Sisters of Berlin

by Juliet Conlin

Berlin 2019. The 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, and the city is gearing up for a celebration of unity and liberation. But, beneath the surface, are those for whom the divisions and allegiances of the past remain close to home.

In her hushed and leafy corner of Berlin, Nina's life is a comfortable, conventional one - until her younger sister Marie, a free-spirited writer, is attacked and left for dead. For Nina, Marie's brutal demise - and that of her unborn child - tips her own carefully controlled life into a nightmare. Stonewalled by official incompetence and subterfuge, Nina begins to realise that her sister's past and the secrets of the once-divided city are connected in unimaginable ways. As she seeks out justice for Marie, Nina becomes caught in a tangle of obsessions, lies and hidden truths that threatens to destroy her marriage, her livelihood and all that she holds dear.

384 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2020

About the author

Juliet Conlin was born in London and grew up in England and Germany. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Durham. She works as a writer and translator and lives with her husband and four children in Berlin. She writes in both English and German. Her novels include SISTERS OF BERLIN, THE LIVES BEFORE US, THE UNCOMMON LIFE OF ALFRED WARNER IN SIX DAYS and THE FRACTURED MAN.

Reviews

[Jungian.Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this book tore my heart out. Before I go into the review, I do have to point out trigger warnings for depression, eating disorders, domestic violence, sexual assault, emotional neglect, violence, murder, and much more. Basically, if you can think of anything triggering, it is in this book, but if you are able to read this book with this in mind then I promise you, you will never forget this book. I do think that there is a lot of up and down writing moments in this book, some parts felt a little flat and I just wanted to know who or what happened but I guess that is where the mystery comes in.
Full review: https://theeuphoriczat.com/book-love/...

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder mystery - perfect for #literarywanderlust to BERLIN

Our You Tube review: https://youtu.be/mr24-TP2wJQ



Marie and Nina are two adult sisters and this is the story of their relationship and the secrets they hide. Early on in the book Marie is found bludgeoned to death and Nina is left to pick up the pieces.

Nina is in a lacklustre relationship with her husband Basti. She has two children and there are signs that she has her own demons to combat, which will be exacerbated by her sister’s death. She also runs a women’s medical clinic, which is teetering on the brink, but she is determined to plough on through thick and thin.

There are a couple of perpetrators in the frame but the police investigations are not going anywhere very fast. Who did kill Marie? Her husband is one suspect and comes under the murderer spotlight; then again, she is attacked by the abusive husband of one of her patients, another possible suspect.

Her parents are demanding that she acquiesce to their formal ways and her husband is becoming more and more dismissive and aggressive.

The story is mainly set in the early Winter of 2019, when the Germans are marking the Fall of the Wall 30 years ago. Part of the story looks back to the period prior to Fall, to the era of Stasi hegemony in East Berlin. It is refreshing to find a novel that is set in present day, as the setting of Berlin so often attracts writers who have the city as a backdrop to storylines set either in WW2 or the Communist period of the 60s/70s/80s when the city was divided into East and West.

Berlin itself is a character in the book. I love the notion of serendipity. I am writing this review in June 2020, when the UK is in lockdown due to the Coronavirus. At this time I would have anticipated being in Berlin. So, as a TripFiction aficionado, reading a novel set in the city is the next best thing to make up for being unable to visit. The book takes the reader to Zehlendorf, the Brandenburg Gate (of course!) and the book opens with the two sisters sitting on a crumbling balcony, overlooking Boxhagener Platz, the area where I stay when I visit. So it felt familiar and I could really imagine the scene, which, in turn brought the narrative to even more colourful life. A good read indeed!

[Lynn P · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book begins with Nina and her sister Marie talking. Marie states that everyone is entitled to a secret or two. What Nina doesn't know is she won't see her sister again and maybe she did have a secret or two.

When Nina's sister is found murdered as can be expected her world starts to fall apart. However Nina has a family and her own medical practice, so she needs to keep it together for the sake of them. The book follows Nina as she tries to piece together why her sister died and at whose hands. She thought she knew her sister so well, but things start to come to light which show maybe she did have a secret or two afterall.

