Playing with Fire
A gripping, chilling crime suspense thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series
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4.4 • 70 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
'I defy you to read the first chapter and not singe your fingers reading all the rest. It’s that compelling. It’s that good.' David Baldacci
WHAT IF YOUR CHILD WANTED YOU DEAD?
Julia is terrified by her daughter's aggressive behaviour. Lily has changed from an angelic little girl into someone she is afraid to be alone with.
What scares Julia most, though, is that she knows why Lily is acting this way, but no-one will believe her. If she is going to help Lily, she will have to find the answers alone, embarking on a search that will take her to the shadowy back streets of Venice.
There Julia finds far more than just answers, and uncovers a heartbreaking, long-buried tale of tragedy and devastation.
And this discovery has put her in serious danger . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On a trip to Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell, the narrator of this haunting standalone from bestseller Gerritsen (The Bone Garden), buys an old music book titled Gypsy from an antique shop. Inside the book, on a loose sheet of paper, is a handwritten waltz, Incendio, by one L. Todesco. Back home in Boston, Julia plays Incendio on her violin, but doing so appears to set off a series of calamities, starting with the death of the family cat, that upset her relationships with her husband, Rob, and their three-year-old daughter, Lily. Julia subsequently travels to Venice, to try to learn more about the music and its Jewish composer, Lorenzo Todesco. Flashbacks spanning 1938 to 1944 chronicle Lorenzo's tragic story, in particular his romance with Catholic Laura Balboni, as the Fascist regime's ever harsher anti-Semitic laws tear families and friends apart. Gerritsen movingly depicts Julia's search, which has some surprising repercussions and builds to a satisfying crescendo.
Customer Reviews
Playing with fire
I have read every book by Tess, they are outstanding and this one likewise was riveting,I look for her books everywhere ,and am so thrilled when I find a new one,keep it up Tess love them all
Astonishing
Really, how does this lady write with such brilliant consistency regardless of the genre.
Having read all the rizzoli & Isles books, I had real reservations that Playing with Fire would fall short on what i had come to expect from this great author however I certainly wasn't disappointed, the skill, passionate and flair for detail was delightful and yet another triumph.well done Tess Gerritson.
From a fan living in London, UK,
Hotly anticipated new novel. I'm an avid fan, I pre-ordered Playing with Fire as soon as I heard about it. As usual, Tess Gerritsen has researched her subject thoroughly, and written a twisted psychological tale, transcending time and place. Her pen paints, plays, sings and you feel the heartache, the unrequited love, the battle of well-wishers working against the monsters of history. The composition is beautiful as it is haunting. A very talented author who takes us on several journeys - inside and outside the psyche. Extremely enjoyable. I applaud you, Madam.