What do you think?
Rate this book
Playing with Fire
This is an updated cover of this Kindle edition.
In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.
Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.
Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.
In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.
Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.
Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2015
2479 people are currently reading
15436 people want to read
About the author
Tess Gerritsen
200 books20.9k followersInternationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.
Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.
As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".
Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,702 reviews
July 8, 2016
If you're looking for a book written in the Rizzoli & Isles style, then this isn't what you're gonna get with this one. This standalone by Tess Gerritsen though IS very good. It follows the lives of Julia, a musician in the present day, and Lorenzo during WWII. Julia plays in a quartet, and after a concert in Rome, she visits an antique shop and discovers an old piece of sheet music scribbled in pencil. The music, entitled 'Incendio' by L. Todesco, intrigues her, and she just has to buy it. The music returns home with her to Boston, but after playing it, horrifying events take place involving her 3 year old daughter Lily.
Lorenzo is a violinist living in Venice during WWII. He also happens to be a Jew during one of the darkest chapters in history. His story doesn't make for easy reading, and I personally found it heartbreaking.
The way Tess Gerritsen weaves together these two lives, decades apart, is riveting. There's always a sense of foreboding to keep the pages turning. All in all, a well crafted story from this excellent author.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random house UK for my free copy.*
Lorenzo is a violinist living in Venice during WWII. He also happens to be a Jew during one of the darkest chapters in history. His story doesn't make for easy reading, and I personally found it heartbreaking.
The way Tess Gerritsen weaves together these two lives, decades apart, is riveting. There's always a sense of foreboding to keep the pages turning. All in all, a well crafted story from this excellent author.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random house UK for my free copy.*
July 25, 2016
All The Stars for "Playing With Fire"!!! I absolutely loved this book! Major feels! I was still crying during the author's note. I listened to the audio version. Julia Whelan is the narrator of one of the two points of view. She is my absolute favorite narrator. There are two storylines going on in this novel. The historical fiction aspect is a complete 5! The other storyline was a mystery and that was a 4.5 for me. Although I didn't figure the mystery part out so I'm giving this novel in total a 5!
Julie is a violinist who finds a piece of music in a book that she purchases in Rome. While home in Massachusetts she plays this music and things begin to change in her life. Crazy things begin to happen. Things that her three year old daughter seems to be doing, but is she? This causes her to embark on a journey to Venice in hopes of finding out more about the music that seems to be causing so much havoc!
The book takes place in both Italy and the US. It also takes place in present day and during WWII. We have two narrators, two points of view, and two stories that do come together in the end.
This is a my first Tess Gerritsen novel but it will not be my last! It's a short audiobook. Just about 7 hours long. It's easy to follow and well narrated by both narrators. I needed this book to be good because I felt myself falling into a rut. I'm so glad I listened to it! I think it did the trick for me. I loved it!!!
Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers who don't mind a bit of modern day mystery/thriller mixed in!
Julie is a violinist who finds a piece of music in a book that she purchases in Rome. While home in Massachusetts she plays this music and things begin to change in her life. Crazy things begin to happen. Things that her three year old daughter seems to be doing, but is she? This causes her to embark on a journey to Venice in hopes of finding out more about the music that seems to be causing so much havoc!
The book takes place in both Italy and the US. It also takes place in present day and during WWII. We have two narrators, two points of view, and two stories that do come together in the end.
This is a my first Tess Gerritsen novel but it will not be my last! It's a short audiobook. Just about 7 hours long. It's easy to follow and well narrated by both narrators. I needed this book to be good because I felt myself falling into a rut. I'm so glad I listened to it! I think it did the trick for me. I loved it!!!
Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers who don't mind a bit of modern day mystery/thriller mixed in!
August 11, 2015
“Playing With Fire” is the latest novel, a standalone thriller, by Tess Gerritsen, a physician living in Maine. Most of us are familiar with the Rizzoli & Isles series, by this New York Times bestselling author. I must say that this is a change in style for the author, from her previous series, but it works well as she is a master storyteller.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House Ballantine books for supplying me with a copy of the latest Tess Gerritsen novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told through two POV’s:
(1)Julia's current story is in first person, taking place in the US.
(2)Lorenzo's story is in third person, and takes place in Italy against the backdrop of WWII.
Normally, I am not too crazy about alternating timelines, as the constant shifts can make for choppy reading, but in this case, everything made sense and came together in the end. The chapters are marked as “Julia “or “Lorenzo”, so we can follow the two stories more easily.
Everything changed, when she played “Incendio Fire”. Now it was a nightmare!
Julia Ansdell, is a professional musician from America playing violin. She is always on the lookout for old music that deserves to be heard. On her last afternoon in Rome, where she was part of an all-women group quartet, she browses though the antique shops for souvenirs, before her trip back to Boston. She had already bought something for her husband, Rob and their 3-year-old daughter, Lily. Now something for herself. And then she saw it…”Incendio Fire” composed by L. Todesco, a beautiful waltz.
But back in Boston, when Julia plays the piece for the first time strange things happen. The piece appears to trigger violent episodes in Julia’s 3-year-old daughter, Lily. Julia finds herself scared of her daughter Lily ...is Lily trying to kill Julia? Rob doesn't understand, and thinks his wife is crazy, and needs to be committed. But before they were going to check her into a loony bin…Julia takes off to Venice, to track down the history of the music.
The scene then changes to the story of Lorenzo, the composer of the sheet music, and his life in Nazi occupied Italy. Oh what a tragic life he lived. His story was such an emotional read, that my heart went out to him and his family.
“Playing With Fire” is a very complex novel combining historical fiction, family drama with mystery/thriller and great character development. The characters are dark and intriguing. It is a novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. A very moving novel.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House Ballantine books for supplying me with a copy of the latest Tess Gerritsen novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told through two POV’s:
(1)Julia's current story is in first person, taking place in the US.
(2)Lorenzo's story is in third person, and takes place in Italy against the backdrop of WWII.
Normally, I am not too crazy about alternating timelines, as the constant shifts can make for choppy reading, but in this case, everything made sense and came together in the end. The chapters are marked as “Julia “or “Lorenzo”, so we can follow the two stories more easily.
Everything changed, when she played “Incendio Fire”. Now it was a nightmare!
Julia Ansdell, is a professional musician from America playing violin. She is always on the lookout for old music that deserves to be heard. On her last afternoon in Rome, where she was part of an all-women group quartet, she browses though the antique shops for souvenirs, before her trip back to Boston. She had already bought something for her husband, Rob and their 3-year-old daughter, Lily. Now something for herself. And then she saw it…”Incendio Fire” composed by L. Todesco, a beautiful waltz.
But back in Boston, when Julia plays the piece for the first time strange things happen. The piece appears to trigger violent episodes in Julia’s 3-year-old daughter, Lily. Julia finds herself scared of her daughter Lily ...is Lily trying to kill Julia? Rob doesn't understand, and thinks his wife is crazy, and needs to be committed. But before they were going to check her into a loony bin…Julia takes off to Venice, to track down the history of the music.
The scene then changes to the story of Lorenzo, the composer of the sheet music, and his life in Nazi occupied Italy. Oh what a tragic life he lived. His story was such an emotional read, that my heart went out to him and his family.
“Playing With Fire” is a very complex novel combining historical fiction, family drama with mystery/thriller and great character development. The characters are dark and intriguing. It is a novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. A very moving novel.
August 18, 2020
"Pure indulgence"
Playing with Fire a Novel by Tess Gerristen was a beautiful, fast paced and extremely satisifying read.
This is historical fiction at its best, it's a fiction story set in the past but with some historical facts and figures to keep the reader educated and interested.
