novel the atmospheric narrative it is a subtle and integral part of the story and portrays a setting the reader can feel part of.

As I said at the beginning this is a dark and sometimes disturbing read, with many disquieting themes. It’s a challenge. But I think the reader will be surprised by the denouement. I know I was. And I have no hesitation in recommending this novel by Vanessa Matthews. She is a tremendously good writer and I look forward to reading more of her in the future.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had really high expectations of this novel having seen some excellent reviews. There is no doubt that Ms Matthews can write, and write well, and this is a very clever story, with some fabulously drawn characters, a wonderful attention to historical detail and a real sense of time and place that lends the novel a real authenticity.
The subject matter is dark in places and the characters are portrayed flaws and all, in an unflinching manner that some may find difficult to read. This wasn’t an issue for me - I prefer characters to be realistic, to behave in a way that is believable and admire and appreciate authors that don’t resort to happily-ever-afters or false sentimentality.
Marta is an intriguing character, and it is refreshing for a novel to feature such an interesting heroine. Elise, somewhat softer than Marta, is also a very readable character. I wanted to know more about them both and was interested in what happened to them.
The plot is dark and full of twists and surprises, all very gripping, well-paced and intelligently written.
So there is much to admire in this novel and much to admire in Ms Matthews’ writing. However, I felt so frustrated by this book. There is so much potential here but there is too much ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’. We are given a lot of background details about characters and their experiences and feelings in big sections of prose, rather than being ‘shown’ these things, experiencing them with the characters.
Dialogue sometimes felt rather unnatural and too formal.
The most frustrating thing for me though was that most of the dialogue was punctuated incorrectly throughout the book; not just once or twice, an error that could be overlooked, but consistently. The author obviously cares about her novel, about her craft, which is why I was so surprised by these errors. It may not seem like a big issue or something to be so frustrated by, but I found myself increasingly irritated. Maybe I’m being overly pedantic, but it’s frustrating that the author has obviously put so much into this book and yet has overlooked something so basic.
It’s a real shame, because this could be an absolutely brilliant novel.
3.5 out of 5 stars

[Kyle Wendy Skultety (gimmethatbook.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Thanks to the author for offering me this book for review!

Prepare to be immersed in a dark world of offbeat people, misogyny and emotion. Marta is a tortured soul struggling to become her own woman and out from under her father’s thumb. Matthews paints an eerie image of a sheltered and awkward heroine, someone the reader can cheer for and support.

As she hesitantly takes steps toward independence, Marta must learn about love, sex, trust, and the truth, no matter how much this knowledge hurts her. Her circumstances seem to sweep her along, regardless of her wishes, as Leopold initiates her in the way of the world — that world being 1920’s Vienna, where most women have yet to find their own voice. Marta’s confusion and vulnerability is described flawlessly, as well as her demons lurking within.

As her relationship with Leopold mutates into a joyless union, Marta finds a way to visit her mother (who has been locked away in an asylum since Marta’s birth). The scenes with her mother are heartrending and melancholic, yet full of love. Marta’s confusion about the woman she has thought about all her life looms large as she confronts the allegations made by Leopold, and there, her questions begin. Soon after, the plot twists start and the action picks up a great deal. The “secrets from the past” alluded to in the book’s blurb are grim and shocking–Marta has decisions to make and we see her maturing and taking control of her life.

Despite the book’s dreary countenance, THE DOCTOR’S DAUGHTER was riveting. The attitudes of the times were described perfectly, and the characters were believably evil and self centered. The character of Marta personifies someone who has inner demons, borne all her life on her own. Her sisters shun her and she is motherless, hence she finds solitude in the dark places of her mind, and with physical solutions that enhance her somber nature.

I found this book evocative and captivating.

[Jessie Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s the 1920’s in Vienna, the women are breaking out of molds, the men aren’t ready for it and the psychologists are analyzing it all. This is truly, “A dark and fascinating historical tale.”

The characters were dark. Very dark. They were dark with anxiety, dark with evil and dark with sadness and loss. Many of them were hard to like, some of them I loved to hate and all of them were dark.

The plot was fascinating, dark people, dark desires and dark motives made for more than a few surprises.

The historical time was equally fascinating and frustrating. “He was not convinced that women, even well-educated ones like Marta, could cope with consequences and accountability.” – The doctor of The Doctor’s Daughter was not my favorite person.

My only wish is that it had been longer. The characters and their motives were complex but there were still times that I wished the author had filled in a little more of what was in her head. Those were times that the characters’ actions didn’t seem to quite add up to what I had been told about them. I’d find myself stepping back from the flow of the story as I internally debated the believability of their actions. But, given the richness of what was told, I feel certain that information was there. It was within a backstory or a side note hiding in her mind and just didn’t make it into print.

Would I recommend it? Have I mentioned that this book was dark? It made for a hard read. Not a bad read mind you, just hard. The main character suffers from anxiety and self harms as her way of coping – it’s not for everyone. But those who are up for it will get treated to a very rich snapshot of history.

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marta Rosenbilt is the daughter of the prominent psychiatrist, Arnold Rosenbilt. Shaped by her father as his protégé, Marta is quite unconventional for a woman of her time, and in 1927 Vienna, to be unconventional is to incite not just curiosity but also to attract gossip and innuendo. Encouraged by a family friend, Dr Leopold Kaposi, to break away from her father’s stifling influence, Marta tries to become more independent of thought and action. When she has a chance encounter with a young medical graduate, Elise Salomon, the possibilities of friendship are attractive to Marta, but it soon becomes evident that Elise has some furtive secrets of her own.

What the follows is an absorbing story which looks at the struggle both Marta and Elise had in trying to succeed professionally. The darkness to the narrative is entirely in keeping with time and place and adds an authentic touch to the story. The many twists and turns in the story kept me guessing and I enjoyed reading about the early days of psychiatry, and the huge struggle that women had, generally, to prosper and thrive in a male dominated world.

It’s obvious from reading the novel that the author care passionately about writing and has developed her own unique style of writing. I am sure that this is just the start of a fascinating writing career and I shall watch how this develops with great interest.

[Hemmie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t normally read historical novels, but I was intrigued by the book blurb offering a dark story. The front cover is also very eye-catching. Although I was expecting a dark story, I didn’t realise what depths this novel would take me to, and it was hard-hitting at times.
Marta is a psychologically disturbed woman, trying to free herself from her domineering father, via a dark and twisted route, as he encounters people along the way with their own devious agendas. Marta encounters Elise, who hides a secret that will blow their world apart.
The writing is beautiful and sets the scene well, so it’s easy to see the characters in the setting of Austria in 1927. It’s not an easy read at times, but the subject matter of self-harming is well written. Well worth reading.

[Tony Riches · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor’s Daughter lulls you in to thinking this is a ‘coming of age’ story of Marta, the daughter of the title. In a way it is, although you soon realise her journey of self-discovery is going to be something of a bumpy ride. If the female characters all seem a little innocent, the men are enough to make even the most broad-minded reader raise an eyebrow. I hoped in vain to discover at least one with some redeeming qualities. Dark shadows fall across the page as difficult subjects such as self-harm are described in some detail. From an initially slow pace, Vanessa Matthews shows skilled storytelling as the plot builds to a chilling conclusion.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging story set in the Vienna of the 1920ies. A privileged family has their own hidden secrets. Psychology, dysfunctional families and relationships and coming of age are excellently off set with the wider socio-political and psychological themes of the time. The author portrays the view of the time on women's rights very well. This is a very fascinating and rewarding read. Spellbinding!

[Gillian Caulkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my what a read this was fabulous. I now feel as if I have lost a friend, Marta has such a troubled life but is strong enough for the fight. I highly recommend this book to anyone. I could have read this book in less than a week if it wasn't for life getting in the way. Vanessa Matthews is one to watch for.

[Vanessa Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets, suspense and shocking plot twists. An excellent debut that keeps you gripped from beginning to end.

[Vanessa Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets, suspense and shocking plot twists. An excellent debut that keeps you gripped from beginning to end.