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The Madness Locker
On Christmas Day, 1986 a seventy-year-old widow’s body was discovered inside a wheelie bin in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Despite a long and intensive investigation, the police fail to unearth a motive or identify a suspect. Lacking any clues, the police file it as a cold case.
Some half a century earlier the Third Reich ramps up its offensive to arrest and deport to the East the Nazi regime’s classification of undesirables. As part of the sweep, a young girl is arrested along with her parents. They are placed in a box car and forced to endure a three-day harrowing train journey. The final stop: Auschwitz. On arrival she is separated from her parents to never see them again and is forced to suffer years of punishing labour, near-starvation and daily horrors.
She is freed six years later when the Russian army invades Poland and liberates Auschwitz.
Vindicated by her survival she sets out on a journey all the way around the world to Australia, in search of the one person that she blames for her ordeal in Auschwitz. Is that the clue that the police missed in trying to solve the crime?
Some half a century earlier the Third Reich ramps up its offensive to arrest and deport to the East the Nazi regime’s classification of undesirables. As part of the sweep, a young girl is arrested along with her parents. They are placed in a box car and forced to endure a three-day harrowing train journey. The final stop: Auschwitz. On arrival she is separated from her parents to never see them again and is forced to suffer years of punishing labour, near-starvation and daily horrors.
She is freed six years later when the Russian army invades Poland and liberates Auschwitz.
Vindicated by her survival she sets out on a journey all the way around the world to Australia, in search of the one person that she blames for her ordeal in Auschwitz. Is that the clue that the police missed in trying to solve the crime?
343 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 12, 2020
A fabulous book, one that takes the reader on an incredible journey from Berlin 1934 to Sydney 1986. People creating new identities during WW2 and ending up in Australia. Two people thrown together in the end, but who were they? The ending is surprising.
The book takes its story line "Inspired by a True Crime...On Christmas Day 1986, a seventy year old widow's body was discovered in a wheelie bin in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, Australia". It became an unsolved crime, a cold case.
Berlin 1941, a young girl, Ruth Lipschutz, doesn't understand why she can no longer attend school, rather a governess is employed by her parents to continue her education, however, she can still visit her friend Anna after school. One day Anna walks home with a new friend, Helga, who as it turns out, is a relative that has been sent to live with them. She is a rather nasty child who very quickly establishes that Ruth is Jewish and reproaches her for not wearing a yellow star. In only a short space of time the world of Ruth Lipschutz is turned upside down and she finds herself living in an attic above the roof line in Anna's home. As the danger increases it's obvious that something has to be done. Anna's mother's brother Martin is a German Officer who reluctantly agrees to assist the family in escorting Ruth to a family in Zurich with a new name and new identity papers. Unbeknown to Ruth her new identity however has put another's life in danger.
The read quickly moves to Sydney 1986 where Ruth and Ernie Weissman have lived an unassuming life in a quiet suburb. Ruth is in shock, her lifetime partner has just passed away. Even though he had been sick in hospital for quite sometime Ruth, attending to him every day, gave her purpose, she talked to Ernie even though he was unable to hear or communicate with her. Now she looks at her four walls and feels her life tumbling down. Just as the negative thoughts become too much for her to handle there is a knock at the door. It's the next door neighbour Sam Steimatzky, a widower. Ruth, while pleasant, has always been suspicious of this man, while proclaiming to be Jewish, he doesn't hold to Jewish customs and while Ernie was alive she would vent her suspicions to him. Ernie felt no need to enquire about Sam's past, their lives in Australia after their initial adjustments to the freedoms and gregariousness of their new country had given them a good life. Now Ruth given her loneliness, sees no harm in inviting him in.
Moving back to 1934 Germany, Frederick Becker has just graduated from his medical studies his parents have scrimped and saved in order for him to study. Their expectations that he would go to a teaching hospital locally have been shattered when he announces he intends to look for a hospital in Holland. He travels to Holland and in a short time he meets the love of his life, Emma van Bergen. There is only one problem, Emma is Jewish and given the unsettled times regarding the perceived notion of wealthy Jews, his parents, as confirmed by his sister, would not approve. Hitler is on the rise although it seems that the general populace of Germany cannot see what is in front of them. Frederick feels he must return to see his family even if he is conscripted into the army. Which of course is exactly what happened. It's not too long before Frederick is alarmed at what he witnesses and finally not being able to endure any more he deserts. Travelling to Holland he is relatively safe as Holland is now under Nazi control. However he isn't safe from resistance fighters who capture him. His medical knowledge is the only thing that saves him from being shot and it's a skill that is needed for Emma who has been wounded that he has to save.
Meanwhile in the Auschwitz concentration camp enduring all that is thrown at her is a girl with a growing hatred.
In the end all the chess pieces are in place and the Auschwitz girl, now an aged woman has her revenge.
The book takes its story line "Inspired by a True Crime...On Christmas Day 1986, a seventy year old widow's body was discovered in a wheelie bin in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, Australia". It became an unsolved crime, a cold case.
