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Title: Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders

Subtitle: A Minnesota Mystery, Book 2

Author: Larry Millett

Narrator: Steve Hendrickson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-13-16

Publisher: Spoken Realms

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When one of Minnesota's wealthiest scions goes missing, it's up to Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson to track a cold-blooded killer.

The year is 1896, and the magnificent winter carnival is under way in St. Paul, Minnesota, when Holmes and Watson are summoned by the city's most powerful man, railroad magnate James J. Hill. A wealthy young man has disappeared on the eve of his wedding - and his fiancée suspiciously discards her wedding dress. After a grisly discovery in the carnival's ice palace leads to a flurry of clues, Holmes is on the case.

His pursuit of the murderer takes him through the highest echelons of St. Paul society and into cahoots with Shadwell Rafferty, a gregarious saloon owner and part-time private investigator. Soon Holmes, Watson, and Rafferty are embroiled in a perilous adventure that takes them from one frozen corner of the city to another and out onto the treacherous ice of the Mississippi River as they trail a cruel and ruthless killer.

Members Reviews:

Before Mall of America There was Winter Festival

Would you listen to Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders again? Why?

Yes. Its a well written Holmes/Watson story. It has a lot of historical background regards St. Paul. Hamm's Brewing, for example, briefly interwoven into the story, famous people of the time and place and the Winter Festival which has taken place since 1886 and still going strong!

What other book might you compare Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders to and why?

Other books or audio books in the Minnesota Mysteries Series by Larry Millett.

What about Steve Hendricksons performance did you like?

Diverse voices for characters. Enthusiastic performances, the pace of the story as he developed the story. Very pleasant, easily understood voice. And he doesn't snort! lol Some of the big name narrators snort!!! I hate that!!!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There is a sense of suspense as the crime is resolved.

Any additional comments?

I love stories that build on historically accurate background. This story does that.

I love Holmes and Watson. This story has that.

I enjoy audio books that are performed well. Steve Hendrickson provides that.

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost. I am happy to give my honest review of it. Thanks for the opportunity and the enjoyable hours!

Elementary good listening

I am a big Holmes fan for several decades and this series had took me back in time.

I felt Mr. Hendrickson had recaptured Basil Rathbone persona and thoroughly enjoyed his reading.

As for the story, I felt that it wasn't as good as the first but still enjoyable.

The reason why was in the original writing, most people other than a few like Holmes, were witless and 'blind'. Holmes could be sarcastic which in the first book Watson finally addresses that behaviour and receives an apology (well for Holmes anyways).

Anyways, I'm ordering the 3rd book.

Sherlock gets caught in an Icy situation

Holmes and Watson are back in St. Pauls at request of Railroad man Mr. Hill.. They fall right back in with their friendships they had made their first time to when hunting the Red Demon. In this mystery, Sherlock and Dr. Watson are amazed by St. Paul's magnificent Ice Palace.

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Title: The Far Arena

Author: Richard Ben Sapir

Narrator: Peter Noble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-06-16

Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 42 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

While conducting exploration in the frozen Arctic, Texan Lew McCardle, a geologist working for the Houghton Oil company, discovers something remarkable: a body encased in the ice. More remarkable still, the skills of Russian researcher Semyon Petrovitch bring the man miraculously back to life.

This strange visitor from the distant past has an amazing story to tell. Translated from his native Latin by Nordic nun Olava, Lucius Aurelius Eugenianus reveals that in the era of Domitian he was a champion in the Roman Colosseum, a gladiator known far and wide as the greatest of all time.

An ingenious amalgam of science fiction, fantasy, and history, Richard Ben Sapir's The Far Arena is a breathtaking work of literary invention, at once thrilling, poignant, and thought provoking.

Members Reviews:

classic Favorite doesn't disappoint

worried book would feel "dated" but it didn't. once in the story could not put it down. the narrator at first I wondered about but he is a skillful reader and I didn't need to worry. loved the book when it came out and loved the audible now. highly recommend.

Even better than the book!

This great book is finally available again in print as well as on Kindle and as an Audiobook from Audible.com. Thirty-six years after I first read it, you can buy it again. Now that Ive listened to it for the first time (as opposed to reading it), it is not only as good as I remember. It is better.

The Far Arena is classified as science fiction, but not in the traditional sense. It doesnt fall into any genre except perhaps speculative fiction, which is a catch-all term for all the books that cant be otherwise categorized. Time travel? Sort of, although the only mechanism is time itself.

