Mephisto Waltz

Liebermann Papers #7

by Frank Tallis

In the new novel in the iconic Max Liebermann mystery series, master storyteller Frank Tallis delivers his latest suspenseful and spellbinding tale set in the smoky atmospheric world of fin de siecle Vienna.

Vienna, 1904.           

The body of a man—still sitting in a chair—is discovered in an abandoned piano factory on the outskirts of the city. He has been shot dead but his face has been horribly disfigured with acid, making identification impossible. In front of the body are three chairs positioned conspicuously in a straight line. Who were the former occupants? Had they sat in judgement and pronounced a sentence of death?          

Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt calls on his good friend Doctor Max Liebermann—psychiatrist and disciple of Sigmund Freud—to assist in an investigation that draws them both into the shadowy and sexually unconventional world of fringe political activism. It is a world populated by Bohemians, Utopian idealists, and anarchists, many of whom endorse acts of terror to achieve their revolutionary aims.         

When bomb-making equipment is found in a suburban basement, the sinister Imperial intelligence bureau (who have been secretly monitoring Rheinhardt’s investigation) make themselves known. A legendary anarchist known only by his code name—Mephistopheles—is abroad in Vienna. An appalling act of terror has been planned and time is running out. Rheinhardt must hope that Liebermann, with his profound knowledge of psychology and science, will be able to prevent the coming catastrophe.          

The latest novel in the iconic Max Liebermann mystery series, Mephisto Waltz is a tale of murder, romance, intrigue, and espionage set in the atmospheric world of fin de siecle Vienna.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Crime

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2018

About the author

Aka F.R. Tallis.

Dr. Frank Tallis is a writer and clinical psychologist. He has held lecturing posts in clinical psychology and neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry and King's College, London. He has written self help manuals (How to Stop Worrying, Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions) non-fiction for the general reader (Changing Minds, Hidden Minds, Love Sick), academic text books and over thirty academic papers in international journals. Frank Tallis' novels are: KILLING TIME (Penguin), SENSING OTHERS (Penguin), MORTAL MISCHIEF (Arrow), VIENNA BLOOD (Arrow), FATAL LIES (Arrow), and DARKNESS RISING (Arrow). The fifth volume of the Liebermann Papers, DEADLY COMMUNION, will be published in 2010. In 1999 he received a Writers' Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and in 2000 he won the New London Writers' Award (London Arts Board). In 2005 MORTAL MISCHIEF was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award.

Reviews

[Magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered the first book in this series after finishing this book. I think that's probably the greatest compliment for a book you can give. And, Mephisto Waltz knocked my socks off with its atmospheric setting in Vienna, a mysterious murder mystery and the great teamwork of Oscar Rheinhardt and Max Lieberman. A policeman and a psychiatrist working together. I love it. It worked so well together and I also love the fact that Lieberman is a disciple of Sigmund Freud.

Mephisto Waltz is the kind of book that I adore because of its dark and mysterious feeling. It's a time of tumult, with anarchist wanting to change the world. The story takes place just a couple of years after the assassinating of Empress Elisabeth of Austria who btw made a small, but important cameo in the prologue. Her husband and yes even Sigmund Freud also makes cameo appearances in the book.

As for Oscar Rheinhardt and Max Lieberman did I instantly like the way they worked together, how Rheinhardt often got Lieberman's help to analyze a suspect. I mean for instance; why is the man biting his fingernails? There must be some darker meaning to it.

There is so much I enjoyed about this book, the cameos of real people, Lieberman romantic life, the suffragette moment, the murder mystery, etc. Altogether it made me truly enjoy this book and I can't wait to read the first book!

I want to thank the Pegasus Books for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

4.5 stars

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the way Frank Tallis takes pleasure in relying on history and sources in plotting the stories he puts into his stories. He has over 5 pages that relate to the time period he was relating too.
Everything seems to have been tried in realty. The use of the Cardiograph by Professor de Cyon an incorporated into the story by Amelia is only one instance. There are many more like exceptions. What really drives me crazy is that the worst person in the story gets away while other people are killed protecting him. I note that on PBS they have a show now called Vienna Blood which was written by Frank Tallis but the music isn't there and several other things were left out. But the main thing is that it was shot in Vienna. I've been to a lot of the places Tallis describes with my daughter who lives there with her husband and children. Bragging rights, one of her sons is a gifted musician and plays the piano and is in a music school where he came in second after another person won in competition in all of Austria. I guess this make me kind of bias in a way. But this book is really good as a mystery.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather dark and long without an end that solved all twists, but otherwise well written.

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, the previous Max Liebermann mysteries by Frank Tallis were charming, humorous, and bitingly critical of the politics and culture of Viennese society during the late 1800s and early 1900s. We identified with Max, a psychiatrist, as he tended to troubled patients; helped his friend, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt, solve homicides; and looked for a compatible woman with whom he could share his life.

"Mephisto Waltz" takes place in 1904, at a time when Vienna is filled with angry men and women protesting the oppression of poor people by the upper classes. A criminal mastermind, known as Mephistopheles (thanks to his devilish appearance), skillfully manipulates others but is too clever to be captured himself. Max, meanwhile, continues to care for his mentally ill patients, but also finds time to assist Oskar with his investigations. When an unidentified killer shoots a man in a former piano factory and disfigures the victim's face with acid, Rheinhardt's boss pressures him to make a quick arrest.. Other deaths follow, but with all the radicals, nihilists, and anarchists at large, it will not be easy to close these cases. On a more upbeat note, Max is blissfully happy in his relationship with the intelligent and independent Amelia Lydgate.