I would never have picked up this novel if I hadn't recently read a compelling review by a Goodread's friend who left me in no doubt that I needed to read this novel. So happy I took her advice as this was pure indulgence. From the opening paragraph I was hooked. There is just something warm and cozy about this novel that made it such a pleasing read.
This is a story set in two time frames, modern day and Venice just before the Second World War. I loved the easy transition between past and present in the story. The characters are interesting and well developed and the plot was just music to my ears.
It's short novel which reminded me a little of Sarah's Key
I purchased this one in whisper sync and the narration on the audio was excellent and I loved the Violin pieces which enhanced the story.
I read a lot of non-fiction on this time period and it was just nice to read a well written and entertaing historical fiction story.
I have never read a Tess Gerritsen novel before but will certainly add more of her novels to my list.
Playing with Fire a Novel by Tess Gerristen was a beautiful, fast paced and extremely satisifying read.
This is historical fiction at its best, it's a fiction story set in the past but with some historical facts and figures to keep the reader educated and interested.
I would never have picked up this novel if I hadn't recently read a compelling review by a Goodread's friend who left me in no doubt that I needed to read this novel. So happy I took her advice as this was pure indulgence. From the opening paragraph I was hooked. There is just something warm and cozy about this novel that made it such a pleasing read.
This is a story set in two time frames, modern day and Venice just before the Second World War. I loved the easy transition between past and present in the story. The characters are interesting and well developed and the plot was just music to my ears.
It's short novel which reminded me a little of Sarah's Key
I purchased this one in whisper sync and the narration on the audio was excellent and I loved the Violin pieces which enhanced the story.I read a lot of non-fiction on this time period and it was just nice to read a well written and entertaing historical fiction story.
I have never read a Tess Gerritsen novel before but will certainly add more of her novels to my list.
October 24, 2015
When Julie finds a strange piece of music inside a book of gypsy music that she buys from a small antique store in Rome, she finds her life irrevocably changed. Trying to play the piece on her violin she is struck by how powerful the music is, seems almost to have a mind of it own and whose high pitched sound seems to cause her three year old daughter to commit violent acts. Trying to trace where the music came from will take her to Venice and the past and pit her against a powerful family that wants to keep the past hidden.
Gerritsen is typically a mystery writer and as far as I know this her first foray into historical fiction. Although there is a mystery at its core, it is much more thriller/historical. I found it to be easy to follow, fast paced and extremely interesting. Once again she taught me something in the past I didn't know. For readers who do not like straightforward mysteries, I think this would definitely appeal and give them a chance to experience the fiction of Gerritsen. The author's note explains more about this time period in Venice's past and the real people some of the fictional characters were modeled on.
Also applaud the author for not going for the clichéd ending.
ARC from Netgalley
Gerritsen is typically a mystery writer and as far as I know this her first foray into historical fiction. Although there is a mystery at its core, it is much more thriller/historical. I found it to be easy to follow, fast paced and extremely interesting. Once again she taught me something in the past I didn't know. For readers who do not like straightforward mysteries, I think this would definitely appeal and give them a chance to experience the fiction of Gerritsen. The author's note explains more about this time period in Venice's past and the real people some of the fictional characters were modeled on.
Also applaud the author for not going for the clichéd ending.
ARC from Netgalley
March 27, 2016
In a break from her mystery novels, Gerritsen offers up a unique story that blends music with history to produce a chilling narrative that will touch readers at their core. While on a trip to Italy, violinist Julia Ansdell finds a unique and unpublished piece that piques her interest, in Incendio waltz. Upon her return to Boston, she begins to unravel its mysteries by playing it, or at least trying to do so. Each time she begins, the haunting dissonant tones seem to evoke disturbing results in Julia's three-year-old daughter, Lily. Convinced the piece brings about sociopathic tendencies in the toddler, Julia tries to determine its history, while battling with her husband and medical professionals, none of whom can understand why Julia blames Lily's behaviours on a piece of music. In a parallel narrative, Gerritsen tells the story of Lorenzo, also an accomplished violinist, who is living in Italy in the years before the Second World War. As Mussolini holds a firm grip on the country, he begins to mirror the efforts of his fascist counterpart and commences a vilification of the Jews. Lorenzo is torn from the life he knew and the woman he loved all because of this directive. Sent to an internment camp, he is chosen to serenade those who are kept as prisoners, a small ray of hope in a life that remains dreary. As Julia uncovers this, she also learns more about the Incendio, which is telling in its history. Gerritsen pulls on the reader's heart strings in this shorter novel that tells a story more important than any Rizzoli and Isles mystery could hope to accomplish.
While I have been a long-time fan of Gerritsen and her mysteries, I took a chance on this novel, in hopes that it would be as exciting. While I was unsure where things were headed in the opening chapters, I soon realised the complexities of the story, told in such a succinct fashion. While the novel is a layers double narrative that does, eventually, meld into one, it seemed less developed or substantial than it could have been. Gerritsen taps into the historical mistreatment of the Jews, told from an Italian perspective, but it is the modern-day story that drew me in a little more. How a piece of music could cause such mayhem in a toddler seemed to be a hook in the story, though the eventual explanation seemed a let-down. I had hoped to discover more in the medical or musical realms, perhaps pining for more mystery than history. That said, it was a quick read and flowed nicely, with decent characters and believable dialogue. I think Gerritsen fans would enjoy this, if they are able to suspend a little of their mystery-centred passion.
Kudos, Dr. Gerritsen (do you still hold your medical title?) for this novel, which touches the heart and shows you put your all into your writing. I wonder what you have on the horizon to appease your loyal fans.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While I have been a long-time fan of Gerritsen and her mysteries, I took a chance on this novel, in hopes that it would be as exciting. While I was unsure where things were headed in the opening chapters, I soon realised the complexities of the story, told in such a succinct fashion. While the novel is a layers double narrative that does, eventually, meld into one, it seemed less developed or substantial than it could have been. Gerritsen taps into the historical mistreatment of the Jews, told from an Italian perspective, but it is the modern-day story that drew me in a little more. How a piece of music could cause such mayhem in a toddler seemed to be a hook in the story, though the eventual explanation seemed a let-down. I had hoped to discover more in the medical or musical realms, perhaps pining for more mystery than history. That said, it was a quick read and flowed nicely, with decent characters and believable dialogue. I think Gerritsen fans would enjoy this, if they are able to suspend a little of their mystery-centred passion.
Kudos, Dr. Gerritsen (do you still hold your medical title?) for this novel, which touches the heart and shows you put your all into your writing. I wonder what you have on the horizon to appease your loyal fans.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 21, 2015
I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House Ballantine books for supplying me with a forward copy of the latest Tess Gerritsen novel in exchange for a honest review.
This was so easy, I love this authors writing anyway but the book appealed to me from the write up and once I started it I couldn't put it down. Of the 100 books I have already read this year I would have to say this one is right up at the top and that is a big statement considering the standard of the books.
The book is excellently paced and flits from past to present and eventually comes together to make perfect sense. The characters were believable and the story is full of emotions that make this book a great read.I can't recommend this book high enough and urge others not to miss out on this.
This was so easy, I love this authors writing anyway but the book appealed to me from the write up and once I started it I couldn't put it down. Of the 100 books I have already read this year I would have to say this one is right up at the top and that is a big statement considering the standard of the books.
The book is excellently paced and flits from past to present and eventually comes together to make perfect sense. The characters were believable and the story is full of emotions that make this book a great read.I can't recommend this book high enough and urge others not to miss out on this.