Berlin 1941, a young girl, Ruth Lipschutz, doesn't understand why she can no longer attend school, rather a governess is employed by her parents to continue her education, however, she can still visit her friend Anna after school. One day Anna walks home with a new friend, Helga, who as it turns out, is a relative that has been sent to live with them. She is a rather nasty child who very quickly establishes that Ruth is Jewish and reproaches her for not wearing a yellow star. In only a short space of time the world of Ruth Lipschutz is turned upside down and she finds herself living in an attic above the roof line in Anna's home. As the danger increases it's obvious that something has to be done. Anna's mother's brother Martin is a German Officer who reluctantly agrees to assist the family in escorting Ruth to a family in Zurich with a new name and new identity papers. Unbeknown to Ruth her new identity however has put another's life in danger.
The read quickly moves to Sydney 1986 where Ruth and Ernie Weissman have lived an unassuming life in a quiet suburb. Ruth is in shock, her lifetime partner has just passed away. Even though he had been sick in hospital for quite sometime Ruth, attending to him every day, gave her purpose, she talked to Ernie even though he was unable to hear or communicate with her. Now she looks at her four walls and feels her life tumbling down. Just as the negative thoughts become too much for her to handle there is a knock at the door. It's the next door neighbour Sam Steimatzky, a widower. Ruth, while pleasant, has always been suspicious of this man, while proclaiming to be Jewish, he doesn't hold to Jewish customs and while Ernie was alive she would vent her suspicions to him. Ernie felt no need to enquire about Sam's past, their lives in Australia after their initial adjustments to the freedoms and gregariousness of their new country had given them a good life. Now Ruth given her loneliness, sees no harm in inviting him in.
Moving back to 1934 Germany, Frederick Becker has just graduated from his medical studies his parents have scrimped and saved in order for him to study. Their expectations that he would go to a teaching hospital locally have been shattered when he announces he intends to look for a hospital in Holland. He travels to Holland and in a short time he meets the love of his life, Emma van Bergen. There is only one problem, Emma is Jewish and given the unsettled times regarding the perceived notion of wealthy Jews, his parents, as confirmed by his sister, would not approve. Hitler is on the rise although it seems that the general populace of Germany cannot see what is in front of them. Frederick feels he must return to see his family even if he is conscripted into the army. Which of course is exactly what happened. It's not too long before Frederick is alarmed at what he witnesses and finally not being able to endure any more he deserts. Travelling to Holland he is relatively safe as Holland is now under Nazi control. However he isn't safe from resistance fighters who capture him. His medical knowledge is the only thing that saves him from being shot and it's a skill that is needed for Emma who has been wounded that he has to save.
Meanwhile in the Auschwitz concentration camp enduring all that is thrown at her is a girl with a growing hatred.
In the end all the chess pieces are in place and the Auschwitz girl, now an aged woman has her revenge.
June 11, 2020
A heart-wrenching and powerful take on the brutal realities that is the third reich in world war II, split between multiple perspectives that ultimately intertwine in ways that are unfathomable and challenging. The author is not afraid to flesh out the horrific events that took place, which makes the book so much more important. The feeling you get by the end of the novel is numbing, mainly because the book goes through so much in so little time. The emotions you feel and the heartache that comes with it.. it's so easy to get lost in the novel, but once you finish it's still hard to get your mind around the fact that there were innocent people who went through such inhumane events.
The writing is acute and punctuating, which fits this dark and gritty era in history. The transition between the multiple point of views was done effortlessly, filling the gaps in between the stories of each character. The dialogue however could have been structured in a less serious way. At times, the conversations between the characters - albeit lighthearted - could come off as rigid and even a bit too polished. It didn't hinder the quality of the novel though, but it does distinguish the tone of voice throughout the book. I understand that it's a book with a heavy theme, but the conversations between two university students could have been less 'structured' and more spontaneous.
Overall, this was a solid novel. An emotional roller coaster that was gripping from beginning to the end. Reading the book amidst the pandemic going on makes the current situation I am in pale in comparison to the Holocaust, which makes me feel super grateful and lucky to be where I am today!
The writing is acute and punctuating, which fits this dark and gritty era in history. The transition between the multiple point of views was done effortlessly, filling the gaps in between the stories of each character. The dialogue however could have been structured in a less serious way. At times, the conversations between the characters - albeit lighthearted - could come off as rigid and even a bit too polished. It didn't hinder the quality of the novel though, but it does distinguish the tone of voice throughout the book. I understand that it's a book with a heavy theme, but the conversations between two university students could have been less 'structured' and more spontaneous.
Overall, this was a solid novel. An emotional roller coaster that was gripping from beginning to the end. Reading the book amidst the pandemic going on makes the current situation I am in pale in comparison to the Holocaust, which makes me feel super grateful and lucky to be where I am today!
June 14, 2020
The Madness Locker is a historical fiction novel that is based on real life events from World War 2. As the novel touches on one of the darkest times in history, the Holocaust it is at times difficult to read use to the horrific nature of that atrocity. This book touches on these events in a way that I believe is quite respectful and captivating. It's almost like a historical fiction, murder mystery.