This work of fiction, unfortunately, rarely comes to life, mostly because of its chaotic and disjointed plot. Tallis hastily moves from one character to another and fills the narrative with tangential elements, which generates confusion and prevents us from caring about anyone in particular. Most of the men and women we encounter are disaffected and/or disturbed individuals who lash out at others to alleviate their misery. Sigmund Freud makes a cameo appearance that adds little to the proceedings. The novel picks up steam in the final pages, when our heroes desperately try to prevent a malevolent individual from taking even more innocent lives. Although "Mephisto Waltz" is intermittently entertaining, it lacks the sparkle and originality that made the earlier Liebermann books such a delight.

[Lewerentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pas le meilleur de la série mais très contente de retrouver Liebermann, Reinhardt et l'ambiance Vienne 1900 ! 😊

[SoulSurvivor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptional psychological crime series set in early 19th century Vienna. Kept my attention throughout and made me put down a second book I was reading to finish this one. Great for historical fiction lovers!
On this book I actually read the resources pages and found another half dozen books Tallis used as source material that I would like to read in the afterlife.

[Minnesinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was EXCEPTIONAL, and the perfect culmination of Tallis’s Max Liebermann series.

His characters are so well-developed, ‘warts-and-all’, that they feel like real human beings. Their work is meaningful, they have meaningful relationships with families, friends, colleagues, and lovers. The author describes other characters with understanding and explains why they have become broken individuals.

Tallis draws parallels between past and present, parallels most of us don’t see because we tend to view the world myopically. The term “propaganda by the deed” (or “of the deed”) is just a different term for what we today call “terrorism”. We tend to think that terrorism is a modern phenomenon, but it’s not. Both labels past and present still manage to distance theory and motivation from the actual horror that results—mass murder of human beings.

Tallis tells us in his Notes section that his Mephistopheles character is “closely modelled on the life and work of the Russian anarchist Prince Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921). Kropotkin was a favorite teenage page of Alexander II. Thereafter, he joined a Cossack regiment posted in Siberia. He became a distinguished scientist and was one of anarchisms greatest propagandists. His work on animal behavior—particularly mutual aid—represents a fascinating challenge to Darwinian orthodoxy. A very fine summary of Kropotkin’s ideas on mutual aid and cooperation in the natural world can be found in “The Prince of Evolution” by Lee Alan Dugatkin.”

Human beings everywhere are still tribal, banding together with those who think, act, look and believe the same. The sections describing mob mentality (in the voices of Freud and Liebermann) is still and will always be hugely relevant, anywhere and everywhere there are communities of people.

Tallis reminds us that anti-Semitism has existed for over a millennium, at least in Germany—from 11th century pogroms to the Third Reich.

While Liebermann accompanies Rheinhardt in Schubert's “Der Kreuzzug” (“The Crusade”), he wonders if Schubert intended to subvert or mock the pious text (famous poem by Karl Gottfried von Leitner), “a much romanticized view of the crusades—holy knights, setting off to fight for a just cause. The reality was very different: bloodshed, terror, indiscriminate slaughter.“ These Christian Crusaders did in fact massacre thousands of Jews in the Rhineland.

We in the English-speaking world have come to use the word “crusade” almost generically, as a noun or a verb, stripped of its zealous religious roots. In other languages like German, however, the word for “Crusade” still harks back to the medieval Crusaders. “Kreuzzug” is literally a long procession, or pilgrimage, of people led by the (Christian) cross.

Liebermann continues thinking about the text if the poem: “There would always be crusaders and crusades. Anarchists, socialists, pan-German nationalists—the crusading had never stopped. Hosts, crowds, mobs—united beneath a symbol on a flag—allowing the unconscious to discharge its primitive energies.“ ... and “Promised Lands differ according to taste, ... but they all have one thing in common, the expulsion of certain groups. The promised land of the crusaders could never accommodate Muslims or Jews, just as the promised land of the anarchists required the expulsion of kings and capitalists.” Even though they all believe in the same God.

I quote here “Freud”’s words to Liebermann regarding crowd theory: “Le Bon suggests that the particularities of the individual become obliterated in groups. Distinctiveness vanishes. We might say that the superstructure of personality is removed, and the unconscious foundations—which are similar in everyone—stand exposed to view.”... “Once absorbed by the group, the individual feels invincible. He yields to instincts which he would perforce have kept under restraint. He becomes anonymous and his sense of personal responsibility disappears entirely. He becomes impulsive, less thoughtful. By the mere fact that he is now part of a group, a man descends several rungs down the ladder of civilization. Isolated, he may be a cultivated individual; in a crowd, he is a barbarian—a creature animated by primitive drives. A crowd is vengeful, fickle, and prone to extremities of purpose; a crowd is quick to persecute and bay for blood; a crowd is always close to becoming a mob.”

When Liebermann asks Freud if a political party or movement is like a crowd, Freud answers, “Of course. Politicians are always oversimplifying, always engaging the public by making emotional appeals that owe more to prejudice than rationality.”