August 8, 2016
Probably unfair of me to star this simply because I’m not the kind of reader it was written for. I don’t like novels that want to rush you through them to the end, to the point where you’re almost skim reading in your excitement to know what happens next. I prefer it when a novel is like a love letter – you savour every sentence while still feeling swept up in the excitement of reading on. That’s what a page turner is for me. I like a writer to walk me through the world she has created, not speed me through it in a fast car. I completely understand why many people love novels that almost demand to be read in one sitting and sacrifice every other consideration – including credibility and historical accuracy - to a “gripping” plot but they’re just not my thing.
I read this because I had a fabulous holiday in Italy where I read an excellent novel set in WWII Florence which swept me up into a world I didn’t want to leave. When I saw this was set in Italy during the war I thought it might provide a way of prolonging my holiday…
Playing with Fire aspires to be almost every genre under the sun – at least the genres that sell: historical fiction, YA, thriller, chick lit, romance – and might provide a fascinating case study of what nowadays constitutes a best-selling book. It felt a bit like a novel put together from market research. Just chuck in everything that’s trending.
Also you need a PhD in suspending disbelief to make it through all the implausible plot devices without objection, a qualification I discovered I don’t have.
I read this because I had a fabulous holiday in Italy where I read an excellent novel set in WWII Florence which swept me up into a world I didn’t want to leave. When I saw this was set in Italy during the war I thought it might provide a way of prolonging my holiday…
Playing with Fire aspires to be almost every genre under the sun – at least the genres that sell: historical fiction, YA, thriller, chick lit, romance – and might provide a fascinating case study of what nowadays constitutes a best-selling book. It felt a bit like a novel put together from market research. Just chuck in everything that’s trending.
Also you need a PhD in suspending disbelief to make it through all the implausible plot devices without objection, a qualification I discovered I don’t have.
February 6, 2017
I am rating this book based on how I felt at the end, not how I was feeling during the first half! To be honest I started reading and was instantly intrigued by the situation with three year old Lily. Then we switched to the past and Lorenzo's story and my interest quickly flagged. Maybe the contrast was too great, maybe here was too little tying the two stories together. I found it easy to put the book down and do other things.
Thankfully I picked it up again later and persisted because once Julia takes off to Venice things hot up and both stories race to a conclusion. I notice some reviewers were dissatisfied with the ending. I liked it and felt it was quite appropriate for the type of book this is. So an overall four stars with the last half totally redeeming any lack in the first:)
Thankfully I picked it up again later and persisted because once Julia takes off to Venice things hot up and both stories race to a conclusion. I notice some reviewers were dissatisfied with the ending. I liked it and felt it was quite appropriate for the type of book this is. So an overall four stars with the last half totally redeeming any lack in the first:)
March 6, 2017
4★
As other reviews have noted, readers who enjoyed books like Sarah's Key will take this one to heart. Using a mysterious piece of music as a bridge to connect a family from the past to one in the present, it moved swiftly and kept my interest from start to finish. Was it a coincidence that the pages numbered about the same as those memorialized on a plaque in Venice that inspired this story? History and mystery combined with just the right amount of chilling malevolence resulted in a moving, inspiring, and informative page-turner complete with a twisted ending and denouement that was faithful and true.
Other books by Tess Gerritsen will definitely be added to my TBR.
My GR friends know that I particularly love a twofer so I was delighted to learn that the author is a musician herself and was inspirited to compose Incendio which is a lovely accompaniment to the book as well as a moving tribute to those who perished and those who were willing to put their own lives at risk. You can listen by clicking the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYZy7...
As other reviews have noted, readers who enjoyed books like Sarah's Key will take this one to heart. Using a mysterious piece of music as a bridge to connect a family from the past to one in the present, it moved swiftly and kept my interest from start to finish. Was it a coincidence that the pages numbered about the same as those memorialized on a plaque in Venice that inspired this story? History and mystery combined with just the right amount of chilling malevolence resulted in a moving, inspiring, and informative page-turner complete with a twisted ending and denouement that was faithful and true.
Other books by Tess Gerritsen will definitely be added to my TBR.
My GR friends know that I particularly love a twofer so I was delighted to learn that the author is a musician herself and was inspirited to compose Incendio which is a lovely accompaniment to the book as well as a moving tribute to those who perished and those who were willing to put their own lives at risk. You can listen by clicking the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYZy7...
November 4, 2015
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
When I saw that Tess Gerritsen had a new stand alone novel being released, I jumped at the chance to read it. This ended up being a book that is really hard for me to rate. Tess Gerritsen definitely knows how to write and I liked a lot of things about this book. Unfortunately, there were some things that I didn't like about this book as well. I think that the experience of reading this book ended up being just okay for me.
The story really hooked me from the very beginning and I thought that I was well on my way to a 4 or 5 star rating. I absolutely love music so when I started reading and realized that music was going to be a part of the story, I knew that I was in for a treat. One of the main characters in the book, Julia, is a violinist. Julia collects music and at the beginning of the story she acquires a piece of music while on a trip to Rome that ends up playing an important role in the story.
The book lost me a little when the story shifted to tell Lorenzo's story. I am not always a fan of books with a dual story line. This is one of those cases where the two stories just don't fit together very well. I liked Lorenzo's story just as much as I did Julia's but the thread connecting the pieces was thin at best. Lorenzo is a Jewish musician living in Venice during World War II. The parts of the story that focused on Lorenzo really were often heartbreaking.
My biggest problem with this book was the ending. I HATED how the book ended. I actually needed to reflect on it for a few days before I could sit down to write a review. In Julia's case the solution seemed like nothing more than a cop out. I honestly cannot remember the last time that I was so thoroughly disappointed in the ending of a book. The part of the epilogue that attempted to pull the two stories together a little better was also a huge letdown.
The book had some great moments as well. There were a few really creepy scenes that really had me glued to the book. I couldn't wait to figure out what the heck was going on. There were also some moments in the book that were so vividly described that they elicited some strong emotions. In the end, I am glad that I read the book and I would recommend it to others. I plan to read more from Tess Gerritsen soon.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing - Ballantine via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book but I'm not sure about the ending. I'm really feeling pretty let down by how everything was wrapped up. I will post a review after I take some time to think about it.
When I saw that Tess Gerritsen had a new stand alone novel being released, I jumped at the chance to read it. This ended up being a book that is really hard for me to rate. Tess Gerritsen definitely knows how to write and I liked a lot of things about this book. Unfortunately, there were some things that I didn't like about this book as well. I think that the experience of reading this book ended up being just okay for me.
The story really hooked me from the very beginning and I thought that I was well on my way to a 4 or 5 star rating. I absolutely love music so when I started reading and realized that music was going to be a part of the story, I knew that I was in for a treat. One of the main characters in the book, Julia, is a violinist. Julia collects music and at the beginning of the story she acquires a piece of music while on a trip to Rome that ends up playing an important role in the story.
The book lost me a little when the story shifted to tell Lorenzo's story. I am not always a fan of books with a dual story line. This is one of those cases where the two stories just don't fit together very well. I liked Lorenzo's story just as much as I did Julia's but the thread connecting the pieces was thin at best. Lorenzo is a Jewish musician living in Venice during World War II. The parts of the story that focused on Lorenzo really were often heartbreaking.
My biggest problem with this book was the ending. I HATED how the book ended. I actually needed to reflect on it for a few days before I could sit down to write a review. In Julia's case the solution seemed like nothing more than a cop out. I honestly cannot remember the last time that I was so thoroughly disappointed in the ending of a book. The part of the epilogue that attempted to pull the two stories together a little better was also a huge letdown.