There were times I felt a tad confused as each chapter is labels based on location and year, rather than whose point of view the chapter was following. In a few instances it took me a page to clue on to which character was being focused on. Early on this was more of an issue since I wasn't yet familiar with the characters.
Overall this was a book that I would happily recommend to any history huff or historical fiction fan. Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy, it was a very interesting read.
There were times I felt a tad confused as each chapter is labels based on location and year, rather than whose point of view the chapter was following. In a few instances it took me a page to clue on to which character was being focused on. Early on this was more of an issue since I wasn't yet familiar with the characters.
Overall this was a book that I would happily recommend to any history huff or historical fiction fan. Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy, it was a very interesting read.
June 15, 2020
The Madness Locker is a historical crime novel that stretches from 1940 to 2006. The author, E.J. Russell, has based his story on his own interpretation of a true, horrific, unsolved murder that occurred in Sydney Australia in 1986.
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The story is told from multiple points of view, over several timelines, and explores the themes of various types of love, family relationships, and the pursuit of either justice or revenge (depending on how you wish to interpret the conclusion).
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I thoroughly enjoyed the final quarter of the book, where all of the characters and events came together well. Historical fiction is my favourite genre to read, and while I did enjoy how the author highlighted the 1940s in Germany for both Jews and other Germans, I was often confused by so many different characters and ones with similar names, together with the alternating timelines.
The majority of the book focuses on events in Germany as Hitler’s Nazi Regime take full control of the country and its people.
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I will say though, that the confusion dissipated as the separate stories started to come together towards the end of the book, and I could understand why each character and storyline had been included. This is an unusual book, based on a unique premise, and I would recommend it for those who are looking for something a little bit different to read.
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Rating: 3⭐/5
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With thanks to @Themadnesslocker_ & Hello Social for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
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The story is told from multiple points of view, over several timelines, and explores the themes of various types of love, family relationships, and the pursuit of either justice or revenge (depending on how you wish to interpret the conclusion).
•
I thoroughly enjoyed the final quarter of the book, where all of the characters and events came together well. Historical fiction is my favourite genre to read, and while I did enjoy how the author highlighted the 1940s in Germany for both Jews and other Germans, I was often confused by so many different characters and ones with similar names, together with the alternating timelines.
The majority of the book focuses on events in Germany as Hitler’s Nazi Regime take full control of the country and its people.
•
I will say though, that the confusion dissipated as the separate stories started to come together towards the end of the book, and I could understand why each character and storyline had been included. This is an unusual book, based on a unique premise, and I would recommend it for those who are looking for something a little bit different to read.
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Rating: 3⭐/5
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With thanks to @Themadnesslocker_ & Hello Social for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
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June 10, 2020
“I am what I am. If I had courage I wouldn’t be here. I would have died years ago. So many times I could have died. But I didn’t. So maybe it is my fate to be a coward and stay alive after all the heroes have died.”
The Madness Locker is an epic historical novel, inspired by a real life unsolved crime. The book begins in 1940s Berlin, and spans to 1980s Australia. It tells the intertwined stories of three individuals – Ruth, a retired German expat, mourning the recent death of her husband, Friedrich, a would be doctor who enlists in Hitler’s SS to pay off his extensive student loans, and Helga, a young woman who is mistakenly sent to a concentration camp after a case of mistaken identity. This gritty tale is sure to enthral readers with its mix of romance, family drama and mystery.
Going into The Madness Locker, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It’s been some time since I’ve read historical fiction, and crime is a genre I generally stay well away from. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I came to enjoy the book, particularly toward its end when the three stories finally began to intersect. And though I did find it immensely difficult to read about some of the horrific events that the characters suffered at the hands of the Holocaust, I found the revenge arc which takes place towards the end of the book to be immensely satisfying.
The only issue I had with The Madness Locker is that I found the structure of the book and the changes in narrator / perspective to be confusing at times. Personally I would have preferred that the book be told entirely in first person, or entirely in third, rather than swapping between the two as it made the book a bit disjointed. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed The Madness Locker, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!
The Madness Locker is an epic historical novel, inspired by a real life unsolved crime. The book begins in 1940s Berlin, and spans to 1980s Australia. It tells the intertwined stories of three individuals – Ruth, a retired German expat, mourning the recent death of her husband, Friedrich, a would be doctor who enlists in Hitler’s SS to pay off his extensive student loans, and Helga, a young woman who is mistakenly sent to a concentration camp after a case of mistaken identity. This gritty tale is sure to enthral readers with its mix of romance, family drama and mystery.
Going into The Madness Locker, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It’s been some time since I’ve read historical fiction, and crime is a genre I generally stay well away from. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I came to enjoy the book, particularly toward its end when the three stories finally began to intersect. And though I did find it immensely difficult to read about some of the horrific events that the characters suffered at the hands of the Holocaust, I found the revenge arc which takes place towards the end of the book to be immensely satisfying.
The only issue I had with The Madness Locker is that I found the structure of the book and the changes in narrator / perspective to be confusing at times. Personally I would have preferred that the book be told entirely in first person, or entirely in third, rather than swapping between the two as it made the book a bit disjointed. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed The Madness Locker, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews