I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H. Balson in exchange for an honest review. Over the years I have read all or at least most of the novels written by Ronald H. Balson. Whenever he writes a new novel I feel compelled to seek it out. The Girl from Berlin was one of my favorites. I was drawn in almost immediately. It was very hard for me to put this novel down.

The novel alternated between two time periods and settings where Balson introduced Ada, a young Jewish violin protege who lived in Berlin with her family at the beginning and during World War II and Gabi, an old Italian woman who lived on her family vineyard in 2017 near Siena in Tuscany. Gabi was being threatened by a huge conglomerate, VinCo. They were trying to prove that they were really the rightful owners of Gabi's vineyard and were trying to force Gabi to vacate her property that had been in her family for generations. Having had no success of proving VinCo wrong with the help of Italian lawyers, Gabi reached out to her nephew in the United States for help. Her nephew succeeded in convincing Catherine Lockhart and Liam Haggard to go to Italy and take his Aunt's case. With Catherine's and Liam's unrelenting digging and prying a connection between Ada and Gabi was discovered that was emotionally heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.

This is a novel that should not be missed. It was one of my favorites this year. I can't stop talking about it. It left such an impact on me. This is definitely one of Ronald H. Balson's best books. I highly recommend it..

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Girl from Berlin is the 5th book in a series with the characters of Catherine Lockhart, a lawyer, and Liam Taggart, a private investigator. Readers need not be concerned if they are unfamiliar with the series since these two characters are rather minor figures in this novel. They serve as a investigatory thread from the horrific events of World War II to the lush vineyards of present-day Tuscany.

Elderly Gabi is threatened with eviction from her vineyard and home by a powerful corporation that claims ownership of the land. Acquainted with Gabi's nephew in America, Catherine and Liam travel to Italy to help. They have no illusions that they will be successful since local lawyers were already defeated, they don't speak Italian, and they don't really know the Italian system of jurisprudence. Incomplete property records only compound the problem.

A translated memoir from Ada Baumgarten might be the only first-person account of the history of the very valuable real estate that Gabi claims to own. Excerpts from the memoir are actually the vast majority of the book. Ada, the daughter of a well-known musician and his wife, is a very talented young Jewish violinist, growing up in Berlin when the threats of Nazism are on the upswing. Her major focus, however, is her musical career. Females, not matter how extraordinarily talented, are not welcome as members of any prestigious orchestra. Her exceptional aptitude shines through and she is able to secure limited showcases for her work. At times her expertise protects her from the ravages of the Nazi extremism but it also hinders her ability and willingness to escape to a less dangerous environment. Her parents, specifically her father, believe the commitments made to an orchestra are critical and therefore plans to leave Germany are always in the future. Ada and her mother depart for Italy simply because Ada secures a one year contract in Bologna substituting for a violinist on leave.

Balson captures the sweet naivete of the young violinist while describing her connection to the music she plays. As the Nazis gain power and take on the world, Ada clings to her violin and the music. Of course, no one is truly safe from the vitriol and violence of the Nazi regime. Italy might be safer that Germany but it is not safe for Jews. Ada and her family are caught up in the nightmare of war.

Gabi's connection to Ada is at first unclear since Gabi would have been a very young child during World War II. Balson slowly reveals that connection while clearly demonstrating the long-term waves of greed and evil that Nazism let loose in Europe.

It was a nice read though it is not one of my favorite WWII novels. Narrated from two different periods: the past (during the war) and the now (present day) and by several points of view.

The past told in the form of memory is written in a beautiful way, involving classical music during the war, however, explaining interesting historical details. On the other hand, in my opinion, the present could have had a more elaborate and interesting plot, I think the author could have made the plot more striking and could have created characters with which you could identify yourself better, I could not connect with any of them, They lacked the depth of emotions that characterize dramatic events.

Overall, it was a pleasant and quick read.

Thank you to St. Martin Press and NetGalley who provided me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. #TheGirlfromBerlin #NetGalley

Liam and Catherine are persuaded by an old friend to help his aunt in Italy keep ownership of her home as an unscrupulous and powerful landowner attempts a takeover. They are given an old manuscript to read translated from German as they embark on their flight. Catherine begins to read, captivated from the start.

This is the diary of Ada Baumgarten, a child Jewish prodigy violin player from Berlin who begins her story as Hitler’s power and control is rising. Ada becomes entangled in the politics and horrors of what’s to come, how they relate to her family, her patrons, and a special person named Kurt. I truly cared for the characters Ada and Kurt. Their resiliency, loyalty and bravery are masterfully portrayed by the author. A great choice for historical fiction fans.

*will post in online venues upon publication.

I am a sucker for dual period historical fiction which made this one another ooops this is a book in a series but I loved the author's "Once We Were Brothers" so requested it. I now want to read all of the books with Liam and Catherine (who was in Once We Were Brothers so now I must re-read). Catherine is a lawyer and her husband a private investigator and an old family friend needs help with his family in Italy. World War II and present day throughout the book. Some of the characters are linked to both times via bloodlines or shady companies. Reading how they all tie together was helped by Mr. Balson's writing skills.
I knocked it down a star as I felt some of the language used in the 'memoirs' Catherine reads was too modern for the timeframe the memoirs were written.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!!

Ronald Balson is one of my favorite authors. As soon as I saw his newest book The Girl From Berlin being offered for advance reading, I requested it right away. It is always hard to find the right words to describe my feelngs about a Ronald Balson book. "Enjoy" doesn't seem an appropriate word to use when talking about the horrific events that took place in Europe during WWII. The Girl From Berlin is about a musical prodigy from Berlin named Ada. But that is just one part of the story. Balson goes back and forth between Ada's story and the story of an old woman named Gabi. Balson's characters from his previous works Catherine and Liam are brought in to sort out a problem Gabi is having with her land/ vineyard in Italy. Somehow Gabi's story and Ada's story are related, but how? When I read a book by Ronald Balson I do realize I am reading historical fiction but he does such a good job at research and mixing it with his story lines, I feel like I am learning about history. Even though it may not be the right or appropriate word, I really do enjoy Balson's work. I couldn't put down The Girl From Berlin. My friends and family are eagerly awaiting the publishing date so they can read it. I have already pre-ordered the Kindle version for my dad and the hardcover for my mom.

Liam and Catherine go to Italy in this dual time line historical novel featuring Ada (in the historical part of it.). Ada was, to put it mildly, naive about the rise of Nazis in Germany-she, and her family- thought that music would bestow an exemption from the horrors. Not. She moves to Italy where things aren't much better. The modern part of this involves Gabi's claim on a plot of grapes which a corporation plans to take. Liam and Catherine swoop in to investigate and solve the mysteries and resolve the land dispute. They are, as always, well written. The story is not a new one and sensitive readers might find there is a bit more of a political undertone than one generally gets in a novel like this but give Balson his due and note that this was reality in Germany. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Ronald Balson does not disappoint. He is one of the best storytellers. Fascinating storyline, steeped with historical facts. The story flows seamlessly and keeps your attention to where I could not put the book down. Writes in a way that keeps the mystery building. I could not have even guessed the ending.

A wonderful story told mostly through a girl's life growing up in Berlin when Hitler was coming into power. You will fall in love with this amazing character. The characters come alive through the author's story telling. You will not be able to put it down.

Wow, I really liked this book. Keep me turning page after page wanting to solve the mystery. I will say the parts of the book set during pre-war in Germany and Italy were my favorite over the current time line. The story set during WWII will tug at your heart.
I will look forward to more books from this author. I give this book a very strong 4 stars, really 4. 5 stars.

I'm at the point where I will basically read everything Ronald H. Balson writes because it's SO good. He's definitely one of my favorite historical fiction writers. The past/present format is done so well, and the mystery sucked me in pretty quickly. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful. If you're a World War II historical fiction fan, you need to read this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
As always, Ronald Balson has written a wonderful historical novel about WWII.
This time he deals with property taken by the Nazis who changed ownership titles so that the property will be inherited by their future generations. An interesting turn of events twists and turns but ultimately, justice is served.

This was a delightful and fun read, although not one of my favorites WWII-related novels. What I really liked is the alternation between the present day story, where Liam & Catherine are trying to fight a multi-million dollars corporation and prevent it from throwing the old lady Gabi out of her familial house and vineyards, and the WWII-memoir that Gabi asked Liam & Catherine to read.

The investigative & crime related part of this novel (the present day story), was a bit weak in my opinion and could have been better elaborated and made more exciting. However, the WWII memoir was beautiful (as I am a big fan of classical music) and heartwrenching (which is what is usually expected in a WWII story), but still it lacked something... At first, I couldn't figure out what was missing. But after thinking about it a bit, I figured out that the emotions were vague, and lacked the depth of emotion that characterizes dramatic events (for example, the death of a close person). I would've enjoyed the story better if the emotions and feels were more intense and believable, maybe it's just me.

Overall, I would say that is an enjoyable read, but not the kind that stays with you for a long time. I moved on after 10 seconds.

3.5 / 5.

I'm a bit torn on how to rate this book. While I thoroughly enjoyed the parallel story of present time and 1930's -40's Germany and Italy some of the dialogue was a little bit irritating. I found Liam a bit annoying. I also didn't appreciate the author trying to draw parallels between Trump and Hitler. Make Germany great again etc.. and I'm not even an American. On the positive, this story did draw me in and I enjoyed it for the most part. 3.5 stars

3.5 stars, rou
I've always enjoyed historical fiction for the ability to learn something while enjoying a good story. Balson’s books combine modern day mysteries with historical fiction.

This book concerns a real estate title issue in Italy. An old woman is being thrown off her property having been told her claim to the land is invalid. The historical story deals with a young Jewish girl in the years leading up to and during WWII. Ada, the young Jewish girl is a gifted violinist. Her talents are such that she manages to be exempt from many of the restrictions placed on Jews, first in Germany and then in Italy.

Again, I’m never sure if I’m seeing parallels where there are none. But reading about how the economy and populism rebounded under Hitler was chilling. “No one wanted to openly admit they condoned nazification. In general, even among adults, Hitler’s hateful rhetoric was discounted as bluster, as if to say, ‘I don’t believe in all that Nazi ideology, but you must admit, Germany’s economy is doing much better economically’.” And it gets worse with time. Again, the greater sin was the acceptance of all the hate. “Everyone is always sorry.”

The weakness is the current story. The Italian lawyers aren’t the only thing that “stink like a dead fish”. I just couldn’t believe the machinations of VinCo and the whole evil conspiracy theory. Luckily, the majority of the book is Ada’s story and I found this part very strong.

Balson’s writing isn’t lush or magical. He tells the story in a straight forward basis. I realized all my highlights were facts I found interesting, not writing I found special. Still, I did lots of highlighting and felt I learned a lot by reading this book.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.


nded up

The Girl from Berlin is one of my favorite books of 2018. I feel lucky to have been able to read an early copy of it. Mr. Balson writes about such an important part of the word’s history, the law, and about the arts (which are personally important to me) and puts it all together in an amazing tale.

The story is told during current times from an attorney’s point of view, and from the 1930’s through a manuscript written by Ada, a female professional violinist’s point of view. Catherine (the attorney) and Liam (her husband) follow a trail of evidence taking them from Chicago to a beautiful vineyard in Pienza, Italy. This is a sad, beautiful, twisty turning story that I could not put down. I highly recommend this book.

This is the second Balson book that I've read and I loved it. He has a great talent for weaving the history of the Holocaust in with things from today. I love his characters, as they are all well developed. The story flowed well, and even though it jumped back and forth it was easy to keep track of each storyline. I highly recommend this book.

This is the second book of this series written by Ronald Balson that I have read....and while they are in a series, each book was a great stand alone read. (I have every intention of reading the others!). The book follows the husband and wife team of Liam and Catherine, the PI and the lawyer. They have been asked to travel to Italy to help a woman named Gibriella Vincenzo (Aunt Gabi) save her vineyard from a company who wants to take over her land and is questioning her legal ownership of the land.

To find the truth, the couple must read a memoir that Aunt Gabi gives to them to read, telling them they will find the truth in the story. The story takes the readers back to WWII and follows the life of a young Jewish woman and her family. Ada Baumgarten is a very talented violinist and she and her father both play important parts in the music of Berlin. Her story takes us through the highs and the lows of the chaos of the times.

The book takes the readers back and forth through the timelines of WWi and their current dilemma and drama in fighting to maintain the rights of the vineyard while trying to find the secret the memoir is holding. Sometimes books that flash back and forth in timelines can easily lose the reader’s interest, but this did not. One timeline was just as interesting to follow as the other. The way it leads to a surprising result kept me wanting to read it at every opportunity I found! I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to others. I received an ARC copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review, which this is.

While this is the fifth book in a series, I read it as a stand alone and didn’t feel lost. This was a great historical fiction book that spanned decades and went back and forth between times.
I enjoyed this book a lot !

I was approached by the publisher to review The Girl From Berlin because I reviewed Karolina's Twins, the third volume in the Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart legal thriller series. The Girl From Berlin is #5 in the same series. I received a free copy for review from the publisher via Net Galley.

In most dual period books, I prefer one of the narratives more than the other, but in the Ronald Balson Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart I've read books both continuities feel equally exciting and significant.


The Girl From Berlin has a contemporary story line that focuses on an elderly woman with an award winning vineyard in Tuscany who is being outmaneuvered legally by a large corporation that wants her land. I was definitely rooting for Gabriella Vincenzo to get justice. There is also a mystery in Gabriella's history and the history of her estate's ownership. That's where the memoir of musician Ada Baumgarten comes in. We eventually learn about the connection between Gabriella and a German Jewish violinist. We also discover the truth about the struggle over this Italian vineyard through the mesmerizing story that Ada tells about her life.


At its heart The Girl From Berlin is about strong women. It's about Gabriella Vincenzo who refuses to surrender her land. It's about two equally determined woman lawyers--one of whom is Catherine Lockhart. The other is the Italian lawyer who is found to represent Gabriella in court. Then there is the magnificent Ada Baumgarten whose talent was regarded so highly that she received standing ovations in Hitler's Germany. Yet Ada had Nazi enemies that threatened her survival. She remains in jeopardy during the climax of the World War II portion of her narrative. Finding out what happened to Ada kept me at the edge of my seat through horrific dangers and amazing triumphs over adversity.


There were also courageous men who played supportive roles in the lives of these women. Mentioning all of them would be too much of a spoiler, but I have to give plaudits to at least one. As a PI who is Catherine's husband, Liam Taggart is the ongoing male protagonist of the series. Liam and Catherine worked as a team in this novel. He did whatever was necessary to bring the Gabriella Vincenzo case to a successful conclusion.


The historical story line about Ada Baumgarten was intense, and I found her musical achievements inspiring. At the end of the contemporary narrative, I wanted to applaud. You will not want to miss out on reading The Girl From Berlin.