The book had some great moments as well. There were a few really creepy scenes that really had me glued to the book. I couldn't wait to figure out what the heck was going on. There were also some moments in the book that were so vividly described that they elicited some strong emotions. In the end, I am glad that I read the book and I would recommend it to others. I plan to read more from Tess Gerritsen soon.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing - Ballantine via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book but I'm not sure about the ending. I'm really feeling pretty let down by how everything was wrapped up. I will post a review after I take some time to think about it.
April 2, 2021
EXCERPT: I haven't looked at this music since the day I bought it in Rome. Now, as I clip the page to the stand, I think of that gloomy antiques shop, and the proprietor, lurking like some cave creature in the alcove. Goose bumps suddenly stipple my skin, as if the chill of the shop still clings to this music.
I pick up my violin and begin to play.
On this humid afternoon, my instrument sounds deeper, richer than ever, the tone mellow and warm. The first thirty-two bars of the waltz are as beautiful as I'd imagined, a lament in a mournful baritone. But at measure forty, the notes accelerate. The melody twists and turns, jarred by the accidentals, and soars into the seventh position on the E-string. Sweat breaks out on my face as I struggle to stay in tune and maintain the tempo. I feel as if my bow takes off on its own, that it's moving as though bewitched and I'm just struggling to hold onto it. Oh, what glorious music this is! What a performance piece, if I can master it. The notes skitter up the scale. Suddenly I lose all control and everything goes off-pitch, my left hand cramping as the music builds to a frenzy.
A small hand grasps my leg. Something warm and wet smears my skin.
I stop playing and look down. Lily stares up at me, her eyes as clear as turquoise water. Even as I jump up in dismay and wrench the garden tool from her bloody hand, not a ripple disturbs her calm blue eyes. Her bare feet have tracked footprints across the patio flagstone. With growing horror, I follow those footprints back to the source of the blood.
Then I start screaming.
ABOUT 'PLAYING WITH FIRE': What if your child wanted you dead?
Julia doesn't understand what is happening to her daughter, but she thinks she knows what's causing it. She is terrified for Lily, and for herself, but what scares her more is that no one believes her.
If she is going to help Lily, she will have to find the answers alone, embarking on a search that will take her to the shadowy back streets of Venice.
There, Julia uncovers a heartbreaking, long-buried tale of tragedy and devastation - a discovery that puts her in serious danger. Some people will do anything in their power to keep the truth silent...
MY THOUGHTS: Wow! I picked this up and didn't put it down until I had finished. Playing With Fire is an extremely cleverly crafted novel. The melody in 'Incendio' is not the only thing that twists and turns.
We switch between present day Brookline, Massachusetts with violinist Julia Ansdell, and the late 1930's in Venice, Italy with violinist Lorenzo Todesco, composer of Incendio.
Interspersed with Julia's battles to master this complex composition, and the atrocities perpetrated by her three year old daughter Lily, is Lorenzo's story which takes place as the rights of the Italian Jews are being eroded, and eventually as they are rounded up and sent north to 'labour camps.' But as we all know, they were no labour camps. The reality was far more grim.
Playing With Fire gripped me from the first page to the last. There is a palpable sense of menace emanating from both storylines. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to fear that your angelic looking three year old daughter is trying to kill you. Nor what it must be like to be torn from your home in the middle of the night with only the clothes on your back, herded away from everything that is familiar and dear to you, and then forcibly separated from your loved ones.
Playing With Fire was nothing like I expected. It was even better.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#PlayingWithFire #NetGalley #tess.gerritsen #bantampress
@tessgerritsen @BantamPress
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #historicalfaction #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishing, Bantam Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen for review. I unreservedly apologise for taking so long to read this. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I pick up my violin and begin to play.
On this humid afternoon, my instrument sounds deeper, richer than ever, the tone mellow and warm. The first thirty-two bars of the waltz are as beautiful as I'd imagined, a lament in a mournful baritone. But at measure forty, the notes accelerate. The melody twists and turns, jarred by the accidentals, and soars into the seventh position on the E-string. Sweat breaks out on my face as I struggle to stay in tune and maintain the tempo. I feel as if my bow takes off on its own, that it's moving as though bewitched and I'm just struggling to hold onto it. Oh, what glorious music this is! What a performance piece, if I can master it. The notes skitter up the scale. Suddenly I lose all control and everything goes off-pitch, my left hand cramping as the music builds to a frenzy.
A small hand grasps my leg. Something warm and wet smears my skin.
I stop playing and look down. Lily stares up at me, her eyes as clear as turquoise water. Even as I jump up in dismay and wrench the garden tool from her bloody hand, not a ripple disturbs her calm blue eyes. Her bare feet have tracked footprints across the patio flagstone. With growing horror, I follow those footprints back to the source of the blood.
Then I start screaming.
ABOUT 'PLAYING WITH FIRE': What if your child wanted you dead?
Julia doesn't understand what is happening to her daughter, but she thinks she knows what's causing it. She is terrified for Lily, and for herself, but what scares her more is that no one believes her.
If she is going to help Lily, she will have to find the answers alone, embarking on a search that will take her to the shadowy back streets of Venice.
There, Julia uncovers a heartbreaking, long-buried tale of tragedy and devastation - a discovery that puts her in serious danger. Some people will do anything in their power to keep the truth silent...
MY THOUGHTS: Wow! I picked this up and didn't put it down until I had finished. Playing With Fire is an extremely cleverly crafted novel. The melody in 'Incendio' is not the only thing that twists and turns.
We switch between present day Brookline, Massachusetts with violinist Julia Ansdell, and the late 1930's in Venice, Italy with violinist Lorenzo Todesco, composer of Incendio.
Interspersed with Julia's battles to master this complex composition, and the atrocities perpetrated by her three year old daughter Lily, is Lorenzo's story which takes place as the rights of the Italian Jews are being eroded, and eventually as they are rounded up and sent north to 'labour camps.' But as we all know, they were no labour camps. The reality was far more grim.
Playing With Fire gripped me from the first page to the last. There is a palpable sense of menace emanating from both storylines. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to fear that your angelic looking three year old daughter is trying to kill you. Nor what it must be like to be torn from your home in the middle of the night with only the clothes on your back, herded away from everything that is familiar and dear to you, and then forcibly separated from your loved ones.
Playing With Fire was nothing like I expected. It was even better.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#PlayingWithFire #NetGalley #tess.gerritsen #bantampress
@tessgerritsen @BantamPress
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #historicalfaction #mystery #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.
While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishing, Bantam Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen for review. I unreservedly apologise for taking so long to read this. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 12, 2017
4 blazing ★s for this one. Julia is a violinist, travelling in Italy after playing at a festival and now looking for something to take home to remind her of her trip. She carries her prized violin in a case strapped to her back for safekeeping. She's not your garden variety muso.
In the window of a gloomy antique shop where she smells "the scent of old books, a perfume of crumbling pages and time-worn leather", she spots a disintegrating book of music with the word "Gipsy" on the front and the picture of a violinist. Intrigued, she leafs through it and a single sheet of manuscript paper falls out with a waltz written on it in pencil. It’s called “Incendio” —Fire.
She can hear the music in her head as she reads the score, and it’s simple and beautiful.
"But at measure sixteen, the music grows more complex. By measure sixty, notes star to pile on notes and there are jarring accidentals. I flip to the other side and every measure is dense with pencil marks. A lightning –quick string of arpeggios launches the melody into a frantic maelstrom of notes that make the hairs suddenly rise on my arms. I must have this music.”
She takes it home along with the gifts for her husband and 3-year-old daughter, their long-awaited and much-loved child. She plays the waltz for the first time one afternoon and is frightened by what seems to be its evil influence.
As her fears grow, she determines to track down information about the composer, a hunt that takes her back to Italy and terror.