Politicians and the political strategists behind them have done exactly what Freud said: appealed to our emotions, turning entire parties into mobs. Separation of Chutch and State in the US is blithely ignored, with politicians from both parties professing their alleged “Christian faith” in speeches, trying to “out-holy” their rivals. The Religious Right has co-opted the American flag as their symbol, using it for propaganda; they accuse those who do not rally ‘round THEIR flag as being “unpatriotic”, even “traitors”. Since 9/11, we have grown inured to the so-called “Patriot” Act and its sanctioned snooping without warrant. We have ceded our democracy, allowing fearmongers and bullies to seize control. Russian intelligence hacked Facebook and influenced our 2016 national election by disseminating “fake news”. The talking heads on Fox News have brayed fake news for years, sowing intolerance and hate. Our current President has taken it to a new low by slandering everyone who disagrees with him—in daily “tweets” no less. Then bizarrely accuses news organizations of spreading “fake news” when they simply show his latest tirade on camera.

Tallis names the draconian head of the Austrian intelligence service “Hoover” in what has to be a parallel to J. Edgar Hoover, notorious head of the American FBI in the 1950s. In discussing the Austrian Hoover with Rheinhardt, Liebermann says “It is their duty to protect all of us. They must do whatever it takes to ensure that none of the emperor’s subjects are harmed. But frankly, I have no desire to be protected if the preservation of my safety necessitates tacit endorsement of medieval brutality. We become more monstrous than those who we deign to call monsters.”
J. Edgar Hoover became a monster by ordering wholescale snooping on American citizens. Joe McCarthy took the Communist witch hunt one step further with his infamous Senate hearings of artists, writers, and the Hollywood film industry. The US Patriot Act that followed 9/11 suspended our right to privacy by allowing national intelligence services to dragnet our private communications. The CIA directed the torture of Muslim detainees, codenaming the practice “rendition”. (See the film by the same name, starring Meryl Streep.) They distanced themselves by having “contractors”, aka mercenaries, carry out the torture. Thankfully that practice was exposed and halted. But how could these supposedly brightest of the bright not realize torture never works? They only succeeded in sowing more hatred and radicalizing more individuals. In trying to make our country safer, they became monsters and made us even more more vulnerable.

But back to more benign topics. I appreciated Tallis’s including so many historical references, which he elucidates in his Notes section. I appreciate that he is a scientist himself, and credits the scientists who blazed a trail for future scientists and inventors. We are reminded just how rapidly the world of science—particularly medicine—has advanced in just over 100 years. Many things we all take for granted today were only invented a century ago, during the lifetimes of our great-grandparents. For example:
- The invention of the “cardiograph”, precursor of the lie detector, aka polygraph machine. (How clunky and dangerous the original was!)
- The invention and first use of rubber gloves by a surgeon at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore.
- The 18th century French mathematician Jean-Baptiste le Rond D’Alembert developed the first gambling system, though it doesn’t work because his understanding of probability was flawed. Nevertheless it sowed the seed from which the field of probability theory grew.
- Freud got his ideas about crowd behavior from 18th century mathematician Gustave Le Bon
- The psychiatric condition we call compulsive and pathological lying was first described in 1891 by German psychiatrist Anton Delbrueck, though he deemed it an “illness” called pseudologica fantastica or mythomania.
- Eavesdropping: Apparently the Austro-Hungarian Intelligence service was able to listen in on conversations in adjoining rooms without electronic listening devices.
- Fingerprinting: Tallis does not elucidate, but says Rheinhardt adopted the technique of fingerprinting. No references regarding invisible ink, probably because it has such a long, varied history in and of itself.
- Automobiles: The founder of the Porsche automobile company, engineer Ferdinand Porsche (1875–1951), was at one time Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s chauffeur. Who knew?? Fascinating stuff.

I also love that Tallis includes so many references to classical composers of that time period, and gives music a prominent role in the lives of his protagonists.

**SPOILER ALERT**
Liebermann is able to solve the mystery of the coded letter only when he notices a mutated-black moth, and recalls Darwin’s theory of evolution. Only by putting himself in the mind of the villain, biologist Mephistopheles, does he make the connection between the moth—mutated darker through natural selection to better conceal itself in a dirty city like Vienna—and the unbreakable coded letter. The idea of concealment prompts him to light a match under the visible lines of code, thus causing the invisible plaintext between lines to become visible.

Tallis is absolutely masterful here, and I hope this is not the last we hear from him, especially about Liebermann et al.

[Tom Hendrikx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein guter, vielschichtiger Krimi, der von Anfang bis Ende spannend bleibt und sich flüssig lesen lässt. Die Geschichte spielt im Wien des Jahres 1904 und Frank Tallis versteht es sehr gut, die Atmosphäre und die Ermittlungsmethoden der damaligen Zeit darzustellen. Manchmal habe ich mich an den Film „Der dritte Mann“ (Orson Wells, 1949) erinnert gefühlt, der auch in Wien spielt. Sehr empfehlenswert für alle, die historische Krimis mögen!

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to this series so had no idea what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere of turn of the 19th century Vienna is beautifully crafted......a historic city which is the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but beneath its surface stirs the politics of anarchy (which today we would probably call terrorism).

An unidentified man is found dead in a deserted building and we are introduced to the main investigators....Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt and his friend and consultant Dr. Max Lieberman, a young psychiatrist and student of Freud. Rumors abound that something is in the wind which may involve an assassination attempt on the Emperor and a mysterious mastermind known only as Mephistopheles may be the key. The plot thickens as several more murders are committed and the two protagonists frantically search the city for clues before more mayhem can ensue.

It may sound a bit corny but it really is quite well written. The plot is intricate but believable as it reflects the unrest that was beginning prior to the Great War. I intend to read more of this author.

[Jack Hrkach · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this is the end of the Max Liebermann (not sure why it's spelled with one "n" on Goodreads, all the title pages of my Kindle books spell it with two) series. I liked it nearly as much as Death and the Maiden, and was sad to put it down. I began this set of books not thinking of it as a series, but using A Death in Venice as a fictional guide to neighborhoods in the city. At the time I had booked a flight and was looking forward to a full week there (and afterwards some time in the Austrian and Southern German Alps) beginning 29 April. I liked it, and as I read the next installment, Vienna Blood (recently a series on PBS as well) I began to realize that this trip was I was not destined to embark on this trip. But among the many pleasures of the series I almost felt at home in the city, a place I have visited twice, but nearly 20 years ago. Tallis knows the city very well and seems to love it. He takes the reader to several different areas of the city and out of it, one of the books including a brief trip Liebermann takes to Prague.

This one is about terrorists, particularly one with the code name of Mephistopheles. Gruesome murders occur, mainly of people standing in the way of a plot to bomb a palace, the country's intelligence service is brought into play, often conflicting with Reinhardt's investigations. And having mentioned a code name, a secret code is broken (or IS it?) with the help of Liebermann's former patient, now his partner (somewhat in crime but also of the heart) Amelia Lydgate. The case is solved, ther plot thwarted, dramatically as usual, Reinhardt and Liebermann maintain there private musical evenings (Liebermann on the piano, Reinhardt the vocalist - the most frequent composer made use of in these sessions is Schubert just fyi).

But there is an air of finality to the series, for Liebermann and his detective/baritone partner Reinhardt and his seeming life partner, Amelia. However, in the very last words of the last chapter I had the feeling that there was a hint at least of possible new adventures. Or maybe I just hope this will be so. I very much enjoyed this series, and you may too, headed to Vienna or not.

[Steven Belanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Mephisto Waltz. Disclaimer: this copy free from Pegasus Books

Another excellent entry into the historical / detective fiction series, this time set in Vienna in 1904. Think: Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware and his cop friend Milo Sturgis, except here it’s the time and place of Freud. The case: there’s a bomb-wielding anarchist on the loose, and nobody knows who he is, including the people who work with him. He goes by one name: Mephistopheles (hence the title; go to YouTube for the actual music), and he’s always hidden. The book starts with a three-member jury sentencing someone to death. His face is melted with acid, so you don’t know who. Other killings (one accidental) follow, and there’s a last-second cipher to figure out, and a bomb to stop.

That’s enough summary. The mystery is handled well, but in a way you may not be familiar with, and I mean that as a very good thing. There’s no CSI-like structure, or procedural. There’s an ME, of course, and he may remind you of one from TV’s procedurals, but that’s it. The coolest things about this book, and done well in the whole series, but really done well here, are:

A) you get a slice-of-life (of just under 300 pages) of what it would be like to live in 1904 Vienna, and it’s taken just as seriously—if not more so—than the murders. The crimes are part of this early-20th Century world, before WWI and, in fact, in the time of early cars (Herr Porsche is a minor character, his car is a push-button, as many of the earliest ones were, and he drives a hybrid!), so these are treated as something that would be an everyday part of this world. No sensationalism; no guns. None of the tropes of the genre. They happen as they would happen in that world, and that world molds them. The world isn’t altered to enhance the crimes. The crimes enhance that world. You really feel like you’re there, tasting all that strudel. And--

B) It’s a treasure trove of cool things to look up, to learn about, to listen to on YouTube. This is the kind of thing that makes Dan Brown books so interesting: I buy those in their Illustrated Editions to see the paintings, to look at the sculptures, to learn about the locations (Good idea to Pegasus Books: Consider publishing Illustrated Editions of this series, going back to the first—and why not include a CD or a link to listen to the constantly-referenced music of the time?). And I do the same with Tallis’s series: I’ve listened on YouTube to all of the (very) many songs and music mentioned. They’re actually very good. (Favorite: “The Elf-King” from a few books ago.) I’ve looked up all the real-life personages (This one does a very good job of listing all of them at the end, and of offering quick bios and glimpses.), from Porsche to Freud, and all of the princes and princesses. So it’s not just a simple mystery and you’re done, a ton of books in a series so alike that they all bleed into each other and you couldn’t explain one to somebody (Are you listening, Kellerman?). This series is different, each one a stand-alone, distinct. Tallis publishes one every five to six years, and maybe for this reason.