At times I felt like I was spiralling down into the book with Nina and her grief, it really hooked me in. The book being set in Berlin really added another dimension to the plot and it was interesting to hear about the East and West, and the subsequent fall out from the wall coming down from an internal point of view.

Running alongside the tale of grief and loss is the mystery of who killed Marie. I had my suspicions but I won't spoil it by telling you what they were. There really is so much packed into this book but the writing is so good you just don't realise it at the time of reading. It's what I would call a tale of everyday writing, but that really is so hard to do, to make it seem natural and real.

I've never been to Berlin but would love to one day, this book really brought it to life for me, although it seems they have a lot of problems with parking!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Love Book Tours and Black & White Publishing for a copy of the book to review.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for review, with thanks to Love Book Tours, Juliet Conlin and Black and White Publishing

This book had me gripped instantly. The mystery surrounding why Maria was attacked and left for dead...I mean...who doesn't love a good who-dun-it. This story was well paced, and I really enjoyed the main characters narrative. Nina was strong willed and I loved that as she tried to piece together what and why happened to her sister. My biggest love about this book however, was the fact the author skillfully found a way to whisk you off to Berlin in this story, making Berlin a main character in a way. It felt nice to feel although you were connecting with the spirit of a city when we can't actually go anywhere at the moment.

[Lynne Piza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heart-wrenching, emotive, intense and powerful story, that took me to places I didn’t expect to go! I felt for Nina so much, she felt so invisible and it felt like no one understood what she really was going through!

[Jessica’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sisters Of Berlin By Juliet Conlin

Berlin 2014. The 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, and the city is gearing up for a celebration of unity and liberation. But, beneath the surface, are those for whom the divisions and allegiances of the past remain close to home. In her hushed and leafy corner of Berlin, Nina’s life is a comfortable, conventional one until her younger sister Marie, a free-spirited writer, is attacked and left for dead. For Nina, Marie’s brutal demise – and that of her unborn child – tips her own carefully controlled life into a nightmare. Stonewalled by official incompetence and subterfuge, Nina begins to realise that her sister’s past and the secrets of the once-divided city are connected in unimaginable ways. As she seeks out justice for Marie, Nina becomes caught in a tangle of obsessions, lies and hidden truths that threatens to destroy her marriage, her livelihood and all that she holds dear.

My Thoughts: From the very first page I totally fell in love with Juliet’s writing style and felt like Nina was one of my close friends. Willing her with every page turn to get justice for her sister Marie and unravel the truth.
I had my suspicions of who could have hurt Marie from a few chapters in and until the reveal I never saw the true culprit which was a refreshing change as I can normally sniff out the mystery.
I loved getting to know Marie more during the story and what her life was shaped like complete contrast to her sister Nina.
Juliet wrote several well rounded characters and dealt with very hard subjects. It was a good look at life, love and loss which took you on Nina’s journey to discover the truth about Marie and also the truth about herself.

Thankyou so much to @bwpublishing, @julietconlin and @lovebookstours for giving me the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

[Claire (c.isfor.claire_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It covers, in an natural readable style, so many different subjects from family secrets, eating disorders, grief and relationships.

Set in the present day in Germany, some 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the story revolves around Nina and her sister Marie, who was brutally murdered. Through the pages we see Nina struggling to come to terms with Marie's death, whilst juggling family life, her business and demands from her parents, and hidden problems of her own. It becomes clear as revelations come to light that Marie kept secrets from Nina, and she starts to realise she didn't ever know Marie as well as she thought.

Pacy, intense, colourful and compelling - it was a great read. Definitely one to recommend.

[Jenni Hyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set twenty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, this extremely well written murder mystery explores family relationships, grief, eating disorders, infidelity and more. I was all set to give it five stars until it petered out somewhat at the end.