The story alternates between Julia and Lorenzo, the young Jewish violinist who composed “Incendio” during the Nazi occupation of Italy. Sad, evil times, which are described in historical notes at the end of the book.
I thank NetGalley and Random House / Bantam Press for my review copy of this intriguing mystery from which I’ve quoted.
In the window of a gloomy antique shop where she smells "the scent of old books, a perfume of crumbling pages and time-worn leather", she spots a disintegrating book of music with the word "Gipsy" on the front and the picture of a violinist. Intrigued, she leafs through it and a single sheet of manuscript paper falls out with a waltz written on it in pencil. It’s called “Incendio” —Fire.
She can hear the music in her head as she reads the score, and it’s simple and beautiful.
"But at measure sixteen, the music grows more complex. By measure sixty, notes star to pile on notes and there are jarring accidentals. I flip to the other side and every measure is dense with pencil marks. A lightning –quick string of arpeggios launches the melody into a frantic maelstrom of notes that make the hairs suddenly rise on my arms. I must have this music.”
She takes it home along with the gifts for her husband and 3-year-old daughter, their long-awaited and much-loved child. She plays the waltz for the first time one afternoon and is frightened by what seems to be its evil influence.
As her fears grow, she determines to track down information about the composer, a hunt that takes her back to Italy and terror.
The story alternates between Julia and Lorenzo, the young Jewish violinist who composed “Incendio” during the Nazi occupation of Italy. Sad, evil times, which are described in historical notes at the end of the book.
I thank NetGalley and Random House / Bantam Press for my review copy of this intriguing mystery from which I’ve quoted.
October 31, 2015
This is a standalone read, and one which is absolutely gripping. I didn’t want to put it down. When violinist Julia Ansdell finds an unpublished manuscript for a waltz in an antiques shop in Rome, she has no idea that she has stumbled upon a piece of music that will quite literally prove haunting and hypnotic.
There are two timelines to the story, modern day events surrounding Julia interspersed with the story of Lorenzo, the composer of the piece which span back in time to just before and during the second World War in Vienna. It is hard to describe the read without giving too much away but there are shades of chilling spookiness, action drama and romance in a story that just flows. I was totally lost in both timelines and kept coming back to earth with a bump each time they switched. This is probably the best book I have read lately. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Many thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the review copy.
There are two timelines to the story, modern day events surrounding Julia interspersed with the story of Lorenzo, the composer of the piece which span back in time to just before and during the second World War in Vienna. It is hard to describe the read without giving too much away but there are shades of chilling spookiness, action drama and romance in a story that just flows. I was totally lost in both timelines and kept coming back to earth with a bump each time they switched. This is probably the best book I have read lately. A thoroughly enjoyable read. Many thanks to the publishers via Netgalley for the review copy.
November 13, 2015
4.5 stars!
Okay, there was absolutely no way I saw that ending coming. I'm like looking down at my Kindle and it's teling me less than an hour left to go and we still don't know why her precious little daughter is going into those seizures, fits, or whatever.
This was one creepy book. You've got a three year old beautiful little daughter who kills the cat. Just doesn't stab him once, but stabs him three times? Is this the making of a psycho or just a coincidence? Then a few days later, she's stabbing her mom in the thigh hollering "hurt mommy, hurt mommy". Okay, I would be scared of this kid as well. I don't care how cute she is or that she's mine. Oh did I mention that she left a toy on the next to the last step and the mother tripped over it and went flying down the stairs? Yeah, I would not be able to shut my eyes at night.
However, there is a correlation between all these incidents and Julia is determined to find out what it means.
This was one creepy little thriller. While the whole book wasn't creepy, taking the reader back to the holocaust might as well have been. This was a very well written book and had great character development, duh, it's Tess Gerritsen. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting out on my back patio today reading this book. I'm certainly glad that it was daylight as I would not want to start reading this before bedtime. The ending seemed like it was a little short, but all the answers were there, I guess I was just so into it that I wasn't ready for it to end. And it was a short read, under 300 pages. I would say this book had everything you would want from a psychological thriller as my heart is still beating pretty fast. I know there were several times during the book that I would just about jump out of my chair but that was because the ducks in the canal behind us would quack and I would be so into it that I would jump. HA!!!
Huge thanks to Ballantine Books and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this very entertaining book!!
Okay, there was absolutely no way I saw that ending coming. I'm like looking down at my Kindle and it's teling me less than an hour left to go and we still don't know why her precious little daughter is going into those seizures, fits, or whatever.
This was one creepy book. You've got a three year old beautiful little daughter who kills the cat. Just doesn't stab him once, but stabs him three times? Is this the making of a psycho or just a coincidence? Then a few days later, she's stabbing her mom in the thigh hollering "hurt mommy, hurt mommy". Okay, I would be scared of this kid as well. I don't care how cute she is or that she's mine. Oh did I mention that she left a toy on the next to the last step and the mother tripped over it and went flying down the stairs? Yeah, I would not be able to shut my eyes at night.
However, there is a correlation between all these incidents and Julia is determined to find out what it means.
This was one creepy little thriller. While the whole book wasn't creepy, taking the reader back to the holocaust might as well have been. This was a very well written book and had great character development, duh, it's Tess Gerritsen. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting out on my back patio today reading this book. I'm certainly glad that it was daylight as I would not want to start reading this before bedtime. The ending seemed like it was a little short, but all the answers were there, I guess I was just so into it that I wasn't ready for it to end. And it was a short read, under 300 pages. I would say this book had everything you would want from a psychological thriller as my heart is still beating pretty fast. I know there were several times during the book that I would just about jump out of my chair but that was because the ducks in the canal behind us would quack and I would be so into it that I would jump. HA!!!
Huge thanks to Ballantine Books and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this very entertaining book!!
October 4, 2022
“The power of music [can] inspire or change lives, even across centuries …”
When violinist Julia Ansdell came across the score for a strange piece of music, the Incendio waltz, in a dusty antiquarian shop in Rome, she knew that she had found the unique vacation souvenir that she was looking for. But, back home in Boston, she was soon shocked to discover that its mournful minor key melody, its jarring accidentals and the maelstrom of lightning quick arpeggios caused a terrifying, violent and malevolent transformation in her three year old daughter. Her belief in the hypnotic power of Incendio’s melody sends Julia on a dangerous search in Venice to uncover a secret that a dangerous and powerful family must keep under cover at any cost.
Tess Gerritsen’s celebrity as the author of a long string of best-selling medical thrillers is unquestioned. There are doubtless many fans, myself included, who picked up a copy of PLAYING WITH FIRE, expecting another barn-burner of that ilk. Nope! Not a chance! PLAYING WITH FIRE is a first rate genre-bender that alternates throughout the novel between psychological thriller verging on horror with WW II historical fiction that competes with the very best authors of that field. Her moving portrayal of Mussolini’s implementation of Hitler’s Final Solution in Venice is simply beyond words. But, lest you be disappointed that PLAYING WITH FIRE is not a medical thriller, be of good cheer! That genre also takes a brief but surprising and important peek from underneath the covers that will bring a satisfied smile to the face of her many continuing fans.
Two for the price of one and highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
When violinist Julia Ansdell came across the score for a strange piece of music, the Incendio waltz, in a dusty antiquarian shop in Rome, she knew that she had found the unique vacation souvenir that she was looking for. But, back home in Boston, she was soon shocked to discover that its mournful minor key melody, its jarring accidentals and the maelstrom of lightning quick arpeggios caused a terrifying, violent and malevolent transformation in her three year old daughter. Her belief in the hypnotic power of Incendio’s melody sends Julia on a dangerous search in Venice to uncover a secret that a dangerous and powerful family must keep under cover at any cost.