The story in brief: A Roman gladiator is flash frozen in the arctic ice. He is accidentally discovered by a team drilling for oil not far from the arctic. He is subsequently defrosted and brought back to life. What follows is his story as a Roman married to a Hebrew slave, and his perceptions of our modern world from the point of view of a man whose world disappeared 2000 years earlier.

For example, while in the hospital, he asks about the slaves who serve him. He is referring to the to nurses and other workers who attend to his needs. His new friends explain that they arent slaves, that they work for wages and are free to leave, or be dismissed by their employers. He thinks this is a fantastic idea.

You mean they do everything you tell them to do, but when they get old and can no longer work, you dont have to take care of them? What a great idea! Slaves without responsibility.

They arent slaves, insist his modern friends.

They are treated like slaves, they act like slaves. They are slaves, he responds.

That is paraphrasing, of course, but its the spirit of the dialogue. This isnt a quick piece of dialogue in a long book about other things. The discussion of what is slavery is an underlying theme throughout the book along with the corruption of giant corporations which apparently has not noticeably changed between the days of the Roman Empire and today.

Although I had read the book several times, I had never listened to it. I wasnt intending to listen to the whole thing. I just wanted a little taste. I have a giant heap of books I have promised to read and I thought Ill give a little listen and come back to finish it when I have more time.

I had forgotten how good the book really is.

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Title: The Perils of Command

Author: David Donachie

Narrator: Peter Wickham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-16

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

John Pearce, having negotiated the highly questionable sale of the two French prizes taken in The Devil to Pay, has left HMS Flirt, as well as the crew and the wounded Henry Digby in Brindisi and is headed for Naples to see his lover.

In an uncomfortable journey he seeks to work out a way to best both Admiral Sir William Hotham and Captain Ralph Barclay, men who are his sworn enemies. All his calculations are thrown into turmoil when he discovers that Emily is pregnant which, while it is a cause for joy, is also a reason to worry; she is still married to Ralph Barclay and by the laws of the time he can claim the child as his own.

Members Reviews:

great left me wanting more

Really good book with a twist in the end looking forward to the next one in the series

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Title: King Solomon's Mines

Author: H. Rider Haggard

Narrator: Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-27-16

Publisher: FNH Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Famous elephant hunter Allan Quatermain is approached by Sir Henry Curtis to help him search for his brother who disappeared in the heart of Africa.

When Allan accepts the job, little does he know that the quest for the missing man will drag him over mountains, through deserts, under ground and into the midst of a bloody war.

Members Reviews:

Thoroughly enjoyable read

I don't read novels real often and I really enjoyed this one. Written in first person from the point of view of a well traveled African guide and adventurer in the 1880s named Alan Quartermain.

He meets two English gentlemen on a ship voyage who hire him to guide him the legendary King Solomon's mines. Quartermain agrees to do so , fully expecting to not survive the arduous journey, but ensuring that his son who is attending medical school will be provided for in the event of his death.

Along the way to the mines the trio and their hired servants encounter deadly elephants, a blistering desert, unexpected deaths and an isolated tribe of Africans called Kukuanas.

It turns out one of the porters helping the expedition is actually the rightful king of this tribe and the 3 white adventurers help him regain control of his tribe while killing the current King in a brutal hand to hand combat scenario.

To show his gratefulness for regaining his kingship , Umbopa the porter/king sends them to the mines under the guide of an elderly witch woman Gagool who knows where the mines are.

The team makes it to the mines full of millions of dollars of diamonds, but are entombed inside the mine by Gagool. They spend a harrowing couple of days finding an alternate path out of the mines , return to Umbopa and head back to South Africa. On the way home they encounter the brother of one of the men who hired Quartermain, he had been missing for several years and a secondary objective of the trip was to try and find him.

This book is eminently readable, easily understood and held my attention. In fact it inspired a whole genre of books known as âLost world literary genre â

I heartily recommend this book , I think you will enjoy it.

Classic Pulp

This adventure yarn has stood the test of time. It has been made in to numerous film versions, one starring Stewart Granger and another starring Richard Chamberlain as Allen Quatermain. Some readers may only be familiar with the Quatermain character as he was portrayed by Sean Connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film (but that was an entirely different story.) The story is entertaining enough and fairly well written although one cannot confuse author, Haggard with classical authors. Still, the story is fun and packed with numerous life or death scrapes. Modern readers need to remember that this book was written long before the civil rights movement and may jar readers with racist language.

Excellent Adventure Yarn!

H. Rider Haggard lived in (what is now) South Africa from 1875 until he returned to London in 1882. He published his first novel, King Solomon's Mines in 1885, a fantastic adventure beginning in Durbin, South Africa and reaching to unexplored territories. It became an immediate best seller, and rightfully so.

The story is told in first person by Allan Quatermain, written as a manuscript for his son, though occasionally (a first novel mistake, it would seem), Quatermainaddresses "Reader", instead of his son as he does throughout most of the novel.

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Title: The Seal

Subtitle: Rosicrucian Quartet, Book 2

Author: Adriana Koulias

Narrator: James Gillies

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-27-16

Publisher: Zuriel Press Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is the year 1307 and the ancient Order of the Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon is in grave danger. The King of France and Pope Clement V are plotting its destruction and scheming to appropriate the Order's most sacred and dangerous secret.

This is taken away by Etienne de Congost, a battle-weary but incorruptible man who flees through a world in ruin, dodging plots and papal spies in a life-and-death struggle. Will he keep the secret from the evil hands of king and pope?

The outcome of Etienne's desperate journey is discovered 700 years later by a writer who visits Lockenhaus Castle in Austria to research a book on the Templars. Together with an eccentric local woman, she begins to untangle the web of destiny that binds them both to the mystery of the Seal.

Members Reviews:

A great Templar history dramatized, with wisdom.

Although not as satisfying a story as the first installment of the series, this book also had to exposit much history. One is still left with many questions, such as those topics not addressed well in the book, such as the fact the Templars had become a state within a state, with a permanent standing army, and let's not forget they introduced Europe to the banking paradigm that plagues us still. It is easy to portray them as pious or as an uncomfortable sovereign force with little accountability. It is clear the Temple lives on, but in myriad forms. I was hoping for a better transition into the RC order, which to my mind us a superior incarnation of the values as established in this book. With present history suspect, what can we know if the distant past, but through our self revelation. But I credit the book with keeping to an esoteric thread. I only wished there were more pages spent in this philosophy and the conflicts and moral ambiguity of fighting Christians. What of the Teutonic knights? Did the gold story occur as described? I also think Phillip is given more antagonist status than the Roman church itself. In the end, I do not think I was given a thorough understanding of the Templar mythos, but rather a narrative if the last days told as a passion play.

A rare gem

So many books these days have a flash-in-the-pan appeal and utilize a formula sensationalism. In 'TheSeal' Adriana brings the fruits of a lifetime of deep inner work and spiritual comsciousness to a story that is far more than just a tale. It's truths go deep and wide within the listener's soul.The narrator is ideal for this exceptional work.

Great Historical Fiction Story

Any additional comments?

If you like stories involving the Knights Templar this is a really good, well written, engaging, interesting and entertaining book. The story pulls you in and keeps you there until the end.

Although this is the 2nd in the series, I have not listened to the first book, that fact did not take away anything from the story.

The story is a fictional retelling of the downfall of the Knights Templar. Incorporating historical facts and characters into a great story. Even though you know the story and how it ends, the author brings the story to life by adding some twists and backstories to some of the mysteries surrounding individuals of the Knights Templar.

An author meets an old woman outside of Lockenhaus Castle in Austria. The old woman is much more than she seems.

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Title: Summary of Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear | Includes Analysis

Author: Instaread

Narrator: Patricia Santomasso

Format: Unabridged

Length: 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-16-16

Publisher: Instaread

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Summary of Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear | Includes Analysis

Preview:

Journey to Munich is the twelfth novel in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series. Set in 1938, the novel tells the story of private agent Maisie Dobbs's dangerous mission to Munich to recover a British citizen who has been imprisoned by Hitler's Third Reich.

Maisie has just returned to London from Spain, where she served as a nurse in the Spanish Civil War. There she tended to the wounded, losing herself in service in the wake of her husband James's death in an airplane crash. Now, Maisie must begin her life again.

On a walk around Fitzroy Square, Maisie is approached by British Secret Service agents Robert MacFarlane and Brian Huntley, who have a new mission for her. They explain that Leon Donat, an engineer, inventor, and businessman, is being held at Dachau, a prison camp near Munich. Allegedly Donat gave money to a young journalist, Ulli Bader, to help fund....

PLEASE NOTE: This is summary and analysis of the book and NOT the original book.

Inside this Instaread summary of Journey to Munich:

About the Author

With Instaread, you can get the key takeaways, summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Members Reviews:

A different view of the eve of World War 2

Back in London after serving as a nurse in the Spanish Civil War, private investigator Maisie Dobbs is asked by the government to go to Munich to arrange the release of a British citizen who has been imprisoned by the Nazis. Distraught over her husbandâs death in a plane crash, Maisie is determined to rebuild her life.

Summary of Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear by Instaread is an in depth analysis of this novel about life in Europe in 1938 on the eve of World War II. It tells the story of the runup to the war from the perspective of a woman, albeit, a woman who does not hew to the conventions of women of the period.

This is an ideal resource for busy readers who want help making purchase decisions among the multitude of new books available. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

A great analysis of a fun WWII novel

"Journey to Munich" is the twelfth novel in the Maisie Dobbs series. Set in 1938, the novel tells the story of private agent Maisie Dobbs's dangerous mission to Munich to recover a British citizen who has been imprisoned by Hitler's Third Reich. As far as historical fiction goes, this novel is captivating and thrilling, while still maintaining a historical backbone.

I really enjoyed this Instaread review of Jacqueline Winspear's novel. Instaread summarizes the story, dissects the characters, and analyzes the themes. This review gave me greater insight into the story, and gave me the talking points I needed for my book club. While I wish I had the time to read the actual novel, this summary was a great alternative. Understanding how "Journey to Munich" explores the motifs of resilience and sacrifice makes them more relatable.

Excellent companion to the full book or as a stand-alone

This is a summary of the 12th novel in Jacqueline Winspearâs Maisie Dobbs series. Normally, I prefer summaries for non-fiction titles because I like to discover a novel on my own.

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Title: The Devils of Cardona

Author: Matthew Carr

Narrator: Robertson Dean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-14-16

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 89 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In this gripping historical thriller set in 16th-century Spain, a Catholic priest is murdered by a mysterious Muslim avenger as the Inquisition continues to force Moriscos to live and worship as Christians.

In March 1584, the priest of Belamar de la Sierra, a small town in Aragon near the French border, is murdered in his own church. Most of the town's inhabitants are Moriscos, former Muslims who converted to Catholicism. Anxious to avert a violent backlash on the eve of a royal visit, an adviser to King Philip II appoints local magistrate Bernardo de Mendoza to investigate. A soldier and humanist, Mendoza doesn't always live up to the moral standards expected of court officials, but he has a reputation for incorruptibility.

From the beginning Mendoza finds almost universal hatred for the priest. And it isn't long before he's drawn into a complex and dangerous world in which greed, fanaticism, and state policy overlap. And as the killings continue, Mendoza's investigation is overshadowed by the real prospect of an ethnic and religious civil war.

By turns an involving historical thriller and a novel with parallels to our own time, The Devils of Cardona is an unexpected and compelling listen.

Members Reviews:

Great history; too much swashbuckling

Fascinating historical and geographical setting for this book. Too many battles with last minute miraculous saves, but generally really interesting way to learn about a little known time and place of Spanish history

Wow! Thanks Wall Street Journal for the Review

The story is outstanding and also very educational. One of the best period pieces I have listened to in some time. The performance was solid. Get this book.

Historical Page Turner

Carr delves into some of the important societal and political issues of 16th-century Spain in a very readable way. He also bases the events in mostly real places, so you can follow along on a map and find photos of the present-day locales. His characters and dialogue are compelling and believable.

Nice book

Accents in Spanish are all wrong and - for Spanish auditors - annoying. The main culprit is the name Lepanto which is pronounced Lepánto

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Title: Dance of Death

Subtitle: The Home Front Detective Series

Author: Edward Marston

Narrator: Gordon Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-07-16

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

London, Autumn 1916. When he slips out of a house in the early hours, Simon Wilder is too preoccupied to realise that he is being stalked. As he walks along the street, lights begin to dim as a warning that there's another Zeppelin attack. British aeroplanes attack the Zeppelin.

Suddenly, it bursts into flame and lights up the whole sky. The crowds cheer as the great fireball drops slowly down and crashes in a field but the one person unable to watch is Simon Wilder. While he is staring up at the sky, he is stabbed to death and left in an alleyway. It will prove to be a very puzzling case for Inspector Marmion and Sergeant Keedy....

Members Reviews:

Great series!

Really enjoyed this series, hope there'll be a new instalment soon! Highly recommended, be sure to try it.

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Title: Hell's Gate

Subtitle: A Thriller

Author: Bill Schutt

Narrator: David Colacci

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-07-16

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When a Japanese submarine is discovered abandoned deep in the Brazilian wilderness, a smart, adventurous, and tough zoologist must derail a catastrophic plot in Hell's Gate.

It's 1944. As war rages in Europe and the Pacific, army intel makes a shocking discovery: a 300-foot Japanese sub, marooned and empty, deep in the Brazilian interior. A team of army rangers sent to investigate has already gone missing. Now the military sends Captain R. J. MacCready, a quick-witted, brilliant, scientific jack-of-all-trades, to learn why the Japanese are there - and what they're planning.

Parachuting deep into the heart of Central Brazil, one of the most remote regions on the planet, Mac is unexpectedly reunited with his hometown friend and fellow scientist, Bob Thorne. A botanist presumed dead for years, Thorne lives peacefully with Yanni, an indigenous woman who possesses mysterious and invaluable skills. Their wisdom and expertise are nothing short of lifesaving for Mac as he sets out on a trail into the unknown.

Mac makes the arduous trek into an ancient, fog-shrouded valley hidden beneath a 2,000-foot plateau, where he learns of a diabolical Axis plot to destroy the United States and its allies. But the enemy isn't the only danger in this treacherous jungle paradise. Silently creeping from the forest, an even darker force is on the prowl, attacking at night and targeting both man and beast. Mac has to uncover the source of this emerging biological crisis and foil the enemy's plans...but will he be in time to save humanity from itself?

Members Reviews:

Listen to this book!!

I only write review if the book is special. This book is an awesome adventure!! Love the time period and the way they fit this story into that time. Has an Indiana Jones feel to it (all the good parts). Love the sci fi part with the creatures and the nazis plan. Love the adventure in the amazon which is scary enough and love the main character! Narrator is great! Glad to hear this is the first of a new series!!

Wonderful Adventure

I really enjoyed this book what an adventure it is. If your a fan of James Rollins, Matthew Reilly and Greig Beck this book is for you. I can't wait to read the next adventure of Mac & Yani. The narration was great.

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Title: The Pursuit of Pearls

Author: Jane Thynne

Narrator: Julie Teal

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-03-16

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In the enthralling sequel to The Scent of Secrets, British actress-spy Clara Vine returns, moving gracefully through the treacherous upper echelons of Nazi high society. Rife with political intrigue and authentic period details, this novel is perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Eva Stachniak.

Clara Vine, a half-Jewish Anglo-German, uses her unique access to the wealthy elite of prewar Nazi society to spy for her native Britain. In this second installment of her story, Clara, an ambitious young actress, insinuates herself into the lives of the Nazi wives through her association with the famous Ufa Studios. Her close friendship with Magda Goebbels makes her an attractive asset to the British intelligence service.

Richly weaving the historical record with lush fictional details and a tantalizing love story, a cast of real Nazis and their British admirers - such as the Mitford sisters and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor - comes to life in this series.

Members Reviews:

Excellent historical fiction

Words cannot express how wonderful this book is! Once I started The Pursuit of Pearls, I could not put it down. This is the first Clara Vine book that I have read and didnât realize it was a series until I finished it. Next, I plan to track down her earlier books and read them too.

The book opens in Berlin in 1939 on the eve of World War II. Hitler and his regime are midway through the crackdown on Jews â Kristallnacht has already occurred, and Jews are being forced out of their homes and their businesses. Nazi propaganda abounds, and many Germans, Jewish or otherwise, live in a constant state of fear. The Nazis have created a finishing school for women called The Faith and Beauty Society, the purpose of which is to churn out acceptable brides for high ranking Nazis. The story focuses on both the murder of Lottie Franke, a student at the Faith and Beauty Society, and Clara Vine, a German actress who is working for the British Intelligence Agency. As the book progresses, the two plot lines converge.

Jane Thynneâs painstaking and detailed research into the Nazi Party during this time period makes the book absolutely fascinating. I was captivated by descriptions of the various party leaders including Goebbels, Goring, and Himmler and their spouses, and the amount of dissention that existed between the various leaders. Her writing made me feel like I was transported to Berlin and Paris along with Clara. She also includes a fair amount about the German film industry at that time and interesting tidbits about the amount of effort and detail that went into sewing the numerous Nazi uniforms. The amount of day to day control exerted over the German citizens and the inability of anyone to leave Germany without a very valid excuse even in 1939 (not just Jews) was new information for me. I also learned that the Nazis were in Paris and London in 1939 cataloging the treasures in each city and then compiling a list of people who had spoken out against the Nazis so that they could be punished when Hitler took over their cities. Hitlerâs confidence in his supremacy apparently knew no bounds. Many other historical figures from that time period are included in The Pursuit of Pearls, and I found myself frequently looking them up to learn more about those individuals.

This book is one of the best books I have read in a long time.