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A Trace of Smoke (Hannah Vogel)
Product Type: Book
Product Price: $14.99
Manufacturer: Forge Books
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Description
Even though hardened crime reporter Hannah Vogel knows all too well how tough it is to survive in 1931 Berlin, she is devastated when she sees a photograph of her brother’s body posted in the Hall of the Unnamed Dead. Ernst, a cross-dressing lounge singer at a seedy nightclub, had many secrets, a never-ending list of lovers, and plenty of opportunities to get into trouble.
Hannah delves into the city’s dark underbelly to flush out his murderer, but the late night arrival of a five-year-old orphan on her doorstep complicates matters. The endearing Anton claims that Hannah is his mother and that her dead brother Ernst is his father.
As her investigations into Ernst’s murder and Anton's parentage uncover political intrigue and sex scandals in the top ranks of the rising Nazi party, Hannah fears not only for her own life, but for that of a small boy who has come to call her mother.”
Reviews
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-09-02
Summary: "Great story...great characters...page-turner, for sure!"
First time I've read a depression-era novel set in Germany and loved every page of it. You could sense the tension of each character as they interacted with the Nazis and felt the fear those encounters brought. The descriptions of the clothes, apartments, streets, etc. made it possible to believe you were there at that time and place. I look forward to the next book in this series...highly recommend this one.
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-08-10
Summary: "Introducing a Female Bernie Gunther"
This is a great debut and unabashedly Philip Kerr-like in setting, atmosphere and plot. In fact, I kept expecting Hannah Vogel to hire Bernie Gunther or at least bump into him at the Adlon. And this is not a criticism because Cantrell pays homage to Kerr's work but goes her own way too through the lead female character. It is a decent mystery and educates the reader on the excesses of the Weimar Republic (and the soon-to-be excesses of the Nazis). Using Ernst Roehm as a pivotal character to expose personal and political depravity is a fresh choice from the usual Nazi leadership figures who appear in fiction. I will definitely read the author's follow-up, A Night of Long Knives.
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-07-27
Summary: "As war approaches..."
In Rebecca Cantrell's "A Trace of Smoke", 32-year-old Hannah Vogel ekes out an existence as a crime reporter, who writes under a pseudonym for a Berlin newspaper. Occasionally, she sells a sketch or a poem. Her earnings barely cover the rent on a small flat and some meager and infrequent meals.
Like many Germans living in Berlin in the early 1930s, Hannah watches as Hitler's power grows and the Nazi Party becomes more and more aggressive in its deaadly mission to rid the country of groups of people who do not conform to its visions of a "pure" race. Ernst, Hannah's brother, an openly gay transvestite caberet singer, belongs to one of these groups. When she sees a photo of his body in the Hall of the Dead in the course of her work, Hannah vows to find out who murdered him. As she tries to deal with her grief for Ernst, work, avoid drawing the attention of the authorities, and search for a killer, Hannah finds out a number of surprising --and frightening -- things about Ernst's life. Perhaps most surprising is that her brother may have fathered a son, the six-year-old Anton, who shows up at Hannah's door claiming she is his mother.
Cantrell does a good job of describing Berlin before World War II, particularly of creating the mounting atmosphere of fear generated by Hitler's rise to power and the arrogance and unyielding self-rightousness of his followers. Some of the situations are a bit contrived, some strain credibilty, and Hannah cries a great deal, but the plot is, for the most part, interesting, as are the characters.
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-07-20
Summary: "Atmospheric historical mystery/suspense"
Few novels that I pick up hold my attention beyond the first several chapters. What a pleasure to read A TRACE OF SMOKE by Rebecca Cantrell. Ms. Cantrell sets her historical suspense/mystery in Berlin on the eve of Germany's descent into control by the Nazis. Journalist Hannah Vogel discovers that her brother, Ernst, has been murdered. Circumstances prevent her seeking the help of law enforcement officials. She becomes the sleuth to uncover the identity of her brother's killer, endangering her own life.
Cantrell's craft at creating atmosphere is amazing. I could smell the sauerkraut and fear. But what I found particularly memorable about this book was its three-dimensional treatment of Nazis and gays -- and gay Nazis :-). How easily Nazis have been depicted as faceless monsters in fiction and film. Far more difficult to show the human being beneath the brown shirt. Cantrell's Nazis won't sit easily with you. They'll challenge you to admit that anyone can get caught up in the glitter of an idea that promises a better life, then sucked into hell when the idea disintegrates. That's humanity.
I figured out early who offed Ernst. That didn't bother me. The main payoff was watching Hannah stick to her principles and navigate around the land mines of everyone's treachery and trashed dreams. Hannah Vogel v. the Nazis. A hero without a cape or karate. Hmm, maybe each of us has such courage buried inside.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-07-15
Summary: "Historical Depth in Gray"
This story manages to fit neatly into four genre categories and does it amazingly well! While reading, my imagination portrayed the story in black and white form with dashes of color, mostly red, which is significant to the gay character. This is not due to a lack of development, but rather should be taken as a compliment to the author's talent to imprint emotions into the scene without directly stating or over dramatizing. I felt a connection to each character and grew to care about them all, even the `bad' guys because their humanity coupled with history sparked a touch of sympathy. The lead character is an inspirational female, not for her overtly heroic antics, but for her ability to cope and face challenging situations. Thematically, the story builds on many levels, and for me the most convincing is the sense of bravery. Every character at some point and to some degree shows bravery and compassion, which makes this a moving and deeply human historical tale worth exploring.
I don't want to give anything away, but the ending was a bit too easy of an escape especially given the power of the foe the lead character faces. However, I am eager to read A Night of Long Knives (sequel,#2) to see where it picks up. Perhaps my questions or reservations will be answered. Please take into consideration I'm really picking to find one small flaw. I almost hate to mention it because the book was craftily constructed and I do not wish to tarnish this jewel!