Tess Gerritsen’s celebrity as the author of a long string of best-selling medical thrillers is unquestioned. There are doubtless many fans, myself included, who picked up a copy of PLAYING WITH FIRE, expecting another barn-burner of that ilk. Nope! Not a chance! PLAYING WITH FIRE is a first rate genre-bender that alternates throughout the novel between psychological thriller verging on horror with WW II historical fiction that competes with the very best authors of that field. Her moving portrayal of Mussolini’s implementation of Hitler’s Final Solution in Venice is simply beyond words. But, lest you be disappointed that PLAYING WITH FIRE is not a medical thriller, be of good cheer! That genre also takes a brief but surprising and important peek from underneath the covers that will bring a satisfied smile to the face of her many continuing fans.
Two for the price of one and highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
October 31, 2015
Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen is her newest standalone novel.
The plot is quite unique alternating between past and present times and in some way the story reminded me of one of my favorite books, Letters from the Lost by Iona Grey, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The story opens with violinist Julia Ansdell purchasing an old music book from an antique shop in Rome. Inside the book, she discovers a loose sheet of paper that has a handwritten waltz by someone named L. Todesco.
Returning home to her family, she finds things happening in her life that she cannot explain…..and it all begins when she first plays the waltz on her violin. A series of events that affect her husband and her young daughter, has her travelling back to Italy – this time Venice, the place where she believes the Jewish waltz composer Lorenzo Todesco had lived.
The flashbacks to Lorenzo’s sad and tragic story are incredibly poignant. The moving love story between him and Laura Balboni, a Catholic and a musician like him is incredibly heartbreaking. We see how the anti-Semitic laws that faced the Italian Jews during the 2nd World War – the horror and
cruelty that people endured during that dark time.
Mystery, history, drama, sadness, suspense…so many elements in this story.
I thought the ending a bit rushed in some way and also the revelations somewhat implausible for me.
Well-written, well-paced story but I don’t think this is one of the books I will reread again.
The plot is quite unique alternating between past and present times and in some way the story reminded me of one of my favorite books, Letters from the Lost by Iona Grey, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The story opens with violinist Julia Ansdell purchasing an old music book from an antique shop in Rome. Inside the book, she discovers a loose sheet of paper that has a handwritten waltz by someone named L. Todesco.
Returning home to her family, she finds things happening in her life that she cannot explain…..and it all begins when she first plays the waltz on her violin. A series of events that affect her husband and her young daughter, has her travelling back to Italy – this time Venice, the place where she believes the Jewish waltz composer Lorenzo Todesco had lived.
The flashbacks to Lorenzo’s sad and tragic story are incredibly poignant. The moving love story between him and Laura Balboni, a Catholic and a musician like him is incredibly heartbreaking. We see how the anti-Semitic laws that faced the Italian Jews during the 2nd World War – the horror and
cruelty that people endured during that dark time.
Mystery, history, drama, sadness, suspense…so many elements in this story.
I thought the ending a bit rushed in some way and also the revelations somewhat implausible for me.
Well-written, well-paced story but I don’t think this is one of the books I will reread again.
October 8, 2015
I'm hovering my mouse over the 2 and 3- star rating. I usually love any and everything Tess Gerritsen writes. Her Rizzoli and Isles series is one of my favorites. When I got word that she had written a standalone, I was beyond excited to get my hands on a copy.
Playing with Fire alters between the stories of Julia and Lorenzo. The only thing these two have in common is their love of music and a musical composition by the name of Incendio. While in Italy, Julia Ansdell finds an enchanting, yet complicated piece that she can barely contain her excitement to try and attempt once she returns home Boston. Julia begins to research the history of this ensemble once it brings out bizarre behavior in her young daughter that borders homicidal... like Julia's mother.
Playing with Fire gets a lot more interesting once the story of the young, naive, violinist prodigy Lorenzo Todesco. I'm always interested in period novels that include the horrors on the Holocaust in the backdrop. I'm still amazed that it happened and the amount of evil the human heart can contain. The Holocaust in Italy isn't always featured in your garden variety quick mystery read, so kudos to Gerritsen for including it here.
Without giving away too much, I admit, this novel is a quick, fast paced, interesting read. There's no shortage of reasons to turn the page and stay involved in the stories of these two people separated by space and time. The issue is that neither story needed the other. They were too thinly strung together just for the sake of a thicker book, not a better story. The characters were thin enough to be transparent. I swear I'm a huge Gerritsen fan, but I must be honest.
Overall I thought that there were some missed opportunities to have a profound novel that explored the idea of whether our genes could somehow predict our murderous tendencies, or even a well researched historical thriller that told the story of an Italian families plight during World War II. It could have been anything, but instead, it's more interesting to play with fire than read this book.
Copy provided by Random House via Netgalley
Playing with Fire alters between the stories of Julia and Lorenzo. The only thing these two have in common is their love of music and a musical composition by the name of Incendio. While in Italy, Julia Ansdell finds an enchanting, yet complicated piece that she can barely contain her excitement to try and attempt once she returns home Boston. Julia begins to research the history of this ensemble once it brings out bizarre behavior in her young daughter that borders homicidal... like Julia's mother.
Playing with Fire gets a lot more interesting once the story of the young, naive, violinist prodigy Lorenzo Todesco. I'm always interested in period novels that include the horrors on the Holocaust in the backdrop. I'm still amazed that it happened and the amount of evil the human heart can contain. The Holocaust in Italy isn't always featured in your garden variety quick mystery read, so kudos to Gerritsen for including it here.
Without giving away too much, I admit, this novel is a quick, fast paced, interesting read. There's no shortage of reasons to turn the page and stay involved in the stories of these two people separated by space and time. The issue is that neither story needed the other. They were too thinly strung together just for the sake of a thicker book, not a better story. The characters were thin enough to be transparent. I swear I'm a huge Gerritsen fan, but I must be honest.
Overall I thought that there were some missed opportunities to have a profound novel that explored the idea of whether our genes could somehow predict our murderous tendencies, or even a well researched historical thriller that told the story of an Italian families plight during World War II. It could have been anything, but instead, it's more interesting to play with fire than read this book.
Copy provided by Random House via Netgalley
January 23, 2016
This book was really multi-faceted in so many ways. It touches on a deep parental concern/nightmare, a marriage on the brink, friendship, musical talent, medical breakthroughs, an international mix, and an arc into a historical time period of tragedy. Now that covers a lot of ground.
Julia Ansdell, a violinist, is drawn into a tiny antique shop on a winding street in Venice. She is in search of a book that may beckon to her musical background as a memento of her trip. During the purchase, a delicate musical score escapes from the ancient pages of the book....Incendio. She pays heavily for that score in more ways than she could ever imagine. And so begins our story.
The story pivots from Italy with the onset of World War II and then into Julia's present life. The chapters are clearly headed as Julia and as Lorenzo. It's a fast-paced novel that keeps you turning the pages and the characters are well-defined.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. You could feel the musicality threaded throughout the story. Will be looking forward to Ms. Gerritsen's next book.
Julia Ansdell, a violinist, is drawn into a tiny antique shop on a winding street in Venice. She is in search of a book that may beckon to her musical background as a memento of her trip. During the purchase, a delicate musical score escapes from the ancient pages of the book....Incendio. She pays heavily for that score in more ways than she could ever imagine. And so begins our story.
The story pivots from Italy with the onset of World War II and then into Julia's present life. The chapters are clearly headed as Julia and as Lorenzo. It's a fast-paced novel that keeps you turning the pages and the characters are well-defined.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. You could feel the musicality threaded throughout the story. Will be looking forward to Ms. Gerritsen's next book.
November 2, 2015
Julia Ansdell was window shopping in the streets of Rome before heading back home to America after a successful few days with her choir. A talented violinist, she had already purchased gifts for her husband Rob and three year old daughter Lily – now she would love something special for herself. And when she spotted a very old antique shop she was drawn to it – she saw what she wanted in the window. The old book was filled with beautiful musical pieces on each page; as she gently opened it, a piece of crackly parchment fell to the floor – and as she quietly followed the musical score with her eyes she realised it was special; outstanding – she must have it…
Back home, Julia settled back in to family life. She had missed her family intensely and they had missed her. Married for ten years, she and Rob were supremely happy – Lily had been the child they never thought they would have. But the first day Julia played “The Incendio Waltz” she realized the composition would be much harder to conquer than she had originally thought – lost in the music, she came to her senses to see Lily; calm, serene but much worse…
As events escalated, Julia knew no-one believed her – Rob was a different man, Aunt Val tried to help. But was what was happening something to do with Julia’s past? She knew she had to find answers before it was too late. Her escape to Venice suddenly found her in intense danger – what secret had “Incendio” unleashed? The ancient music seemed to have a life of its own – would she escape its clutches? Would her life ever be the same again?
Wow! Another brilliant novel by author Tess Gerritsen! Playing with Fire is set in both 1940s Italy and current day America and is narrated by Lorenzo and Julia. Based on fact, the historical notes by the author at the end of the book tell of the heartbreak of the Jews in Italy; though paling in comparison to occupied Europe. Fast paced, I was completely unable to put Playing with Fire down and devoured it in a few hours. A gritty, thrilling and intense novel which I have no hesitation in recommending highly, it is different from Gerritsen’s normal offerings; but one of her best in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
Back home, Julia settled back in to family life. She had missed her family intensely and they had missed her. Married for ten years, she and Rob were supremely happy – Lily had been the child they never thought they would have. But the first day Julia played “The Incendio Waltz” she realized the composition would be much harder to conquer than she had originally thought – lost in the music, she came to her senses to see Lily; calm, serene but much worse…
As events escalated, Julia knew no-one believed her – Rob was a different man, Aunt Val tried to help. But was what was happening something to do with Julia’s past? She knew she had to find answers before it was too late. Her escape to Venice suddenly found her in intense danger – what secret had “Incendio” unleashed? The ancient music seemed to have a life of its own – would she escape its clutches? Would her life ever be the same again?
Wow! Another brilliant novel by author Tess Gerritsen! Playing with Fire is set in both 1940s Italy and current day America and is narrated by Lorenzo and Julia. Based on fact, the historical notes by the author at the end of the book tell of the heartbreak of the Jews in Italy; though paling in comparison to occupied Europe. Fast paced, I was completely unable to put Playing with Fire down and devoured it in a few hours. A gritty, thrilling and intense novel which I have no hesitation in recommending highly, it is different from Gerritsen’s normal offerings; but one of her best in my opinion.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
January 16, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley.)
I was quite disappointed by this story.
I felt quite sorry for Julia, having your 3-year-old try to kill you would be really quite disturbing, and having nobody believe you would be infuriating too! She did sound a little nuts when she was telling people that her toddler was trying to kill her though!
The storyline in this was all over the pace, we had Julia who was worried about her 3-year-old, Lily, and then other chapters about the composer of a piece of music in 1938, and these chapters were really quite boring for me.
The ending to this was also quite disappointing.
6 out of 10
“Our daughter is trying to kill me. I’m not the one who needs therapy.”
I was quite disappointed by this story.
I felt quite sorry for Julia, having your 3-year-old try to kill you would be really quite disturbing, and having nobody believe you would be infuriating too! She did sound a little nuts when she was telling people that her toddler was trying to kill her though!
The storyline in this was all over the pace, we had Julia who was worried about her 3-year-old, Lily, and then other chapters about the composer of a piece of music in 1938, and these chapters were really quite boring for me.
The ending to this was also quite disappointing.
6 out of 10
June 23, 2016
Spannend!! Goed plot...beklemmend einde...aanrader!
September 1, 2025
Julia Ansdell is a violinist who has recently purchased sheet music that she found in a shop in Rome. The music is entitled "Incendio" by L. Todesco, a composer she has never heard of. The music is haunting. When Julia plays it, she blacks out only to awaken and learn that her three-year-old daughter has stabbed her with a piece of broken glass. Is her daughter possessed? Or is the music causing her to act out?
This story is told in two timelines. We are in the present with Julia who is afraid her daughter is trying to kill her. The other story is set in WWII Italy. Lorenzo Todesco works in his father's music shop, designing priceless instruments. He and his family are forced onto a train by Nazi soldiers and sent to a death camp in Poland. We learn about their lives and the horrors of the Holocaust.
The first half of this book was very disjointed. I thought Julia's story was interesting and I wasn't sure where it was going. At first, I couldn't figure out how Lorenzo's story tied into the present. It seemed to drag the story down and I was ready to give up on this book. I stuck with it and the plot and pacing did improve. Still, I wasn't a fan of the ending of the book. I guess this one just wasn't for me. My rating: 2.5 Stars.
This story is told in two timelines. We are in the present with Julia who is afraid her daughter is trying to kill her. The other story is set in WWII Italy. Lorenzo Todesco works in his father's music shop, designing priceless instruments. He and his family are forced onto a train by Nazi soldiers and sent to a death camp in Poland. We learn about their lives and the horrors of the Holocaust.
The first half of this book was very disjointed. I thought Julia's story was interesting and I wasn't sure where it was going. At first, I couldn't figure out how Lorenzo's story tied into the present. It seemed to drag the story down and I was ready to give up on this book. I stuck with it and the plot and pacing did improve. Still, I wasn't a fan of the ending of the book. I guess this one just wasn't for me. My rating: 2.5 Stars.
October 1, 2016
Alternating between two storylines, Playing with Fire is part historical fiction - part current day thriller. The story revolves around a piece of music, Incendio, which was bought in an antique store in Rome.
The author actually wrote this piece of music, which came to her in a dream while writing the novel. It can be heard on Gerritsen's website.
It was a very enjoyable read. This book is a standalone, but I am now interested in the series the author has written. She seems amazingly gifted as a physician, writer, and musician.
The author actually wrote this piece of music, which came to her in a dream while writing the novel. It can be heard on Gerritsen's website.
It was a very enjoyable read. This book is a standalone, but I am now interested in the series the author has written. She seems amazingly gifted as a physician, writer, and musician.
May 29, 2018
Julia Ansdell plays second violin in a women's quartet. She has a husband and a beautiful three year daughter, Lily. During an international concert performance in Rome, she stops in an antiques shop and purchases an old book of music called "Gipsy" written in Italian. Inside this old book a sheet of music slips out which is handwritten in elegantly swooping letters called "Incendio", composed by L. Todesco. It turns out this music is a death waltz that leads Julia to Venice to find out about the composer and why her three year old daughter is trying to kill her. A haunting read that leaves you excited to find out the answers seventy years later.
Quote:
Val, is still not looking at me. The silence grows so thick between us that it will turn solid if I don't cut through it now. "What aren't you telling me?" I ask quietly.
The sorrowful voice from my violin seems to sing of broken hearts and lost love, of dark forests and haunted hills. The sorrow turns to agitation.
Here was where their interests aligned. Alberto's thiry-five-year-old daughter, Eloisa, was unmarried as well. Neither beautiful nor homely, she had no suitors in sight, and unless
somehting was done about it, she would die a spinster.
Quote:
Val, is still not looking at me. The silence grows so thick between us that it will turn solid if I don't cut through it now. "What aren't you telling me?" I ask quietly.
The sorrowful voice from my violin seems to sing of broken hearts and lost love, of dark forests and haunted hills. The sorrow turns to agitation.
Here was where their interests aligned. Alberto's thiry-five-year-old daughter, Eloisa, was unmarried as well. Neither beautiful nor homely, she had no suitors in sight, and unless
somehting was done about it, she would die a spinster.
November 12, 2020
Many readers are familiar with Tess Gerritsen for her immensely popular Rizzoli and Isles mystery series. Now she has written a riveting, partly historical stand-alone novel that kept me spellbound throughout!
When I say partly historical I mean that there are dual narratives. The novel tells the story of two violinists, Julia Ansdell in the present day – and Lorenzo Todesco during World War II.
The novel captured my full and undivided attention with the first sentence and never let go.
With elements of historical fiction, thriller, and love story, “Playing with fire” should appeal to a very broad audience.
One of my favorite reads of 2015!
Visit my blog, Fictionophile for my full review of "Playing with fire".
When I say partly historical I mean that there are dual narratives. The novel tells the story of two violinists, Julia Ansdell in the present day – and Lorenzo Todesco during World War II.
The novel captured my full and undivided attention with the first sentence and never let go.
With elements of historical fiction, thriller, and love story, “Playing with fire” should appeal to a very broad audience.
One of my favorite reads of 2015!
Visit my blog, Fictionophile for my full review of "Playing with fire".
December 1, 2015
Well, sometimes I get curious about these big, bestselling authors. I knew that Tess Gerritsen is a big name, and the blurb for this book sounded right up my alley: music, antique shops, history, a possible diabolical/supernatural element, and "acts of surprising violence."
The book does have all those things, but taken together, I think they give the wrong impression.
I would highly recommend this book for fans of "Sarah's Key." It features the same combination of elements: the horrors of WWII intruding into mundane, modern life, in a highly sentimental manner. Clearly, it works for many, many people. "Sarah's Key" is very highly rated. (Even the movie is highly rated.) For me, I didn't feel that either story was executed with the finesse that such subjects deserve. Neither achieved the depth of meaning that they're aiming for. I have to admit, in this book, there was a moment where I got a bit teary... but then the rational part of my head kicked in and I felt a bit disgusted with myself for letting the 'glurge' get to me.
The basics: Violinist Julia finds an intriguing piece of handwritten and challenging music in an antique store. However, after she plays it for the first time, she begins to believe that her toddler daughter hates her and is capable of depraved violence. Is something wrong with the child? Or is it all in Julia's mind? After all, when Julia was young, her mother went crazy...
Meanwhile, back in the years leading up to WWII, a young Jewish composer (it's pretty obvious that he's the source of the music) falls in love with his Gentile colleague and maintains a sense of denial about how bad life is about to get for those of his heritage.
The ideas aren't bad, but it just ended up feeling a bit paint-by-number.
Many thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
The book does have all those things, but taken together, I think they give the wrong impression.
I would highly recommend this book for fans of "Sarah's Key." It features the same combination of elements: the horrors of WWII intruding into mundane, modern life, in a highly sentimental manner. Clearly, it works for many, many people. "Sarah's Key" is very highly rated. (Even the movie is highly rated.) For me, I didn't feel that either story was executed with the finesse that such subjects deserve. Neither achieved the depth of meaning that they're aiming for. I have to admit, in this book, there was a moment where I got a bit teary... but then the rational part of my head kicked in and I felt a bit disgusted with myself for letting the 'glurge' get to me.
The basics: Violinist Julia finds an intriguing piece of handwritten and challenging music in an antique store. However, after she plays it for the first time, she begins to believe that her toddler daughter hates her and is capable of depraved violence. Is something wrong with the child? Or is it all in Julia's mind? After all, when Julia was young, her mother went crazy...
Meanwhile, back in the years leading up to WWII, a young Jewish composer (it's pretty obvious that he's the source of the music) falls in love with his Gentile colleague and maintains a sense of denial about how bad life is about to get for those of his heritage.
The ideas aren't bad, but it just ended up feeling a bit paint-by-number.
Many thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
November 21, 2015
One word....
Bravo!
Thanks for the recommendation Sherri. Highly recommended if you like dual storylines, mystery, and historical fiction.
Bravo!
Thanks for the recommendation Sherri. Highly recommended if you like dual storylines, mystery, and historical fiction.
September 26, 2015
Playing with Fire is a standalone novel from the author of the Rizzoli and Isles thriller series and other mysteries that I have read and enjoyed. This novel is somewhat of a departure in both structure and story, being split between two time periods--present day Massachusetts and the late 1930s and war-time Italy.
In the present day, Julia Ansdell, a professional musician, married and the mother of a very young girl, happens upon an old piece of music during a music-oriented visit to Italy. From that point on, her life and the lives of everyone around her seem to change. The music itself seems to carry a mystery and possible danger.
In the second thread of the novel we are introduced to the Todesco family, particularly Lorenzo, an aspiring violinist. It is 1938 and the weight of fascist change is slowly descending on Italy's Jews like the Todescos.
There is much to like in this novel...some of the history of the fascist years and holocaust in Italy is new to me and may be new to other readers. I enjoyed the historical detail. Gerritsen provides historical detail in an afterword. The details of Julia's confusion and worry seem realistic but, for me, the two parts of the plot seemed somewhat disconnected at times. I thought the ending was well done however, just wonder at some aspects of getting there. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh as it is an interesting idea.
Rating 3.5*
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
In the present day, Julia Ansdell, a professional musician, married and the mother of a very young girl, happens upon an old piece of music during a music-oriented visit to Italy. From that point on, her life and the lives of everyone around her seem to change. The music itself seems to carry a mystery and possible danger.
In the second thread of the novel we are introduced to the Todesco family, particularly Lorenzo, an aspiring violinist. It is 1938 and the weight of fascist change is slowly descending on Italy's Jews like the Todescos.
There is much to like in this novel...some of the history of the fascist years and holocaust in Italy is new to me and may be new to other readers. I enjoyed the historical detail. Gerritsen provides historical detail in an afterword. The details of Julia's confusion and worry seem realistic but, for me, the two parts of the plot seemed somewhat disconnected at times. I thought the ending was well done however, just wonder at some aspects of getting there. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh as it is an interesting idea.
Rating 3.5*
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
October 16, 2022
Having not read this author before I was surprised and impressed with this stand-alone novel.
It speaks to the magic and the power of music and is a fast paced suspense story with heart.
When two people’s lives collide over several years connected by a piece of music it makes for some very deep, sometimes scary, sometimes positive vibes.
Julia (present day) accidentally finds a piece of sheet music stuck in a book in an old book store in Rome. It is a waltz that has never been heard before and Julia decides to try and find the composer.
Composer Lorenzo’s story is one of love and heartbreak which led to his mournful composition. Lorenzo was a Jew who lived in Vienna. By 1943 all the Jews in Vienna were deported.
I listened to the “Incendio” waltz on YouTube.
A very different kind of story but I Loved all of it.
It speaks to the magic and the power of music and is a fast paced suspense story with heart.
When two people’s lives collide over several years connected by a piece of music it makes for some very deep, sometimes scary, sometimes positive vibes.
Julia (present day) accidentally finds a piece of sheet music stuck in a book in an old book store in Rome. It is a waltz that has never been heard before and Julia decides to try and find the composer.
Composer Lorenzo’s story is one of love and heartbreak which led to his mournful composition. Lorenzo was a Jew who lived in Vienna. By 1943 all the Jews in Vienna were deported.
I listened to the “Incendio” waltz on YouTube.
A very different kind of story but I Loved all of it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,702 reviews