And Mephisto Waltz even has a cool, gaslight-noir cover. It’s my first hardcover of the series—thanks to Pegasus Books. (That’s my disclosure. Again.) So grab this one. You may read it in one sitting, like I did. When you’re done, get the other six, and enjoy. And feel free to look up the music, the people, the art, and the inventions of that world.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fin de siècle Vienna that Frank Tallis evokes in his Max Liebermann mystery series is a sophisticated world of musical nuance and appreciation of Austrian architecture and cuisine, juxtaposed against nascent anti-Semitism and totalitarian fervor. It is a world of secret societies and underground passages, of anarchy versus order. The Mephisto Waltz uses the eponymous piano piece by Liszt and the music of Schubert to provide framing for the story. The appearance of an antagonist connotes the characterization of the Liszt piece and such German lieder songs as Schubert’s “Atlas” (which hints at Detective Oskar Rheinhardt’s mental state when he sings it on p. 95) or Ihr bild (“Her Likeness” which puts in perspective an unhappy marital relationship between two suspects when selected on pp. 155-156). A piece by C. P. E. Bach forms the centerpiece for a major event in the novel and an abandoned piano factory serves as the venue for the first murder in the book proper (there is a rather famous assassination in the “Prelude”).

Since these mystery novels also describe some rather gruesome and, sometimes, symbolic murders, the brief scenes of musical performance (and their symbolic references) and elegant dining experiences provide a nice change of pace from the macabre nature of the homicides and, in this case, the dark conspiratorial nature of the anarchists who set matters in motion (the accompaniment to the waltz?). There are, as always, political sentiments from multiple perspectives (including sycophantic bureaucrats) to enliven the setting. Frankly, I would read these stories if there was no mystery whatsoever. I’ve visited modern Vienna once, but Tallis’ pre-war vintage Vienna feels much like the best of what we experienced there.

That being said, readers of the series should be aware that Mephisto Waltz reads more like a thriller than a mystery. The procedural part of the mystery is there but there are so many different character points-of-view that it reads more like a thriller than a mystery. One feels like one knows what is going on, even if one is not entirely clear on the exact venue and timing of the main plot until very late in the book. Speaking of procedural, there is a definite tension or rivalry between Rheinhardt’s security bureau and the intelligence services (think local law enforcement vs. the CIA, if you will). The procedures are different and their differences are magnified when the same prisoner is shuttled from one branch to another and back. I particularly enjoyed the cypher breaking portion of the plot.

In addition, I am emotionally invested in this series. I love seeing Max, Oskar, Amelia, and even Max’s mother grow as these fictional lives evolve. There is a marvelous verisimilitude to the way Tallis depicts life (his psychological background probably accounts for his sensitivity in this area) and the motivations for protagonists, antagonists, and even supporting characters. I’m sold on the series, but I have to be honest that I didn’t feel like Mephisto Waltz was as strong as the others.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gehaltvoller historischer Krimi

Die historischen Kriminalromane rund um den in Mordfällen ermittelnden Arzt und Psychoanalytiker Max Liebermann sind für mich Neuland gewesen. "Ein Teuflischer Walzer" von Frank Tallis, der selbst Klinischer Psychologe ist, ist nach sieben Jahren Pause der neueste Band der Reihe. Leider findet sich im Buch keine Auflistung der bisher erschienen Fälle, was ich etwas schade finde, zumal alle Übersetzungen ebenfalls im btb-Verlag erschienen sind.

Wir befinden uns im Wien des gerade begonnenen Jahres 1904. Es ist das Wien der angeschlagenen K. u. k.-Doppelmonarchie. Die Kaiserin Elisabeth wurde wenige Jahre zuvor von einem Anarchisten ermordet, der Bevölkerung geht es schlecht, die vielschichtigen Stimmen des Sozialismus werden lauter. In der Kunst malt Gustav Klimt seine goldenen Gemälde. Sigmund Freud praktiziert in der Wiener Berggasse, wo er die menschliche Psyche erforscht. Vor diesem Hintergrund spielt sich die Krimihandlung ab: Ein entstellter Toter, der offensichtlich erschossen wurde, wird in einer ehemaligen Klavierfabrik gefunden. Kriminalinspektor Oskar Reinhardt holt sich einmal wieder Unterstützung beim Ermitteln in Person seines Freundes Max Liebermann. Dieser ist seines Zeichens Freud-Schüler und als Arzt und Psychiater mit den Abgründen der menschlichen Psyche bestens vertraut.

Der Roman beschwört eine unheilvolle Fin-de-siècle-Kulisse herauf. Düster, winterlich und beklemmend ist diese Atmosphäre, die die Handlung wunderbar umrahmt. Es geht ja auch um die dunklen Aspekte der menschlichen Psyche und persönliche Verstrickungen aller Art. Die vielfältigen Themenbereiche, die im Roman angesprochen werden, wie z.B. Spielarten der Medizin, Psychologie und Politik - natürlich im Kontext der Zeit um 1900 - sind für den Leser, sofern er sich nicht gedanklich ohnehin schon in diesen Metiers bewegt bzw. sich mit ihnen beschäftigt, erstmal sehr kompliziert, die Dialoge teilweise sehr hochtrabend. Durchbrochen wird dieser, ich nenne ihn mal intellektuelle Duktus, durch actiongeladene Szenen und eine brisante Handlung, die viel Sprengstoff bietet - im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes!

Der Roman hat mir sehr gut gefallen, auch wenn ich mich aufgrund der Themen stellenweise sehr konzentrieren musste. Die Figur des Max Liebermann und die Idee, einen Psychiater zum Co-Ermittler zu machen, fand ich sehr gut ausgearbeitet. Seine kluge Verlobte Amelia Lydgate frischt die Handlung, die eigentlich fast durchgehend ernst ist, sehr auf.
Alles in allem wird die Gesellschaft der Wiener Jahrhundertwende wunderbar und lebensecht portraitiert. Die Krimihandlung mit Spionageelementen fand ich sehr "international", Tallis ist Engländer und schreibt für ein breites Publikum.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent work of historical fiction!

My thanks to my contacts at Pegasus Books, Iris Blasi, Katie McGuire, Maia Larson, and Bowen Dunnan for my review copy of this book. You guys rock!

The book opens with an account of the 1898 assassination of Empress Elizabeth of Austria.

Vienna, 19o4. Anarchists are at work in Vienna, seeking to destabilize the region by various bomb attacks and political assassinations. A body is discovered in a chair inside an abandoned piano factory. Facing the body are three more chairs as if the man had been put through some sort of trial…

The case is investigated by Detective Inspector Oskar Reinhardt. The Detective consults with an old friend and alienist, Doctor Max Liebermann. Liebermann is a student of Sigmund Freud. Together Reinhardt and Liebermann investigate, interrogate suspects, and try to make their findings sure by use of the latest in criminal science.

The book is a tale of spies, anarchists, counterspies, bombs, murder, political assassination and intrigue. Detective Inspector Reinhardt is part of the intelligence bureau, and at times finds himself clashing with Captain Hoover of the security office over how to proceed…

I found it very neat how Tallis works period crime-solving methods into the story. Fingerprints are just beginning to be accepted as unimpeachable evidence. There is also an account of what might be the first attempt at a lie detector.

I also liked the interludes when the investigators, hot on the trail, would take a break to sing and play music. In a rush to examine a crime scene, they have time to savor a delicious sausage from a street vendor. This brings a note of humanity to people who must deal with the blood and horror of murder scenes. They are tiny moments stolen from the hue and cry of criminal investigation.

The author stays true to historical events while skillfully wording his tale to maximize reading pleasure. I must say that reading this book got me to searching the Internet for the historical references! Though the book ends before the war starts, the anarchists' plans will ultimately be the catalyst that will spark the war to end all wars, WWI.

This is absolutely the finest piece of historical fiction I have recently read! The plot is sound, the pacing swift, and the characters complex and engaging. All in all, this was a terrific reading experience! I give this book five stars plus!

Quoth the Raven…

[Franca Pelaccia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mephisto Waltz, a Max Lieberman Mystery, finds the Freudian psychiatrist Max and Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt in 1904 Vienna, trying to make sense of the murders of people who appear to have no relation to each other. As they search for answers, their investigation leads them to a group of political activists, whose goal is to eradicate poverty and introduce equal rights for all. The group is headed by a mysterious and elusive person, who goes by the name of Mephistopheles. When Max and Oskar find bomb-making equipment in one of the group member’s home and a coded letter on the bomb maker, they call on experts, including’s Max’s love interest, Amelia to help them break the code and locate the bomb before it can subvert the status quo.

Mephisto Waltz is an intricately but elegantly written mystery as much as it is an immersion in the time. Vienna, 1904 is brought to life through vivid and detailed illustrations of situations, places, food, and cultural milieu, such as the inequality between classes and between men and women, especially in regard to scholarly pursuits. Classical musical plays a part in the plot as does the psychology and science of the day. All the characters, whether they appear for only a short chapter or turn out to be integral, are also individualized and given authentic names. My hat goes off to Tallis for creating such individual characters and names, but it was difficult to remember who was who and if I should remember them in case they turned out to be important.

Mephisto Waltz is an interesting read, especially to gain insight into the time.
Reviewed for Historical Novels Society

[Alison C · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1904 Vienna, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt enlists his friend, psychiatrist Max Liebermann, to help him solve the murder of an unidentified man who has been found in an abandoned warehouse, seated on a chair, with three empty chairs in front of him. The murder scene looks suspiciously like an execution, and the man’s face has been disfigured with acid to further conceal his identity. The search for the killer or killers will take Oskar and Max into the heart of Vienna’s political mayhem, with anarchists planning to bomb the nobility, the intelligence service determined to succeed by torture and a legendary anarchist known only as Mephistopheles rumoured to be hanging around the city somewhere…. The above description only covers the main plot of this, the seventh Max Liebermann novel; there are also discussions of gender parity, sexual policies, the strengths and weaknesses of empire, the first appearance of motor carriages and, as so often in these books, a brief appearance from Sigmund Freud himself (a man who, in this telling at least, appears to have been inordinately fond of puns and bad jokes). The era and the setting are beautifully drawn, giving the reader a real sense of what Vienna around the turn of the 20th century was probably like. Max and Oskar are, in addition to being interesting characters, very musically inclined (Max plays piano, Oskar sings) and it’s quite delightful to sit in on their musical sessions together. And I haven’t even mentioned Amelia! A really rewarding historic series, highly recommended.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a Goodread’s recommendation. And I am grateful for it, because I have found an astounding new author! Mr. Tallis gives us, among other “Sherlockian” characters, the talented Inspector Rheinhart who teams with Freudian Dr Max Lieberman in Vienna, in the early 20th century. If one drops a flat mirror on the ground, the expected result would be hundreds of tiny pieces which reflect at many angles. That’s the feeling one gets from the pace and written control of this novel. The author, in the early plot gives us short, quick, staccato glimpses of people and places. I shuddered to think of the new, commercial craze of two-page chapters. But, as the plot became more dense, and the characters more complex, the chapters grew, as does this two-fold plot. Plot indeed, for the author not only describes the underbelly of 1904 Vienna, but also reveals the stirring of Socialism, which, as we know now, will explode, literally, in 1917 and in two world wars. Here it is undercover and philosophical, but the aim is destruction of the norm. And, with a murderer called Mephistopheles afoot, with his promise to blow-up the city, and to leave gruesome murders behind him, our multifaceted mirror reflects more and more scenes, spinning a spell as we look. I liked the tone, reminiscent of Caleb Carr’s “The Alienist” as well as the scholarly research, discussed as a postscript. I have found an author who is not perplexed by chaos nor complexity, and I applaud this series,

[Andrea C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 7th book, and last (at least for now) in the "Max Liebermann Papers" series of books by Frank Tallis. The stories are murder mysteries set in Vienna in the early 1900s, featuring the fascinating characters of Max Liebermann (a young psychiatrist, and student of Sigmund Freud) and Oskar Rheinhardt (a hard working police detective). Early on, the two men form an unlikely but very satisfying friendship while working together on cases. Max and Oskar are a literary equivalent to "buddy films" at the movies. Their collaboration and affection are at the crux of each story, and I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet. Here's hoping that Frank Tallis plans to write more books to keep this series going.

Note: The PBS Masterpiece Mystery series "Vienna Blood" is based on The Max Liebermann Papers books. As is almost always the case, there are significant differences between the books and the TV adaptation. However, both versions are excellent.

I admit I stumbled a bit reading some of the German words referenced frequently throughout the books (since I don't understand all but the most basic components of the language), but at the same time I appreciated how much those references added to the authenticity of what I was reading. In the span of one year I've read all 7 books in the series. My personal favorite was Book 3 ("Fatal Lies") but each and every installment made for very good reading.

[Jess Swann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le retour de Frank Tallis et surtout de son duo viennois : le psychiatre Liebermann, proche de Freud et l'inspecteur Rheinhardt, mélomane averti. Cette fois encore, Frank Tallis nous transporte dans les méandres de l'histoire avec en prélude aux événements l'assassinat de Sissi comme si nous y étions. La suite, à travers l'enquête de Rheinhardt, nous permet de découvrir les milieux anarchistes et leur idéologie vue d'un point de vue psychanalytique grâce aux interventions toujours appréciées de Freud et aux observations de Max. Le tout est passionnant et permet de croiser des personnages et des faits historiques tout en les intégrant à la fiction de l'auteur. Nous n'en perdons pas pour autant de vue les personnages principaux et je suis ravie de l'évolution des relations de Max et Amelia ! Le tout est bien écrit et toujours aussi passionnant


Ce que j'aime : la manière dont l'auteur introduit les avancées scientifiques de l'époque et la psychanalyse dans un contexte historique riche tout en nous permettant de suivre les trajectoires personnelles de ses personnages


Ce que j'aime moins : un peu trop de personnages, je me suis un peu perdue au début


En bref : Un retour en force de Max ! Passionnant et bien documenté


Ma note


7,5/10

[Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all of Frank Tallis' books about Max Liebermann and Oscar Reinhardt and enjoyed them, this was no exception. These are period pieces set in Vienna at the turn of the century and follow the basic Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson format. Tallis is not only a writer by a practicing psychotherapist. His main character is a psychotherapist who uses his skills to solve the murders that Reinhardt finds himself involved in as an Inspector in the Security Office. The third main character is a strongly drawn female, Amelia Lydgate who specializes in blood-work and new technology. In this book an early lie detector called a Cardiograph figures in. Ms. Lydgate began as a patient and now is Liebermann's lover. Sigmund Freud also appears in the books as Liebermann's mentor. The information about the city and the politics of that period are always interesting and well researched. The relationship of Liebermann and his family is also well drawn and interesting. Overall I can easily recommend this book and the series as a whole.

[RC Prentice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shoot the piano player? But it’s not at a recital that the victim meets his demise, but rather, in a piano factory. Peopled with cameo appearances by Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Sigmund Freud, the narrative moves through a number of characters, radicals, nihilists, and anarchists, making for a somewhat confusing and chaotic plot. Secret societies, underground passages, and a dark and anarchic ambience belie the laconic gentile world of Liszt and Schubert, the blissful relationship of Reinhardt and Amelia. At the heart of the mystery are a series of deaths precipitated by the mysterious acid-and-bomb-wielding criminal mastermind. This is not an easy story to follow, nor is the perp an evil-doer predictable on the basis of the introduction of a number of personalities. The primary lure of this piece of historical fiction is the social and physical setting of the legendary seat of the royal residents of the disintegrating Hapsburg Empire.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read and review a series book differently than I read a standalone. Maybe because I'm usually familiar with the series' characters and histories, I expect different writing than in an unfamiliar book. It was so that I read British author Frank Tallis's newest "Max Liebermann mystery", "Mephisto Waltz".

Set in Vienna in the early 1900's, Tallis returns to his characters with a new story to add to the on-going one. Frankly, though, I was disappointed in the book. The story, about anarchists possibly mounting an attack on Hapsburg and other governmental officials, was disjointed. People were getting murdered and bodies were turning up in obscure places around the city. Police Detective Inspector Rheinhardt is called in to investigate the murders which may point to a plot against...well, almost anyone in the Hapsburg world. He asks his friend, Dr Max Liebermann, to join him and try to make sense of the psychological aspects of the murders and the possible plot. Liebermann returns with his lady-friend, Englishwoman Amelia Lydgate and their slow-moving romance.

The problem with the book is that Tallis doesn't seem engaged with either his characters or plot. I think a reader can tell when an author is not at his best, particularly when the reader has read and is familiar with the preceding books in the series. I'm glad I read the book because I like the Liebermann series, but I can't recommend it to the new Tallis reader.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventh in the crime series set in turn-of-the-20th-century Vienna, featuring psychoanalyst Dr Max Liebermann -- single, but now with a live-in lover, the scientist Amelia Lydgate -- and his friend, the married father and detective Oskar Rheinhardt of the security service. Not quite as good as most of the others, because there were too many disparate threads that were confusing and probably extraneous. The plot concerns anarchists who, believing they are working toward world peace, the end of poverty, and some kind of equality of gender and personhood, act to assassinate emperors to destroy empires. Newfangled crime tools like fingerprinting and lie detectors are just beginning to be used. Liebermann speaks with Freud about mob psychology and the diffusion and indeed debasement of the individual's morality in the midst of a crowd.

[Carolyn Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 7th Liebermann mystery portrays the rich, complex, and portentous Vienna of 1904, with psychiatrist Liebermann, scientist Amelia Lydgate, and police officer Reinhardt plumbing the depths of an international anarchists’ cabal. Advances in science and culture play a huge role in thwarting a terrorist attack, and growth in the personal lives of the main characters do as well. This first hardcover in the series is marred by skimped editing and the errors are jarring, but overall, its excellence continues.

“The intelligence bureau can justify their iniquitous methods by making an appeal that finds easy popular support. It is their duty to protect all of us… But frankly, I have no desire to be protected if the preservation of my safety necessitates tacit endorsement of medieval brutality. We become more monstrous that those who we deign to call monsters.” p. 209

[Yasmina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Viennese society of 1904 is the backdrop for Detective Rheinhardt and Doctor Liebermann. Vienna during this time is full of wealthy individuals, but it is also full of those who question the traditional values of society. Rheinhardt and Liebermann soon discover the complexities of these secret societies as they are called to investigate a murder at an abandoned piano factory. This discovery leads the two into a world where assassinations of the royals is the desired outcome. Tallis crafts a historically accurate time period, unfortunately the mystery itself is lackluster. Tallis jumps from character to character without developing them thoroughly. This weakens the plot and confuses the reader.

[Célestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining series

I have read all the "Vienna" book by the author and I've thoroughly enjoyed them. What Frank Tallis has managed to achieve in a detective genre on the model of Sherlock Homes and Watson. The two main protagonists are well observed and well drawn. There is a familiarity with their stories that develops, certain attitudes that become trademarks.
Above all it's the picture of Vienna at the turn of the 20th century that is captivating, complete with cultural, political and social background. The research is very thorough but the writing is of such quality that it never feels artificial. They are all page turner and the reader is guaranteed to be entertained in the best possible way.

[Chris Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason this novel is only available as an e book so, having read all of the rest of the Vienna Blood series, I was delighted to stumble over it. I just love reading Tallis' rich prose (although, oddly, he seems to use American spelling even though he was born and bred here in the UK..)

The historical and cultural backdrop of Vienna at the end of the 19th century is depicted well, as always, with a bit of "poetic licence" here and there and the relationship and friendship between Lieberman and Rheinhardt continues to grow and yield professional success in solving crimes.

I do hope Tallis continues the series but I notice that, more recently, he seems to be concentrating on his academic publications in psychology.

[Conny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a First Read Winner of this book and I really enjoyed it. This was my first book by Frank Tallis, but it certainly won't be my last. I did not realize that this book is part of a series and I was worried if I would feel lost at any point, but besides not knowing how the main characters ended up being friends and helping each other out, it proofed not to be a problem at all. I loved the plot line, characters and the time period, the only negative thing about the book is that I ended up craving some Austrian pastries. Very entertaining read and I will look up other books in the series to hold me over until the next installment.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good to re-visit Max and Detective Inspector Rheinhardt after their hiatus of a few years. However, they seemed a bit faded. Their personalities didn't seem as colorful or the Austrian pastries described with quite the same verve. Perhaps the plot was more important than in past entries in the series, but the anarchists and the police and the Russian secret police and numerous dead bodies with differing means of death left me skimming over the plot. At the end it was mostly all accounted for and made sense, but as I went along I kept forgetting what I knew about a character (or corpse) when they were reintroduced into the plot.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the series of adventures of Detective Inspector Reinhardt and Professor Dr. Max Liebermann in turn of the century Vienna. In this they are investigating a series of murders seemingly committed by anarchists who are planning to overthrow the monarchy. That this is possible certainly seems true since Sisi (Empress Elisabeth of Austria) was recently assassinated. Max is a disciple of Freud and engaged to Amelia Lydgate a polymath who is studying medicine. The atmosphere and the historical context are interesting, although the narrative is annoying in that most chapters are only a couple of pages long so it’s rather herky-jerky at times.