What do you think?
Rate this book
Śledztwa profesorowej Szczupaczyńskiej #2
Karolina And The Torn Curtain
When amateur sleuth and cunning socialite Zofia Turbotyńska’s beloved maid goes missing, she dives deep into Cracow’s web of crime, with only her trusted cook for company.
Cracow, 1895. Zofia and her maid Franciszka have their hands full organizing Easter festivities, especially with the household short one servant—where has the capable Karolina disappeared to?
Shortly after, Zofia hears that the body of a young woman, violated and stabbed, has washed up on a bank of the River Vistula. Domestic work can wait—Zofia must go investigate. Shockingly, the body turns out to be none other than Karolina. Working with the police, Zofia’s investigations take her deep into the city’s underbelly—a far cry from the socialite’s Cracow she’s familiar with. Desperate to unearth what happened to Karolina, though, she pushes her prejudice aside, immersing herself among prostitutes, gangsters, and duplicitous politicians to unravel a twisted tale of love and deceit.
Cracow, 1895. Zofia and her maid Franciszka have their hands full organizing Easter festivities, especially with the household short one servant—where has the capable Karolina disappeared to?
Shortly after, Zofia hears that the body of a young woman, violated and stabbed, has washed up on a bank of the River Vistula. Domestic work can wait—Zofia must go investigate. Shockingly, the body turns out to be none other than Karolina. Working with the police, Zofia’s investigations take her deep into the city’s underbelly—a far cry from the socialite’s Cracow she’s familiar with. Desperate to unearth what happened to Karolina, though, she pushes her prejudice aside, immersing herself among prostitutes, gangsters, and duplicitous politicians to unravel a twisted tale of love and deceit.
383 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2016
65 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
About the author
Maryla Szymiczkowa
8 books64 followersMaryla Szymiczkowa, wdowa po prenumeratorze „Przekroju” w twardej oprawie, królowa pischingera, niegdysiejsza gwiazda Piwnicy pod Baranami i korektorka w „Tygodniku Powszechnym”. Dziś co niedzielę, po sumie w Mariackim, można ją spotkać na kawie u Noworola, a wieczorami w Nowej Prowincji.
Marylę Szymiczkową powołali do życia literaci:
Jacek Dehnel (ur. 1980) pisarz, poeta, tłumacz. Prowadzi bloga poświęconego międzywojennemu tabloidowi kryminalnemu „Tajny Detektyw”.
Piotr Tarczyński (ur. 1983) tłumacz, historyk, amerykanista. Krakus od pokoleń, od dziesięciu lat na emigracji w Warszawie.
Marylę Szymiczkową powołali do życia literaci:
Jacek Dehnel (ur. 1980) pisarz, poeta, tłumacz. Prowadzi bloga poświęconego międzywojennemu tabloidowi kryminalnemu „Tajny Detektyw”.
Piotr Tarczyński (ur. 1983) tłumacz, historyk, amerykanista. Krakus od pokoleń, od dziesięciu lat na emigracji w Warszawie.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
March 20, 2021
I already liked the first book in this series, but I think the second book is even better.
This book is more focused than the previous one on solving the mystery. In the first book, the daily life of the main character, Zofia Turbotyńska, and scenes from Cracow at the end of the 19th century, constituted a much larger part of the book. And although I find these inserts from everyday life interesting, such a balance between these two aspects works better for me. I also think that such a solution will be better suited to international readers who do not know the history and culture of Poland so well.
In this book, Turbotyńska is a bit different than in the previous one, and I think I like her more this way. There is of course no obvious inconsistency between her character in the two books, I just think she evolves as a character. In this book, we clearly see how her priorities and views change, and how her character traits that have so far been obscured by some others come forward. And the events in the epilogue may indicate that her views and character will undergo further changes. Uncompromising and inquisitive, not to say meddlesome, Turbotyńska is a memorable character who can be liked.
The mystery is also much bigger and more serious than in the first book. It turns out quite quickly that the case that Zofia became interested in may be related to organized crime and at the international level. The whole mystery is complicated, with several twists and very satisfying. Turbotyńska takes us on a journey through the nineteenth century lupanars, although this is certainly not a magical journey, but rather revealing the difficult fate of women in those times throughout Europe. In many ways, the story is quite dark.
I have also read the original Polish version of this book and I think the translation is done really well. But what else would you expect from the two professional translators who are the authors of this book (though the book was translated into English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones and not one of the authors). The language perfectly reflects the slightly lyrical and sometimes certainly ironic tone that this story has in Polish.
This is a book for everyone who likes amateur sleuths and historical mysteries. The more unique that the action is set on Polish lands in the Austrian partition, which many readers know very little about. However, this story touches on the subject of prostituting women and their abuse. These are not drastic scenes of violence, but if you are particularly sensitive to these subjects, this may not be the book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Mariner Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is more focused than the previous one on solving the mystery. In the first book, the daily life of the main character, Zofia Turbotyńska, and scenes from Cracow at the end of the 19th century, constituted a much larger part of the book. And although I find these inserts from everyday life interesting, such a balance between these two aspects works better for me. I also think that such a solution will be better suited to international readers who do not know the history and culture of Poland so well.
In this book, Turbotyńska is a bit different than in the previous one, and I think I like her more this way. There is of course no obvious inconsistency between her character in the two books, I just think she evolves as a character. In this book, we clearly see how her priorities and views change, and how her character traits that have so far been obscured by some others come forward. And the events in the epilogue may indicate that her views and character will undergo further changes. Uncompromising and inquisitive, not to say meddlesome, Turbotyńska is a memorable character who can be liked.
The mystery is also much bigger and more serious than in the first book. It turns out quite quickly that the case that Zofia became interested in may be related to organized crime and at the international level. The whole mystery is complicated, with several twists and very satisfying. Turbotyńska takes us on a journey through the nineteenth century lupanars, although this is certainly not a magical journey, but rather revealing the difficult fate of women in those times throughout Europe. In many ways, the story is quite dark.
I have also read the original Polish version of this book and I think the translation is done really well. But what else would you expect from the two professional translators who are the authors of this book (though the book was translated into English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones and not one of the authors). The language perfectly reflects the slightly lyrical and sometimes certainly ironic tone that this story has in Polish.
This is a book for everyone who likes amateur sleuths and historical mysteries. The more unique that the action is set on Polish lands in the Austrian partition, which many readers know very little about. However, this story touches on the subject of prostituting women and their abuse. These are not drastic scenes of violence, but if you are particularly sensitive to these subjects, this may not be the book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Mariner Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2019
(Superbohaterskie Origin Story Autora Piekła Kobiet! - moja propozycja mylącego blurba na okładkę.)
Pierwszy tom był trochę bardziej historyczno-literacką grą z czytelniczką pisaną - zdawało mi się - z dystansem do opisywanych postaci. Drugi tom wydaje mi się napisany z dużo mniejszej odległości. Ironia podszyta jest sercem, a Zofią powoduje słuszny gniew; może nie jest emancypantką, ale staje się protoplastką killjoy, kamykiem wrzuconym między trybiki bezdusznej machiny, na moment zatrzymującej jej funkcjonowanie.
Wiem, że jest sporo zasadnej krytyki literatury i innych tekstów kultury, które korzystają z cierpienia kobiet jako źródła inspiracji. Sama sporo o tym myślę i nawet niemało o tym krytycznie napisałam. Ale Rozdarta zasłona nie oburza mnie w ten sposób, wręcz przeciwnie, wydaje mi się bowiem dobrze wyczuwać, co jest ważniejsze, nie ironizować wtedy, gdy to niewłaściwe, nie traktować opisywanych cierpień jako środka do (literackiego) celu ale pokazywać je z szacunkiem pisząc właśnie o nich (za wyjątkiem może jednego opisu, w którym, mam wrażenie, autorkę* zbyt wciągnęła kwerenda i nie powstrzymała się od nadmiernie dokładnego opisu po to, by użyć znalezionych neologizmów). Ta książka jest jednak, moim zdaniem, wrażliwa na to, co piętnuje. A ja chyba dużo szybciej zabiorę się za trzeci tom niż się zabierałam za drugi.
CW: przemoc, przemoc na tle seksualnym, handel ludźmi, antysemityzm, itd.
Pierwszy tom był trochę bardziej historyczno-literacką grą z czytelniczką pisaną - zdawało mi się - z dystansem do opisywanych postaci. Drugi tom wydaje mi się napisany z dużo mniejszej odległości. Ironia podszyta jest sercem, a Zofią powoduje słuszny gniew; może nie jest emancypantką, ale staje się protoplastką killjoy, kamykiem wrzuconym między trybiki bezdusznej machiny, na moment zatrzymującej jej funkcjonowanie.
Wiem, że jest sporo zasadnej krytyki literatury i innych tekstów kultury, które korzystają z cierpienia kobiet jako źródła inspiracji. Sama sporo o tym myślę i nawet niemało o tym krytycznie napisałam. Ale Rozdarta zasłona nie oburza mnie w ten sposób, wręcz przeciwnie, wydaje mi się bowiem dobrze wyczuwać, co jest ważniejsze, nie ironizować wtedy, gdy to niewłaściwe, nie traktować opisywanych cierpień jako środka do (literackiego) celu ale pokazywać je z szacunkiem pisząc właśnie o nich (za wyjątkiem może jednego opisu, w którym, mam wrażenie, autorkę* zbyt wciągnęła kwerenda i nie powstrzymała się od nadmiernie dokładnego opisu po to, by użyć znalezionych neologizmów). Ta książka jest jednak, moim zdaniem, wrażliwa na to, co piętnuje. A ja chyba dużo szybciej zabiorę się za trzeci tom niż się zabierałam za drugi.
CW: przemoc, przemoc na tle seksualnym, handel ludźmi, antysemityzm, itd.
March 22, 2021
Zofia Turbotyńska is pulled into another investigation when her maid Karolina is murdered after abruptly leaving Zofia's employment. Zofia and her husband Ignacy are both upset, as they liked Karolina, while Francziska, their cook, lost a friend.
The lead investigator appears less zealous at carrying out the investigation than what Zofia thinks Karolina deserved, and really, Zofia just can’t help herself from asking questions. She keeps talking to people, looking for clues and reasons, insistent on finding Karolina’s murderer.
Franciszka is roped into the efforts, and we see Zofia bolstered by Franciska’s determination to do right by her friend. Zofia also has the support of the investigator, Klossowitz, who pooh-poohed Zofia's abilities and her tenaciousness at finding information (in the previous book).
This book was more fun than the first one. The first book spent a lot of time giving us a lot of background on Zofia: her concern for her husband's position at his university, their family's position in Kraków society, and Zofia's inability to keep a maid for any length of time. (This reminds me of 80s tv character Murphy Brown’s constantly changing personal assistants.)
In this installment, the authors open up Zofia's world, and her eyes, to some of the inequalities and problems in Kraków. What starts as a "simple" murder, becomes much more complicated and ugly, as Zofia talks to socialists (whom Ignacy detests, and before her investigation Zofia appears to, equally), brothel owners, criminals, and a doctor conducting sex research.
The case shakes Zofia's assumptions about the institutions she respects to the core, which was a really interesting turn to take with someone who has been status-obsessed and prickly about her privileges. I also liked the irony of how despite her denigration of women's education, Zofia is realizing that just minding her house is not enough for her, and delving into the puzzle of Karolina's death has given her something vital to do that captures her interest.
I picked up book one on a whim when it came out, and ended up really enjoying my time with Zofia. I really enjoyed this book, too, and look forward to more evolution and adventure for the determined Zofia Turbotyńska.
The lead investigator appears less zealous at carrying out the investigation than what Zofia thinks Karolina deserved, and really, Zofia just can’t help herself from asking questions. She keeps talking to people, looking for clues and reasons, insistent on finding Karolina’s murderer.
Franciszka is roped into the efforts, and we see Zofia bolstered by Franciska’s determination to do right by her friend. Zofia also has the support of the investigator, Klossowitz, who pooh-poohed Zofia's abilities and her tenaciousness at finding information (in the previous book).
This book was more fun than the first one. The first book spent a lot of time giving us a lot of background on Zofia: her concern for her husband's position at his university, their family's position in Kraków society, and Zofia's inability to keep a maid for any length of time. (This reminds me of 80s tv character Murphy Brown’s constantly changing personal assistants.)
In this installment, the authors open up Zofia's world, and her eyes, to some of the inequalities and problems in Kraków. What starts as a "simple" murder, becomes much more complicated and ugly, as Zofia talks to socialists (whom Ignacy detests, and before her investigation Zofia appears to, equally), brothel owners, criminals, and a doctor conducting sex research.
The case shakes Zofia's assumptions about the institutions she respects to the core, which was a really interesting turn to take with someone who has been status-obsessed and prickly about her privileges. I also liked the irony of how despite her denigration of women's education, Zofia is realizing that just minding her house is not enough for her, and delving into the puzzle of Karolina's death has given her something vital to do that captures her interest.
I picked up book one on a whim when it came out, and ended up really enjoying my time with Zofia. I really enjoyed this book, too, and look forward to more evolution and adventure for the determined Zofia Turbotyńska.
February 6, 2017
Mam wrażenie, że o tej książce na blogach napisano już wszystko. Gdy się jest ostatnią osobą, która czyta hit sezonu, można tylko powielić spostrzeżenia i z trudem napisać coś odkrywczego. Dlatego skupię się na moich wrażeniach - zagadka kryminalna w tych książkach jest dla mnie sprawą drugorzędną. Napędza ona wprawdzie akcję, jest motorem działań Zofii i motywem do dokładniejszego ukazania działań krakowskich służb publicznych. Najciekawszym i najważniejszym bohaterem jest bowiem samo miasto. Autorzy skrupulatnie ukazują życie mieszczaństwa i krakowskiego pół-światka, polityczne przemiany na świecie, drobne wydarzenia miejskie, a także ważne uroczystości, które zbierają krakowską śmietankę towarzyską. Prenumerowany przez Szczupaczyńskich "Czas" jest źródłem wiedzy dla nich i dla czytelnika - to podczas codziennej lektury poznajemy zgrabnie wplecione ówczesne wydarzenia. Najwięcej smaczku dodają jednak znane nam wybitne postaci jak na przykład Matejko czy Żeleński. Mimo to książki nie sprawiają wrażenia dokumentu, zbioru faktów czy reportażu. Te informacje mają istotny wpływ na życie bohaterów, to tylko czytelnik, korzystając z przewagi czasowe ocenia ich wagę.
Więcej tu: http://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot.p...
Więcej tu: http://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot.p...
November 28, 2020
* I got this eARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley in exhange for a honest review *
This was a big no for me.
Sadly the only thing that i really liked was the cover and that was it. I was just generally bored and felt meh about the characters, no one made me really care and the story felt... sometimes odd and bland?
This was a big no for me.
Sadly the only thing that i really liked was the cover and that was it. I was just generally bored and felt meh about the characters, no one made me really care and the story felt... sometimes odd and bland?
January 25, 2021
Elle Woods meets Agatha Christie in a vibrant picture of end of the 18th century Cracow.
Zofia is a society lady with a pampered existence whose life is disrupted by the tragic loss of her favorite maid. She takes it upon herself to uncover the true story behind her disappearance and finds herself at the center of a political intrigue with sordid reverberations where nobody seems to live up to their reputation. Except for Zofia’s own reputation for making the best plum preserve in town, that is.
What’s not to love about this book?
There is a perfect balance where the necessary tension of the plot coexists with a delightful wealth of detail that paints a picture of ordinary life in turn of the century Cracow – ranging from the carefully constructed passages on Zofia’s fashionable hats to descriptions of meals or references to historical monuments or festivities.
Zofia is a smart gal but the book itself is even smarter. Women’s rights, prostitution and other heavy-weight topics get thrown around in a way that adds depth to the plot and yet does not obscure the mood or interfere with the overarching playful tone of the story.
If we can take this layered construction as a working definition of high-quality entertainment, Karolina and the Torn Curtain definitely makes the mark as an instant guilty pleasure.
(ARC kindly facilitated by publisher through NetGalley)
Zofia is a society lady with a pampered existence whose life is disrupted by the tragic loss of her favorite maid. She takes it upon herself to uncover the true story behind her disappearance and finds herself at the center of a political intrigue with sordid reverberations where nobody seems to live up to their reputation. Except for Zofia’s own reputation for making the best plum preserve in town, that is.
What’s not to love about this book?
There is a perfect balance where the necessary tension of the plot coexists with a delightful wealth of detail that paints a picture of ordinary life in turn of the century Cracow – ranging from the carefully constructed passages on Zofia’s fashionable hats to descriptions of meals or references to historical monuments or festivities.
Zofia is a smart gal but the book itself is even smarter. Women’s rights, prostitution and other heavy-weight topics get thrown around in a way that adds depth to the plot and yet does not obscure the mood or interfere with the overarching playful tone of the story.
If we can take this layered construction as a working definition of high-quality entertainment, Karolina and the Torn Curtain definitely makes the mark as an instant guilty pleasure.
(ARC kindly facilitated by publisher through NetGalley)
June 5, 2017
Ta część przygód pani Zofii Szczupaczyńskiej podobała mi się bardziej niż pierwsza. Może przez wzgląd na pewną już znajomość z bohaterką i jej środowiskiem. Rozdarta zasłona wydaje mi się być bardziej dowcipna i ciekawsza niż Tajemnica Rodu Helclów, chętnie sięgnę po dalsze jej dochodzenia. Osadzenie w przedwojennym Krakowie zachęca mnie do podążania śladami pani Zofii, trzeba odwiedzić Kraków!
October 10, 2016
„Jak zostałam demokratką, czyli upadek damy krakowskiej” :))
August 29, 2018
Druga część przygód amatorskiej detektyw Zofii podobała mi się jeszcze bardziej niż pierwsza. Drugi tom sprawdza się zarówno jako powieść historyczna - jest pełna detali, zrozumienia dla mentalności, obrazuje gwałtowne przemiany społeczne i dostarcza ciekawych smaczków, jak reakcje sojcety krakowskiej na takie nowinki artystyczne jak Wyspiański - i jako kryminał: stawka jest wysoka, przestępstwo szeroko zakrojone, sytuacja niebezpieczna. Podoba mi się to, że Zofia przechodzi ideologiczną przemianę i zaczyna dostrzegać swoją sferę bez złudzeń, porażona ogromem nadużyć. Może jeszcze będzie z niej sufrażystka :D Zagadka jest naprawdę skomplikowana, a zbrodnia, jakiej się dopuszczono bestialska. Wszystko to przedstawione jest jednak bez epatowania przemocą, nie tylko ze względu na delikatne uszy szanownej mieszczki, ale też dlatego, że jest dobrze napisane . Powieść wciąga, bawi, frapuje i pokazuje historię Krakowa z nieco mroczniejszej strony. Polecam.
May 29, 2020
Zdecydowanie lepiej! Książka ciekawsze o wiele od swojej poprzedniczki, ewolucja Zofii Szczupaczyńskiej ciekawa i konsekwentna, krakowski światek Galicji opisany ciekawie, prawdziwe postacie historyczne to uroczy smaczek. Wątki feministyczne super. Tylko znowu kluczowa poszlaka wzięła się z dupy, nigdzie nie ma żadnego powodu, by Zofia wysłała Franciszkę by dowiadywała się o pochodzenie Karolci.
December 31, 2018
Pod koniec bardzo się już męczyłam. Znudziła mnie ta książka, a i zagadka była taka sobie.
Oraz, czy możemy znowu zacząć mordować w kryminałach mężczyzn? Są strasznie niedoreprezentowani jako ofiary! Tak, to sarkazm, ale trochę mam dość kobiet-ofiar, które przed samą śmiercią doświadczyły przemocy seksulanej.
Oraz, czy możemy znowu zacząć mordować w kryminałach mężczyzn? Są strasznie niedoreprezentowani jako ofiary! Tak, to sarkazm, ale trochę mam dość kobiet-ofiar, które przed samą śmiercią doświadczyły przemocy seksulanej.
April 25, 2024
Agatha Christie czytałaby Szymiczkową (aka Jacek Dehnel, Piotr Tarczyński)!
January 23, 2025
** This was a NetGalley book [original due date 3.28.2021] and I have just now been able to purchase the kindle version AND found the audiobook on Hoopla and I am now able to read and review. I was unable to do so originally due to a bad file with very wonky text, and no available audiobook [I just didn't wait long enough; I have learned from this]. My review is below. **
I SO should have reread book one [I read it in 2021!!] as that would have helped me some with this book and its cast of characters [you'd think I'd learn by now, but apparently not. ;-) ]
That said, this was an excellent read [certainly worth the 4 year wait], with fantastic writing, a very puzzling mystery [the why will make you want to weep as will the aftermath], that after I was finished listening to it [the narrator for these books is just magnificent and really ads to the overall reading experience], I went back and read read it to make sure I got all the details correct [the Polish names sometimes confuse me and I love having a book copy to help me keep everyone AND everything going on straight], and then I just sat there, stunned [and wept. Because the FEELS over it all].
This was truly amazing and I can only hope for a book 3. This is a historical mystery series that is at the top of its game; if you love really good historical mysteries, than this book/series is absolutely for you.
I SO should have reread book one [I read it in 2021!!] as that would have helped me some with this book and its cast of characters [you'd think I'd learn by now, but apparently not. ;-) ]
That said, this was an excellent read [certainly worth the 4 year wait], with fantastic writing, a very puzzling mystery [the why will make you want to weep as will the aftermath], that after I was finished listening to it [the narrator for these books is just magnificent and really ads to the overall reading experience], I went back and read read it to make sure I got all the details correct [the Polish names sometimes confuse me and I love having a book copy to help me keep everyone AND everything going on straight], and then I just sat there, stunned [and wept. Because the FEELS over it all].
This was truly amazing and I can only hope for a book 3. This is a historical mystery series that is at the top of its game; if you love really good historical mysteries, than this book/series is absolutely for you.
June 15, 2025
Okay, honestly I have no idea why I like this series so much. It has the hallmarks of all I usually dislike in historical whodunnits - a relatively simple plot that serves more as a vehicle to show the times and let the author meet important characters from the era, a resolution that comes at the very end without proper buildup and so on. Maybe it's because I absolutely love the protagonist, being just so adorably shallow about so many matters and in others being a subversion of the trend of "protagonist in a historical novel with the beliefs of a 21st century person". The humour is also a strong suit here, plus we DO learn plenty about the setting (and all that you ever wanted to know about sex slavery in late 19th century Kraków and more - also, it's the Jews!). And while we don't get a proper build-up for the reveal and solution, at least the protagonist is actively pursuing the mystery, instead of just walking around hoping the perpetrator will just fall into her arms. Definitely picking up volume #3 soon.
September 14, 2023
Historia trochę „wolniejsza” niż w pierwszej książce, ale za to jakie zakończenie. Ostatnie 100 stron czyta się jedynym tchem. Zofia Szczupaczyńska na tropie nie zawodzi.
Read
June 6, 2022Intriguing because of its sly take on the politics and society (high and low; the visible and the hidden aspects) just before the turn of the 20th century. Everything is slippery--values, mores, the justice system, and no character without some flaw (endearing or repellent).
I thorougly enjoyed the audiobook version--but must disclose that I listened to it at 1.25X the recorded speed.
I thorougly enjoyed the audiobook version--but must disclose that I listened to it at 1.25X the recorded speed.
December 26, 2020
Maryla Szymiczkowa is the nom de plume of the partnership between writer Jacek Dehnel and historian Piotr Tarczyński. This book is the second of the currently four parts of the Zofia Turbotyńska series, and it could be read without having to read the first book. A detective story of its kind, it’s heavily influenced by the works of Agatha Christie. What makes this story rather different is the choice of the main character, Zofia Turbotyńska who’s a housewife coming from Cracow aristocrat family, wife of university professor Ignacy Turbotyński, and often spent her spare time hanging out with Cracow socialites. One day, one of her maids Karolina Schulz goes missing. Her remains were found in one of the banks of the Vistula River with obscure circumstances.
Determined to unravel the whole story of Karolina’s murder, Zofia did many things that finally exposed her into the hidden story of women trafficking in Cracow and most of all in the whole territory of Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. The involvement of the women trafficking didn’t stop in Galicia alone, but spanning to international networks at that time even to Constantinople, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro. As a woman, Zofia’s power to uncover the mystery of Karolina’s death is tested in the whole story with various circumstances that turned against her, such as her limited exposure to knowledge that are mainly available limited to men to which Maryla could present unique ways of Zofia in countering all adversaries.
If you like the style of Wes Anderson’s films, both the visual and characterisation aspects, then you’ll like this book. This is the kind of novel which if the cover and metadata are removed will still give ways to know that we’re reading a story of Zofia Turbotyńska from the way the author provides a vivid description of the settings - in this case, Cracow in 1895 - also the way each character behave and dress. It’s as though the author is intuitively incorporating the auteur theory into the style, to create distinct imagery of Cracow which still paints the historical Cracow while also fitting it into the image of Cracow that was full of socialites in the last decade of the 19th century. You get chapter-like structure in this book which begins with short premises (kinda like how the narrator in The Royal Tenenbaums tells the story) which is interesting to explore further.
If you like Olga Tokarczuk’s works, this is also a nice opportunity to observe the treatment of her translator in another Polish author. Antonia Llyod-Jones has translated a few works by Olga such as Primeval and Other Times and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Which means that this book is being translated under the hand of someone who has brought a Polish Nobel laureate’s works into English. The words are just beautiful and feel natural enough to me. Numerous places in this story are rendered under their original names that were commonly used when Galicia was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following the timeline, such as Lemberg (present-day Lviv, Ukraine) and Laibach (present-day Ljubljana, Slovenia) which adds an exotic taste to it, as though we’re being transported into 1895 Galicia.
If you are into any detective novels, then surely this book is also something not to be missed, especially if you are a fan of Agatha Christie. The way the author brings the story and presents plot twists is something to be appreciated. I find myself getting lost in facts at times, but there are always some ways for the author to reconnect me with the acquainted facts in the later part. Also, the case presented here is rather unique, because Zofia herself isn’t a police officer or a detective, which makes it a rather bold statement of woman’s emancipation at the dawning of the 20th century.
===
I received the Advance Reader Copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Determined to unravel the whole story of Karolina’s murder, Zofia did many things that finally exposed her into the hidden story of women trafficking in Cracow and most of all in the whole territory of Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. The involvement of the women trafficking didn’t stop in Galicia alone, but spanning to international networks at that time even to Constantinople, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro. As a woman, Zofia’s power to uncover the mystery of Karolina’s death is tested in the whole story with various circumstances that turned against her, such as her limited exposure to knowledge that are mainly available limited to men to which Maryla could present unique ways of Zofia in countering all adversaries.
If you like the style of Wes Anderson’s films, both the visual and characterisation aspects, then you’ll like this book. This is the kind of novel which if the cover and metadata are removed will still give ways to know that we’re reading a story of Zofia Turbotyńska from the way the author provides a vivid description of the settings - in this case, Cracow in 1895 - also the way each character behave and dress. It’s as though the author is intuitively incorporating the auteur theory into the style, to create distinct imagery of Cracow which still paints the historical Cracow while also fitting it into the image of Cracow that was full of socialites in the last decade of the 19th century. You get chapter-like structure in this book which begins with short premises (kinda like how the narrator in The Royal Tenenbaums tells the story) which is interesting to explore further.
If you like Olga Tokarczuk’s works, this is also a nice opportunity to observe the treatment of her translator in another Polish author. Antonia Llyod-Jones has translated a few works by Olga such as Primeval and Other Times and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Which means that this book is being translated under the hand of someone who has brought a Polish Nobel laureate’s works into English. The words are just beautiful and feel natural enough to me. Numerous places in this story are rendered under their original names that were commonly used when Galicia was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following the timeline, such as Lemberg (present-day Lviv, Ukraine) and Laibach (present-day Ljubljana, Slovenia) which adds an exotic taste to it, as though we’re being transported into 1895 Galicia.
If you are into any detective novels, then surely this book is also something not to be missed, especially if you are a fan of Agatha Christie. The way the author brings the story and presents plot twists is something to be appreciated. I find myself getting lost in facts at times, but there are always some ways for the author to reconnect me with the acquainted facts in the later part. Also, the case presented here is rather unique, because Zofia herself isn’t a police officer or a detective, which makes it a rather bold statement of woman’s emancipation at the dawning of the 20th century.
===
I received the Advance Reader Copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2020
Czas się przyznać, że jestem fanem Maryli Szymiczkowej i ubolewam, że ta jakże sprawnie, wręcz niezauważalnie, poruszająca się w literackim środowisku autorka, napisała dopiero dwie powieści, ale kumy mówią mi, że zbliża się trzecia - wyczekuję.
Jest Szymiczkowa autorką spełnioną, czerpiącą garściami, ustami i bufiastymi ramionami z codzienności, z obserwacji aż nadto uczestniczącej, z podsłuchów, szumów bez zlepów, bo u Szymiczkowej nic się nie lepi, wszystko jest wypolerowane i podane ze smakiem godnym dam polskiej literatury. Jej niezrównana bohaterka, Zofia Szczupaczyńska to postać z krwi i kości, tak żywa, że aż wyłażąca poza ramy książki i stająca przed czytającymi jako żywa. To kobieta, która “nie była skłonna do łatwego wybaczania doznanych zniewag i urazy pielęgnowała starannie, dbając o nie równie dobrze jak o rododendrony, które dzięki uprzejmości szarytek hodowała w ich ogrodzie”. Tylko u Szymiczkowej spotkacie takie postaci jak Szczupaczyńska czy Kotarbina z Wytrzyszczek. Choć tej drugiej już nie napotkacie, bo rówieśnica Konstytucji 3 maja wyzionęła niestety ducha. Burdelmama Zdechlikiewiczowa i inne niezwykłe kobiety zaludniające karty prozy Szymiczkowej powinny straszyć wszystkie dzieci mające dokonać charakterystyki bohaterki - niech spróbują scharakteryzować Szczupaczyńską! O nie jest to zadanie łatwe!
Ma Szymiczkowa niezwykły dar komiczny. Czyż nie płaczemy ze śmiechu czytając, że “wiadomo było, że Wadowicach nic ciekawego się nie urodzi, a tu nagle cały świat uczynił je obiektem swojego zainteresowania”. Afera kryminalna w, pożal się Boże, Wadowicach, to było niesamowite wydarzenie! Szymiczkowa jawnie kpi sobie z Polski, domaga się feminizmu, jest kobietą w prasie oczytaną, może zbyt czasem nachalnie wkładającą w usta swoich postaci własne przemyślania i nadmiernie chwilami gadatliwa, ale ten okręt flagowy polskiej literatury zacumowany w nietypowej dla siebie przystani powinien być punktem obowiązkowym każdego i każdej miłośniczki literatury przyjemnej, rozrywkowej a mądrej i politycznie aż nadto wartościowej.
Dehnel i Tarczyński tworząc Szymiczkową, a za jej pośrednictwem Szczupaczyńską wraz z jej krakowskim światem, profesorami, Pareńskimi, Żeleńskimi, Wyspiańskimi i Matejkami, pokazali, że doskonale potrafią ożywić historię i podać ją w sosie kampowej, przezabawnej i niezwykle wciągającej opowieści. Trzeci tom przygód Szczupaczyńskiej już niedługo, nie mogę się doczekac.
Wierny fan.
Jest Szymiczkowa autorką spełnioną, czerpiącą garściami, ustami i bufiastymi ramionami z codzienności, z obserwacji aż nadto uczestniczącej, z podsłuchów, szumów bez zlepów, bo u Szymiczkowej nic się nie lepi, wszystko jest wypolerowane i podane ze smakiem godnym dam polskiej literatury. Jej niezrównana bohaterka, Zofia Szczupaczyńska to postać z krwi i kości, tak żywa, że aż wyłażąca poza ramy książki i stająca przed czytającymi jako żywa. To kobieta, która “nie była skłonna do łatwego wybaczania doznanych zniewag i urazy pielęgnowała starannie, dbając o nie równie dobrze jak o rododendrony, które dzięki uprzejmości szarytek hodowała w ich ogrodzie”. Tylko u Szymiczkowej spotkacie takie postaci jak Szczupaczyńska czy Kotarbina z Wytrzyszczek. Choć tej drugiej już nie napotkacie, bo rówieśnica Konstytucji 3 maja wyzionęła niestety ducha. Burdelmama Zdechlikiewiczowa i inne niezwykłe kobiety zaludniające karty prozy Szymiczkowej powinny straszyć wszystkie dzieci mające dokonać charakterystyki bohaterki - niech spróbują scharakteryzować Szczupaczyńską! O nie jest to zadanie łatwe!
Ma Szymiczkowa niezwykły dar komiczny. Czyż nie płaczemy ze śmiechu czytając, że “wiadomo było, że Wadowicach nic ciekawego się nie urodzi, a tu nagle cały świat uczynił je obiektem swojego zainteresowania”. Afera kryminalna w, pożal się Boże, Wadowicach, to było niesamowite wydarzenie! Szymiczkowa jawnie kpi sobie z Polski, domaga się feminizmu, jest kobietą w prasie oczytaną, może zbyt czasem nachalnie wkładającą w usta swoich postaci własne przemyślania i nadmiernie chwilami gadatliwa, ale ten okręt flagowy polskiej literatury zacumowany w nietypowej dla siebie przystani powinien być punktem obowiązkowym każdego i każdej miłośniczki literatury przyjemnej, rozrywkowej a mądrej i politycznie aż nadto wartościowej.
Dehnel i Tarczyński tworząc Szymiczkową, a za jej pośrednictwem Szczupaczyńską wraz z jej krakowskim światem, profesorami, Pareńskimi, Żeleńskimi, Wyspiańskimi i Matejkami, pokazali, że doskonale potrafią ożywić historię i podać ją w sosie kampowej, przezabawnej i niezwykle wciągającej opowieści. Trzeci tom przygód Szczupaczyńskiej już niedługo, nie mogę się doczekac.
Wierny fan.
April 4, 2021
Mabe 2.5 stars?
I am not sure how I feel about this book. It is an interesting glimpse of old Cracow and its elite then. But it' meanders a lot (took me a long time to finish this) and the "detective" Zofia, a matron married to a respectable professor of the university, did not really endear herself to me. She is a lady long set in her ways, but her investigation does open her eyes a bit. And yet she revels in being a wife/housewife, does not believe that women should be educated (as it may ruin her chances of a good marriage), and is traditional in almost every sense. And yet she goes out to investigate, hiding such from her husband. She is a product of her time, I understand but sometimes it's hard to swallow. As is the beliefs espoused by most of the men in this book.
It's only at the epilogue where we see Zofia becoming more critical, the torn curtain I suppose. So there is hope for her growth.
Is this a second book in a series? Because it talks to Zofia solving a mystery also before. Oh well, it took nothing away from this.
Thanks NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance copy of the book.
I am not sure how I feel about this book. It is an interesting glimpse of old Cracow and its elite then. But it' meanders a lot (took me a long time to finish this) and the "detective" Zofia, a matron married to a respectable professor of the university, did not really endear herself to me. She is a lady long set in her ways, but her investigation does open her eyes a bit. And yet she revels in being a wife/housewife, does not believe that women should be educated (as it may ruin her chances of a good marriage), and is traditional in almost every sense. And yet she goes out to investigate, hiding such from her husband. She is a product of her time, I understand but sometimes it's hard to swallow. As is the beliefs espoused by most of the men in this book.
It's only at the epilogue where we see Zofia becoming more critical, the torn curtain I suppose. So there is hope for her growth.
Is this a second book in a series? Because it talks to Zofia solving a mystery also before. Oh well, it took nothing away from this.
Thanks NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance copy of the book.
September 19, 2018
Nazwałam ją wtedy krakowską panną Marple i to jest chyba najlepsze określenie tej specyficznej osóbki. Myślałam też, że Dom Helclów to lektura absolutnie fantastyczna.
Cóż, myliłam się. Drugi tom, Rozdarta zasłona, po wielokroć przyćmiewa pierwszy!
Jak Dom Helclów ostrożnie badał teren, tak Rozdarta zasłona puszcza hamulce i rozlewa się cudowną, przezabawną, pełną historycznych nawiązań rzeką opowieści. Wszystko, co tak bardzo mnie zachwycało wcześniej, jest jeszcze bardziej soczyste, zadziorne i urokliwe. Profesorowa Szczupaczyńska tym razem natyka się na zbrodnię we własnym domostwie: jej służąca Karolcia, ta młodsza i ładniejsza, wymawia pracę u swojej chlebodawczyni przed zbliżającą się Wielkanocą! Tragedia jakich mało, szczególnie gdy zwłoki Karolci zostają wyrzucone na brzeg Wisły, a stróże prawa osobiście pojawiają się przesłuchiwać mieszkańców kamienicy Pod Pawiem w sprawie nieszczęsnej dziewczyny.
Pełna recenzja: http://rozkminyhadyny.blogspot.com/20...
Cóż, myliłam się. Drugi tom, Rozdarta zasłona, po wielokroć przyćmiewa pierwszy!
Jak Dom Helclów ostrożnie badał teren, tak Rozdarta zasłona puszcza hamulce i rozlewa się cudowną, przezabawną, pełną historycznych nawiązań rzeką opowieści. Wszystko, co tak bardzo mnie zachwycało wcześniej, jest jeszcze bardziej soczyste, zadziorne i urokliwe. Profesorowa Szczupaczyńska tym razem natyka się na zbrodnię we własnym domostwie: jej służąca Karolcia, ta młodsza i ładniejsza, wymawia pracę u swojej chlebodawczyni przed zbliżającą się Wielkanocą! Tragedia jakich mało, szczególnie gdy zwłoki Karolci zostają wyrzucone na brzeg Wisły, a stróże prawa osobiście pojawiają się przesłuchiwać mieszkańców kamienicy Pod Pawiem w sprawie nieszczęsnej dziewczyny.
Pełna recenzja: http://rozkminyhadyny.blogspot.com/20...
March 28, 2017
Cóż można więcej powiedzieć o Maryli Szymiczkowej i jej wspaniałej bohaterce, Zofii Szczupaczyńskiej niż zostało już powiedziane? Wspaniała ilość smaczków w tej powieści (Żeleński, Estreicher, Daszyński i pyszny Kurkiewicz), znajomość realiów epoki jak i kulinariów krakowskich, no i przede wszystkim dokonująca się na naszych oczach przemiana profesorowej, która powoli odkrywa inne, brutalne oblicze Krakowa, o którym to sądziła, że wie wszystko, a jednak najwyraźniej nie do końca....
Wspaniały klimat belle epoque połączony z kryminałem wprost z noir, gdzie tak naprawdę nikt nigdy nie zwycięża - świetny koncept!
I specjalne punkty dla Klossowitza, który jest znakomitym współpracownikiem w tej podróży po mrocznych zakamarkach miasta i ludzkiej duszy.
Wspaniały klimat belle epoque połączony z kryminałem wprost z noir, gdzie tak naprawdę nikt nigdy nie zwycięża - świetny koncept!
I specjalne punkty dla Klossowitza, który jest znakomitym współpracownikiem w tej podróży po mrocznych zakamarkach miasta i ludzkiej duszy.
February 13, 2017
Kolejna sprawa do rozwikłania dla profesorowej Szczupaczyńskiej i kolejny przyczynek do opisów Krakowa z końca XIX wieku. Duet Dehnel & Tarczyński świetnie odnajduje się w obyczajowo-kryminalnej formule. Literatura lekka, ale w najlepszym tego słowa znaczeniu, bo czyta się ją z przyjemnością. Cztery i pół gwiazdki, za zanurzenie czytelnika w atmosferę Krakowa. Cytując Macieja Stuhra:
"Kraków, Kraków, Krakosza,
A poza nim nic ni ma,
Wiosna to czy lato,
Jesień albo zima."
"Kraków, Kraków, Krakosza,
A poza nim nic ni ma,
Wiosna to czy lato,
Jesień albo zima."
February 23, 2017
Profesorowa Szczupaczyńska na tropie kolejnej zagadki kryminalnej.
Po doskonałej, skrzącej się humorem i czymś nieuchwytnym, wyjętym wprost spomiędzy krakowskich kamienic, ploteczek - pierwszej części - ta wyraźnie niestety słabsza.
A miało być tak pięknie ;)
Po doskonałej, skrzącej się humorem i czymś nieuchwytnym, wyjętym wprost spomiędzy krakowskich kamienic, ploteczek - pierwszej części - ta wyraźnie niestety słabsza.
A miało być tak pięknie ;)
April 5, 2023
Zofia Turbotyńska se lance dans une nouvelle enquête pour trouver l’assassin de sa servante Karolina. Aidée de sa domestique inflexible Franciszka, à la barbe de son mari Ignacy qui n’y voit goutte, Zofia mettra plus d’un an a trouver le coupable.
J’ai aimé les personnages du juge dormeur Rozmarynowicz, le nom de l’enquêteur Lunicorne, l’étudiant sexologue Kurkiewicz.
J’ai eu de la peine pour Léon Brand, le Job des souteneurs cracoviens, dont on apprend en fin d’ouvrage qu’il a réellement existé.
J’ai découvert le costume traditionnelle kontusz, une longue robe sans manche portée par les nobles en Pologne et Lituanie au XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles.
J’ai également appris l’existence de la dynastie royale Jagellon qui régna sur une partie de l’Europe de l’Est ; et me suis rappeler les uhlans (ces cavaliers mercenaires de l’armée de Prusse te de Pologne).
Ignacy m’a fait sourire avec sa manie de coller des coupures de presse dans son album et ses déboires en vélo.
J’ai également appris des synonymes de souteneur : barbiquet ou alphonse, entre autre.
Le godet avec protège moustache m’a surprise.
Enfin, j’ai appris que pour donner plus de goût à la confiture de prunes, il faut rajouter quelques morceaux de noix.
Je m’aperçois qu’avec tout ces détails, je ne vous ai pas parlé de l’intrigue : Zofia va devoir plonger dans le milieu interlope de la traite des femmes.
Encore une fois, j’ai aimé l’humour de la narration et Zofia, féministe qui s’ignore.
J’ai aimé que le crime, au départ qualifié de passionnel, cache en fait une vengeance sordide.
J’ai aimé que la résolution de cette affaire mineure, mais qui tient à coeur à Zofia, mette plus d’un an à être résolu : Zofia ne lâche jamais l’affaire.
Je dois avouer que je n’ai pas trouvé le coupable, tant la machination était sophistiquée.
J’ai aimé que derrière les fastes de l’Empire de François-Joseph il y ai des hommes et des femmes qui survivent comme ils peuvent. Et que le titre du rideau déchiré s’explique.
Enfin, tout au long de ma lecture, je me suis posée la question de la présence du Dr Jekyl et de Mr Hyde (Zofia lit cette histoire dans le journal) : dans l’enquête, qui pouvait bien être l’homme aux deux visages ?
Quelques citations :
le principe de Fredro selon lequel « la famille, soyez-en sûrs, ce sont aussi des humains, bien qu’ils soient parents. » (p.8)
… c’est un affront pour lequel on paye de son sang. – De son sang ? Parfait, dit Zofia en haussant la voix, mais pourquoi du sang d’une jeune fille sans défense, pourquoi ne s’est-il pas jeté sur cet ingénieur, avec son couteau ? C’est un adversaire plus digne. (p.63)
Mais l’idée que le premier freluquet venu, dépourvu d’éducation, puisse donner sa voix dans les élections au même titre que…. je ne sais pas… le comte Tarnowski ?! C’est vraiment contraire au bon sens… (p.99)
Le serf a été libéré de son maître, mais on a poussé la femme dans un servacge encore plus horrible. (p.179)
La saleté et le désordre cachés par la beauté des guirlandes. Le masque du simulacre posé sur une réalité hideuse. (p.305)
L’image que je retiendrai :
Celle du lait Pompadour bien mystérieux pour moi dont se tartine Zofia avant de sortir de chez elle.
https://alexmotamots.fr/le-rideau-dec...
J’ai aimé les personnages du juge dormeur Rozmarynowicz, le nom de l’enquêteur Lunicorne, l’étudiant sexologue Kurkiewicz.
J’ai eu de la peine pour Léon Brand, le Job des souteneurs cracoviens, dont on apprend en fin d’ouvrage qu’il a réellement existé.
J’ai découvert le costume traditionnelle kontusz, une longue robe sans manche portée par les nobles en Pologne et Lituanie au XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles.
J’ai également appris l’existence de la dynastie royale Jagellon qui régna sur une partie de l’Europe de l’Est ; et me suis rappeler les uhlans (ces cavaliers mercenaires de l’armée de Prusse te de Pologne).
Ignacy m’a fait sourire avec sa manie de coller des coupures de presse dans son album et ses déboires en vélo.
J’ai également appris des synonymes de souteneur : barbiquet ou alphonse, entre autre.
Le godet avec protège moustache m’a surprise.
Enfin, j’ai appris que pour donner plus de goût à la confiture de prunes, il faut rajouter quelques morceaux de noix.
Je m’aperçois qu’avec tout ces détails, je ne vous ai pas parlé de l’intrigue : Zofia va devoir plonger dans le milieu interlope de la traite des femmes.
Encore une fois, j’ai aimé l’humour de la narration et Zofia, féministe qui s’ignore.
J’ai aimé que le crime, au départ qualifié de passionnel, cache en fait une vengeance sordide.
J’ai aimé que la résolution de cette affaire mineure, mais qui tient à coeur à Zofia, mette plus d’un an à être résolu : Zofia ne lâche jamais l’affaire.
Je dois avouer que je n’ai pas trouvé le coupable, tant la machination était sophistiquée.
J’ai aimé que derrière les fastes de l’Empire de François-Joseph il y ai des hommes et des femmes qui survivent comme ils peuvent. Et que le titre du rideau déchiré s’explique.
Enfin, tout au long de ma lecture, je me suis posée la question de la présence du Dr Jekyl et de Mr Hyde (Zofia lit cette histoire dans le journal) : dans l’enquête, qui pouvait bien être l’homme aux deux visages ?
Quelques citations :
le principe de Fredro selon lequel « la famille, soyez-en sûrs, ce sont aussi des humains, bien qu’ils soient parents. » (p.8)
… c’est un affront pour lequel on paye de son sang. – De son sang ? Parfait, dit Zofia en haussant la voix, mais pourquoi du sang d’une jeune fille sans défense, pourquoi ne s’est-il pas jeté sur cet ingénieur, avec son couteau ? C’est un adversaire plus digne. (p.63)
Mais l’idée que le premier freluquet venu, dépourvu d’éducation, puisse donner sa voix dans les élections au même titre que…. je ne sais pas… le comte Tarnowski ?! C’est vraiment contraire au bon sens… (p.99)
Le serf a été libéré de son maître, mais on a poussé la femme dans un servacge encore plus horrible. (p.179)
La saleté et le désordre cachés par la beauté des guirlandes. Le masque du simulacre posé sur une réalité hideuse. (p.305)
L’image que je retiendrai :
Celle du lait Pompadour bien mystérieux pour moi dont se tartine Zofia avant de sortir de chez elle.
https://alexmotamots.fr/le-rideau-dec...
April 7, 2021
I read the first in the series last year with interest, as this is a fascinating time (late 1800s Cracow, Poland) that I know very little about. I thought the first book was a fair starting point for a new series, I wasn't sure if I would continue. I was therefore very pleased when I started the Netgalley digital arc and saw that the authors were doing something much more interesting with this book in the series- they are taking our protagonist, the difficult, haughty, social-climbing professor's wife, Zofia Turbotyńska, and dropping her into situations that test her understanding of the world.
In this installment, number 2 of the series, we open with her main goes missing and is found murdered. She is called in as the woman's employer and immediately wants to find out what happened to her. The hunt takes her into parts of Cracow that she had only heard rumors of and has her confronting some of her own assumptions along the way.
Zofia's character is a perfect foil for us to see how challenging some of the new push for women's rights were at the time. She is particularly irritated at the appearance of young women at the university, even though she herself is smart and would have benefitted from formal education. So it's fun to watch her eyes slowly open to the harsh realities and challenges that face some women as her investigation has her looking into prostitution and human trafficking.
I was quite amused and pleased by this installment of the series and it has piqued my interest in reading further as the authors' works in the series are translated into English.
I would like to thank the publishers for access to the e-galley in return for an impartial review.
In this installment, number 2 of the series, we open with her main goes missing and is found murdered. She is called in as the woman's employer and immediately wants to find out what happened to her. The hunt takes her into parts of Cracow that she had only heard rumors of and has her confronting some of her own assumptions along the way.
Zofia's character is a perfect foil for us to see how challenging some of the new push for women's rights were at the time. She is particularly irritated at the appearance of young women at the university, even though she herself is smart and would have benefitted from formal education. So it's fun to watch her eyes slowly open to the harsh realities and challenges that face some women as her investigation has her looking into prostitution and human trafficking.
I was quite amused and pleased by this installment of the series and it has piqued my interest in reading further as the authors' works in the series are translated into English.
I would like to thank the publishers for access to the e-galley in return for an impartial review.
November 10, 2025
This was... sad. It was a good mystery, but sad. Where the first book was about a busybody socialite trying to solve a murder at a nursing home, this was about said socialite trying to solve her maid's murder.
Zofia is very focused on doing the right Society things to impress all her other Society friends, even though she thinks everyone and everything is boring. Her maid, Karolina, runs off right before Easter... and then her body turns up in the wrong part of town. The police assume that she was a sex worker, but Zofia knows her virtuous staff. With the help of her maid Franciszka, Zofia takes it upon herself to investigate Karolina's mysterious boyfriend and his possible ties to the brothels and sex traffickers of 1890s Cracow.
I originally enjoyed the first book because Zofia is so full of herself, and I like a busybody detective. This book focuses much more on Zofia's household and was sometimes off-putting because Zofia and Ignacy are so judgemental of others, but I think the authors do a well enough job of showing that we're not supposed to agree with them. Ignacy's misogyny is totally laughable, and I can't believe that actual academics would writesuch absurd things. In her investigation, Zofia gets to meet some Socialists and a Jewish doctor, and I hope that as the series continues, she becomes more tolerant. We see some baby steps in this book.
The mystery itself was intriguing, but ultimately just sad.
TW: This mystery deals with sex trafficking and discusses rape. The upper class characters are also very misogynistic and anti-Semitic, in what I assume is meant to be representative of 1890s Poland.
Zofia is very focused on doing the right Society things to impress all her other Society friends, even though she thinks everyone and everything is boring. Her maid, Karolina, runs off right before Easter... and then her body turns up in the wrong part of town. The police assume that she was a sex worker, but Zofia knows her virtuous staff. With the help of her maid Franciszka, Zofia takes it upon herself to investigate Karolina's mysterious boyfriend and his possible ties to the brothels and sex traffickers of 1890s Cracow.
I originally enjoyed the first book because Zofia is so full of herself, and I like a busybody detective. This book focuses much more on Zofia's household and was sometimes off-putting because Zofia and Ignacy are so judgemental of others, but I think the authors do a well enough job of showing that we're not supposed to agree with them. Ignacy's misogyny is totally laughable, and I can't believe that actual academics would writesuch absurd things. In her investigation, Zofia gets to meet some Socialists and a Jewish doctor, and I hope that as the series continues, she becomes more tolerant. We see some baby steps in this book.
The mystery itself was intriguing, but ultimately just sad.
TW: This mystery deals with sex trafficking and discusses rape. The upper class characters are also very misogynistic and anti-Semitic, in what I assume is meant to be representative of 1890s Poland.
September 5, 2022
"When the curtain of appearances is torn aside, the sight of a murky pool confronts us."
This book is ultimately a discussion on how fragile the concept of societal classes is. This is explored through society women who help the police, university professors who act like schoolboys, and prostitutes who do their work 'in God's honest way'.
The theme of a fragile societal structure is investigated through what tries to be a murder-mystery novel. The housemaid of a high-class household is murdered, and we spend the entirety of the book being exposed to an endless stream of possible suspects. Being introduced to so many characters who end up having little-to-no role in the actual case makes 'Karolina, or the Torn Curtain' a long and drawn-out read. It is evident that the author used these minor characters to discuss the book's major themes (feminism, conservatism vs socialism, and abuse), which resulted in the plot taking a back seat.
One star for highlighting important (and difficult) topics, one star for showcasing the many viewpoints on controversial matters (political standpoints and opinions of sex-work).
Trigger warnings: S/A, D/A, murder.
This book is ultimately a discussion on how fragile the concept of societal classes is. This is explored through society women who help the police, university professors who act like schoolboys, and prostitutes who do their work 'in God's honest way'.
The theme of a fragile societal structure is investigated through what tries to be a murder-mystery novel. The housemaid of a high-class household is murdered, and we spend the entirety of the book being exposed to an endless stream of possible suspects. Being introduced to so many characters who end up having little-to-no role in the actual case makes 'Karolina, or the Torn Curtain' a long and drawn-out read. It is evident that the author used these minor characters to discuss the book's major themes (feminism, conservatism vs socialism, and abuse), which resulted in the plot taking a back seat.
One star for highlighting important (and difficult) topics, one star for showcasing the many viewpoints on controversial matters (political standpoints and opinions of sex-work).
Trigger warnings: S/A, D/A, murder.
June 30, 2021
Poor Karolina doesn't really make an appearance; she's the missing maid in Zofia's well-regulated Cracow household, until she's found dead. But Zofia doesn't accept the neat tale of jealousy and murder that the police have prepared; she doesn't accept their next story of a stranger that the police have identified, shot and killed either, not when her other maid sees the man who was Karolina's new beau walking the streets after his "death." The curtain of respectability and propriety is what's torn aside, first for Zofia, a proper but endlessly curious housewife, and then for at least some of the authorities. This is a charming book, but I must point out some of the things it should have but didn't: a map of Cracow if not of Galicia; a pronunciation guide to Polish; possibly a glossary; and even some footnotes as different buildings and geographical features are mentioned but not explained.
November 17, 2020
I love good historical fiction with a strong lead woman!
This is the sequel of A Zofia Turbotynska Mystery, the book takes place in Cracow, 1895, Zofia is a professor’s wife and socialite, she is always looking for doing something more than being at home, one day she was preparing the annual Easter festivities, and she receives the news that a young woman was raped and murdered, it turns out to be Karolin, her other maid. Then Zofia and her maid Franciszka investigate the murder with the police´s help.
I liked Zofia's personality, she is strong, not afraid to speak her mind, brave, and intelligent. The storyline was good, but there were some characters that I couldn't keep track of, they were a bit ambiguous for me, even though this is a good crime, historical fiction story.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book will be released o Mar 03, 2021
This is the sequel of A Zofia Turbotynska Mystery, the book takes place in Cracow, 1895, Zofia is a professor’s wife and socialite, she is always looking for doing something more than being at home, one day she was preparing the annual Easter festivities, and she receives the news that a young woman was raped and murdered, it turns out to be Karolin, her other maid. Then Zofia and her maid Franciszka investigate the murder with the police´s help.
I liked Zofia's personality, she is strong, not afraid to speak her mind, brave, and intelligent. The storyline was good, but there were some characters that I couldn't keep track of, they were a bit ambiguous for me, even though this is a good crime, historical fiction story.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book will be released o Mar 03, 2021
January 9, 2022
Had I stopped reading with Part 1, I would have awarded this 3 stars: a genteel if overly-verbose look at Gilded Age life in sleepy Krakow in 1895, complete with stuffy outrage of the upper classes against the new ideas infiltrating their society. But Part 2 changed all this, diving deep (and passionately) into the ugly underbelly of life at this time, and offering suitable shocks to the novel's protagonist that force her to begin (ever so slightly) to re-evaluate her certainties. This extra boost of energy and pathos pushes the novel to its 4 star rating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews