Playing with Fire cover art

Playing with Fire

A Novel

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Playing with Fire

By: Tess Gerritsen
Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Will Damron
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About this listen

In a masterful standalone thriller by New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli&Isles series, Tess Gerritsen, a mother is haunted by a very old piece of music she finds in a strange antique shop in Rome.

The first time violinist Julia Ansdell picked up the "Incendio Waltz" in a darkened antique shop in Rome, she knew it was a strikingly unusual composition. The minor key and complex feverish arpeggios have a life of their own. But when she plays the piece, Julia blacks out and awakens to find her small daughter implicated in acts of surprising violence. When she travels to Venice to find the previous owner of the music, she uncovers a heart-stoppingly dark secret that not only dates back to the horrors of the Holocaust, but also directly involves a dangerously powerful family who would stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

©2015 Tess Gerritsen (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.
Psychological Suspense Women's Fiction Fiction Heartfelt Italy Rome Prisoners of War
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What listeners say about Playing with Fire

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Playing with Fire

A very gripping story.
You can't imagine how such awful events took place but they did.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome

A very moving book, totally different from her usual style. Heart breaking and warming at the same time.

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emotional

So hard not to listen to book all in one go , emotional loving caring and nail bitting. Found myself so in grossed hard not to listen to book every spare minute. Extremely well written and narrated.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Narration better than storyline

Felt the story a bit dull and brief Not enough substance and the ending was so abrupt however lm a huge fan of the narrators The music was a nice touch

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Incredible writing!

After finishing this novel I was left with so many emotions, deeply moved but the amazing writing and heart broken by the reminder of the countless cruel and barbaric acts committed against so many, only a short time ago . Also the bravery and kindness of some who stood up for right, often at the cost of their own lives. The shame of being part of a race that could be responsible for such horror. Though much of the novel I could not stop the tears, the reminder of the past in such a deeply moving novel was so moving. A must for anyone to read or listen to.

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Really enjoyable

I found this really informative, as the female character was searching out the history of a Jewish war time composer. I enjoyed this book, though I am a Tess Gerritson fan.

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Reaching Some Higher Grace Notes.

I’m not quite sure why I chose this book as my first from Tess Gerritsen but I am genuinely glad that I did. This is a beautiful story split between the present day and the troubled city of Venice during the second world war. It is a haunting story centered around a tragic piece of music written by a young Jewish composer. The dual narration works very well to set the atmosphere and Gerritsen’s efficient prose moves the two stories along at a brisk pace with no padding or tangents.

The two strands are beautifully woven together and drawn to a conclusion that pulls few punches. There is no attempt to sugar coat the horrors that the Jewish people suffered which gives the story a genuine power and gravitas that could easily have been missed. This is a moving book; a tale of modern life and how it can never really escape the past that formed it. Gerritsen has done the research and produced a thoroughly satisfying tale that fits well within the events of history. No simple task with such sensitive subject matter.

Bravo!

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9 people found this helpful

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Good book, but lacked the triller touch

Good book, but lacked the triller touch, could have developed the story better . But worth it.

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Playing with fire

An absolutely superb story brilliant ending as you would expect from this author. A must read/listen

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Tess , one of THE best ever story tellers

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Very easy to listen to, well read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Playing with Fire?

As always with Tess Gerritsen , the twists and turns within the story as an whole.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The realisation of the truth of her daughter.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Always gripping.

Any additional comments?

As you may have gathered. I'm a huge Gerritsen fan. All her books are page turners , and in the case of audio , makes long drives awesome..( I listen in the car )

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