[Hannah May Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A huge thank you to Juliet Conlon, Love Books Tours and Black & White Publishing for allowing me to take part in this blog tour!

Synopsis:

Nina’s life is turned upside down when her younger sister is brutally attacked and left for dead, along with her unborn child Nina knew nothing about. Nina wants to find the culprit and bring them to justice but she soon realises there are many secrets about her sister and she is left questioning how well she really knew her afterall. Nina struggles with coming to terms with what has happened and she struggles to cope with those hidden truths and her own demons come back to haunt her. Nina can no longer carry on her life normally; her marriage suffers as a result and she is at risk of losing everything that she holds dear.
Review:
I have to say it was the stunning cover and the intriguing synopsis that caught my attention originally with this book and as a result I just had to be part of this tour. I am a history lover and the fact that in this book there was a little piece of history made me eager to get stuck in.
It is clear from the start that Juliet Conlin is a descriptive writer, she can set a scene well and hook you in which I appreciated. I also love how on the cover there is barb wire, it got me thinking is this a symbolism for barb coma? Very cleverly done if so!
The characters in this read seemed untrustworthy from the start and some even quite creepy and this carried on throughout the read which I really enjoyed as it made the story more intriguing, I wanted to figure these characters out and I wanted to be wrong about certain ones! I found some of the characters to also be quite controlling, Seb and Nina’s parents for example, I really struggled not to get frustrated when reading about them, which means I must have been engaged in the story!
I like how the chapters weren’t too long, they moved the story on at a pace suited to my reading style and I found that I was able to fly through this read. I did feel there was a huge build up however with the ending being quite an anti-climax for me, however I am still happy with the outcome!
The writer does a brilliant job at raising awareness of both eating disorders and mental health which is something that I feel is important to me. It shows you the ugly side of mental health and how lonely it actually can be when you are suffering, it shows how difficult it is to carry on with normal life. I really wanted Nina to be supported more and for her to pick herself up, but the fact this took time was a real reflection of mental health.
This read was quite intense at times and had some powerful emotions in there. I connected well with the writing style and despite my intuition being right about certain characters, I could still feel what Nina was feeling, that didn’t spoil the read for me. I wish there was more detail on the History involved in this book, however others may not feel that way, it could be just the result of me being a history buff!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down. This story is a chapter-gulper. Set in Berlin, 2019, the main character Nina Bergmann is a gynecologist. She’s married and has two children. Her family also live in Berlin as well, including her free-spirited younger sister, Marie. Life is going well until it isn’t. Marie is found near death after a violent attack in her apartment. She dies two weeks later in the hospital. Nina is inconsolable.
Nina obsesses over the loss of her sister and is determined to find the killer. Working with police detectives, she explores every possibility. Marie’s death throws Nina into deep depression such that she begins to neglect her medical practice and her children. She also neglects her body by limiting her eating to a starvation diet.
Conlin provides a wealth of sensory imagery. “The sun set over an hour ago, but the sky was still tinged with a pink blush, the air thick and warm as a blanket. They were sitting on Marie’s ornate but crumbling balcony, between them a small table with a citronella candle, the oily remnants of the tapas that had taken an hour to prepare and only minutes to demolish. (Pg1). “He has a deep, soothing voice. Nina closes her eyes for a moment and tried to picture his office. She imagines an expanse of oak desk, a hefty leather chair, an exquisite Persian rug, and the underlying smell of Bernhart’s scent in the air.” (Pg108)
With masterful characterization, we see, hear, and feel the main characters. “She turns to face the wall, rests her forehead on the cool, white tiles, and takes several shallow breaths. A surge of self-hatred stronger than she’s felt for years washes over her. Her mother was right, she is a selfish, over-sensitive bitch. That’s probably why Marie didn’t tell her about the baby…(Pg19). “Kommissar Franzen is younger than he sounds on the telephone. Mid-thirties, perhaps with short dark hair and mild eyes. He doesn’t look like a police detective, Nina thinks, before she realizes the only detectives she knows are those in films and on TV. But still, he looks like someone better suited to a caring profession than investigating violent crime – a social worker. Or a teacher.” (Pg. 5)
This book is a fantastic mystery in more than one way. The suspense of the main story continuously builds throughout the story. Conlin also creates suspense about the relationships among the characters. She creates anticipations that may or may not be correct.
I highly recommend this book – it’s outstanding in every way.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I am really impressed about with the Juliet Conlin books I have read is that they are all so different! The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days was such a memorable book and had such a clever structure. The Lives Before Us was a compelling historical novel which taught me a lot about Jewish refugees in Shanghai in WW2, something I knew nothing about. Sisters of Berlin is a literary murder mystery set in Berlin around the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

