As the novel came to an end I now have mixed feelings about this historical mystery. The book opens with an epigraph by Franz Kafka, "History is made out of the failures and heroism of each significant moment." It seemed a most appropriate choice knowing the story would relate back to WWII history and open in Prague in 1944 before a fast forward to present-day Chicago. As the story was interspersed with a quote from Carl Jung and Aristotle one felt the author's weave of knowledge and research more deeply with each transpiring chapter.

I liked the character of Ellie Foreman from her first conversation with daughter Rachel in the car on the way home from Rachel's school. Mom's thinking about the timing of preparing supper as soon as they get home before they're off to Rachel's piano lesson. Rachel on the other hand has an important question on her mind, "Have you ever had oral sex?" But Ellie is more than a devoted Mom and we learn of her resilience and depth of character as the story continues.

The story is part-history, part-mystery and intrigue, part-political thriller, part-romance, amidst the backdrop of a divorced mom trying to be the best possible mother she can be even as she learns her husband has disappeared and through no fault of her own may be a responsible party for his debt of a half million dollars. The speed of the storytelling fluctuates but held my interest in the various parts of the whole.

What caused the mixture of reactions as the book came to a close may be unfair of this reviewer but I hope with explanation will be understood. I have read extraordinary historical fiction and historical mysteries especially in the past few years. It is understood that in reading historical fiction and/or historical mysteries that the events of the book may be based on actual people and events but that some elements may be changed and particularly the author’s creativity and imagination for conversations that may have taken place during that time. One of the most appreciated feature of each of those novels has been the provision of an "Author’s Note," "Historical Note," or as part of the author’s "Acknowledgements" that has clarified specific deviations from the historical event, meeting of historical figures, etc. In the case of this novel, this specific provision is absent. I missed it and it leaves unresolved questions that would require more extensive research of my own. ( )

Book #1, in the Ellie Foreman mystery

This mystery is a blend of politics, history and suspense. It begins with an exchange between two men in Prague in 1944 and the story proceeds with the ramification to contemporary Chicago.

The main character is Ellie Foreman, a documentary filmmaker, who becomes an amateur sleuth when an old Jewish man she did not know dies and her address was found among his belongings. A string of murders and attempted murder follow and inquisitive Ellie pokes her nose into the mystery that will lead to links between Nazi war crimes and a present day politician running for office.

This debut story is very entertaining, a clever mystery puzzle that is somewhat funny. Both the multi-generational historical mystery and the political one are well- done. The author is good at putting clues and red herrings to intrigue us and to keep us on the edge of our seat, guessing and of course turning pages. The action is interesting and not overly-done: no shoot out and no graphic murders…smooth sailing….The narration and dialogue are in the everyday language. The romance needed a stronger push to get going and finally the rare sex scenes lacked enthusiasm….quite vanilla….maybe with time things will get hot… I like Ellie, she is likeable, a single mother with a deadbeat ex-husband, doing her best and she is surely entertaining….This cozy mystery is a fast read that nicely wraps up at the end. ( )

This wasn’t the first book I’ve read in the series but it is the first in the Ellie Foreman series. I’m glad I read this but you don’t have to read it to follow the others. What I did like about it is you got a better idea of the main character Ellie Foreman in this book. The author gives you a introduction to some Jewish terms which I really enjoyed and she definitely did her homework on the war. The book was filled with mystery, a little thrill and a great background of War World II. All the characters were well written and true to their being.

The story starts with the Nazi era and then comes back to present day and an unusual dealing with a stranger. The landlord of this stranger send Ellie a note stating that she had found her name in her tenants possessions. This intrigues Ellie and off she goes to discover why he had her name and what did it mean. This brings Ellie into the world of politics and crime and she discovers the past and present of the WWII era. It is a very enjoyable read and I highly recommend this one and all the others. ( )

This mixture of illicit affair, World War 2 espionage, Nazis, and Chicago politics reminiscent of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s backroom deals provides the reader with some interesting characters. The storyline is ambitious for first time author Libby Fischer Hellmann, but she wraps it all up at the end. ( )

Not a book I enjoyed at all. The plot is silly, the writing is fairly basic and the main character is unappealing. The Chicago history parts were the best part, for me, but not enough to carry an entire book. Sorry, since I hate to give negative reviews. ( )