The two sisters of the title are Nina and Marie. At the start of the story, Marie has been found in her apartment having suffered a violent attack. It’s not a spoiler to tell you that she dies and so does her unborn child. The story then looks at the subsequent investigation into her murder as well as its effect on Nina and her family and offers glimpses into Marie’s past too.

Nina didn’t know that Marie had been pregnant and it soon becomes clear that there was much more she didn’t know about her sister. After the initial shocking revelations, gradually other parts of Marie’s life come to light which just added to the mystery of the book and made for a compelling read. Past problems for Nina resurface and I think this was her way of trying to take control in a situation that was very much out of her control. Nina had felt she had had a close relationship with Marie and it must have been hard to realise there was so much her sister hadn’t shared with her. The effects on Nina’s relationship with her parents, husband and children is also explored and showed the way this act of violence impacted on the whole family in different ways.

Sisters of Berlin is a well written, engaging novel. The murder investigation element kept my attention throughout as I tried to work out who was responsible and what their motive was. I also felt so much compassion for Nina, not just because of the loss of her sister but because finding out all these secrets about her sister must have felt like another loss, the loss of the sister she thought she knew. Sisters of Berlin is a compelling read in an evocative setting which looks insightfully at loss, grief, secrets and moving on.

[Sarah - Sarah's Vignettes · Rating 4 out of 5]

All reviews can be found at sarahsvignettes.wordpress.com

I first came across Sisters of Berlin by Juliet Conlin back in April when I shared a guest post from Juliet about her inspiration for the story. I didn’t have time then to fit the book in for a review and remember thinking that I must read it at some point. After visiting Berlin a couple of years ago, where it’s past still feels present in every day life, I was eager to read this book. I am glad I got the chance to bump it up my reading pile with this blog tour.

Sisters of Berlin follows Nina Bergman as she deals with the aftermath of her sister Marie’s brutal murder. Told solely from Nina’s point of view, it shows how grief can become all consuming in the early days and how it affects Nina’s work as a doctor, her marriage to Sebastien, her family life, and her relationships. It also resurrects some long buried troubles for Nina. I liked Nina and wanted to jump into the pages and help her.

Sisters of Berlin is also a murder mystery and I love this two-fold element to the story. It kept me engaged throughout trying to work out who, from the cast of characters, could have killed Marie. Juliet Conlin throws in a few curve balls along the way and at one point, I think I had 6 suspects in the frame!

I liked how Juliet Conlin incorporated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall into the story. She includes elements of Berlin’s history before the fall and the Stasi regime in the story but it’s not overpowering. In fact, it shows how decades later, the regime can still impact on families. Nina and her family are normal Berliners but their lives suddenly change because of the long lasting effects.

Sisters of Berlin is a compelling, engaging and emotional read that shows how present Berlin is still influenced by its past. For me, Juliet Conlin captures in her writing this atmosphere I felt when visiting in Berlin.

My thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of the book in return for this honest review.

[Cat Gandhi (feedmefiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book in return for an honest review!

This book was a really easy read for me, the characters were relatable and the narrative flowed smoothly from one chapter to the next. I devoured this novel and it gave me satisfaction from beginning to end. It was set in Berlin too which is one of my favourite places to visit, it is such a beautiful city to explore and it is so full of history.

I thought I was going in to a murder mystery in this book but what I got was a deep evaluation of a woman who had lost her sister brutally and how she needed to find comfort and move through her grief. The narrative was reflective on her situation, I never once thought anything contained in the book was forced and to be honest, apart from one tiny thing, I didn't think any of the novel was predictable which is a real win!

I really connected with Nina, she is a strong and capable female character in a horrible situation. The relationships she has as a mother, wife and daughter are all shown in equal measure within the novel and how she balances these after her sister is murdered is explored and frankly, admirable in its conclusion.

Considering its context, I did find this an easy and enjoyable read and would recommend. Although it draws from history in some of its plot points, it isn't heavily referenced so for me it didn't detract from the story.

[Lost_in_her_bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧 by @julietconlin on the book tour with @lovebookstours⁣
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
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"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘕𝘪𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘫𝘰𝘣, 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦"⁣
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This story approached some very difficult subjects with such accurate clarity and compassion, empathy to the fact that ones fiction is another ones true story. While Sisters of Berlin is primarily about Marie, and the fight to give her justice, what it was for me was the story of those left behind.⁣
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How one traumatic event can unravel years of hard work, unravel years of love and solidarity, and give the ammunition to prove how strong we are. ⁣
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I loved Nina and her children, and the last page of the book was exactly the ending this story deserved. When I first saw the cover of this book I didnt feel it fit the proposed story line. Now I've read the book, its perfect; 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 & 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.⁣
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#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #photosofbooks #bookworm #bookaddict #ilovereading #ilovebooks #igreaders #mumswhoread #readingmum #booktour #bookcollection #bookreviewer #bookreview #4starreview #review #sistersofberlin #julietconlin #lovebookstours #gifted #giftedbook #bookblogger #booksbooksbooks #bookphotography #bookshelf #fiction #paperback

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I returned to this book after a day of not reading it and realised I wasn’t enjoying it at all. It started off well then Nina’s obsession with her sister, and how this triggered her anorexia again, became too much for me. The murder mystery was almost second to Nina’s breakdown, which was not what I had expected. As the saying goes: it wasn’t you, it was me.
I will say, though, how well it was written. Having had a bit of a splurge on chick-lit lately, it was in a marked contrast to those. Well done to the author for that!

[Antonella Gramola-Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe because this novel is set in Berlin - one of my favourite cities - or because the story is narrated so well, but I have found it very emotional and moving. The end is slightly rushed but the tension building made me scream at the book at times. I had never heard of Juliet Conklin before but I will certainly read more of her novels.

[Kirsten Mackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 * rounded to 3

[Christine Barrett]

A family tragedy

Not going to lie this was tedious at times A murder a bad marriage well written but lacked storyline or depth Narration was good

[Taz · Rating 2 out of 5]

What doesn't come up in this book?
War Crimes, Nationalism, eating disorders, unhappy marriages, adultery, domestic abuse, and if I'm honest a bit of a damp squib of an ending

[Jill Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 found this too polite and too indulgent.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending was intense when he said "im not glad she's dead but I can't say I'll miss her, the selfish, spoilt little slut" i screamed what the fuck

[Patricia Power · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to like this one. Story of two sisters , one murdered and the other dealing with the aftermath.

[Karen Kingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Today. I’m pleased to share my 3.5 star review for the Sisters of Berlin by Juliet Conlin. Thank you to Black and White Publishing for a digital review copy – my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.
I remember the Berlin Wall falling – I had just started University and it seemed amazing that after all the recent worries about the USSR and the USA starting a nuclear war, that suddenly Communism was being swept away and the people of Berlin were now free to travel across their city.

This book is a murder mystery and historical fiction story rolled into one. Nina has recently lost her sister (murder), is struggling to keep her medical practice solvent and to look after her mental health (eating disorder).

This well written story looks at family relationships, the difficulties of being a working mum, dealing with grief and how the past can change the future. It is not an easy read due to the topics covered but was interesting and thought provoking. A stark reminder that no one knows what secrets people hold and what goes on behind closed doors.