The Vienna Writers Circle is a fictionalized account of Freud's circle of intellectual acquaintances during the early war years, starting in 1938 in Vienna. Released 14th Feb 2023 by HarperCollins on their MIRA imprint, it's 416 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out 1st quarter 2024 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully written, often lyrical book which nevertheless is frank and unflinching. That made it difficult to read in some places. Given the subject matter, it would be difficult for it -not- to be shocking and sad, and it is. The author, J.C. Maetis, has a deft touch with characterization and a real eye for detail in setting descriptions.

The book is written pseudonymously, presumably because the author's well known oeuvre as a writer of thrillers, and this is in a very different vein. It's fiction, and the story is written around a framework of actual historical events and characters so skillfully that it's not at all clear where real history shades over into fiction.

Four stars. This would make a good library book for acquisition. Sensitive readers should be aware that it's quite dark in places (well, obviously). For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale, and Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See, although not at all derivative, this one will have a lot of appeal.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

THE VIENNA WRITERS CIRCLE by J.C. Maetis is an incredibly intense historical fiction that kept me unnerved and on the edge of my seat through most of the book. This book is not for the faint of heart and describes scenes of man’s inhumanity to man is a stark way through the lens of two Jewish thriller writers in Vienna during WWII.

Cousins Mathias Kraemer and Johannes Namal are thriller writers and members of famed psychiatrist Sigmund Freud’s Circle; intellectuals who meet at the Mozart Café to discuss books and current ideas on a variety of topics. When the Germans annex Austria, Freud is able to leave for England, but others must find their own ways to leave the country, hide under fake identities or be rounded up and deported to a concentration camp or be executed.

Mathias and Johannes are faced with anguishing choices to protect their families and friends. With the continual pursuit of an ambitious and sadistic SS officer and the constant fear of their true identities being revealed, their writing may be what ultimately saves them.

This book is a stark look at the daily terrorism faced by these two main characters and what they did to survive. I found the story more intriguing and disturbing because it is told only through the victims’ eyes. There are not a lot of breaks from the intensity of the plot pace and I found I had to put this book down a few times, not because it is not good, but to calm down emotionally. The research is evident and the characters memorable.

I highly recommend this WWII historical fiction!

The Vienna Writer's Circle concerns friends of Sigmund Freud in Vienna who happen to be both writers and of Jewish descent in 1938, at the time when Vienna became an extension of Hitler's attempts to build his Aryan nation. Mathias and Johannes and their families try to circumvent and fly under Hitler's SS and Gestapo soldiers' radar as long as they can, going to extremes to hide their identities and protect their families. They move residences, sell property, deny their heritage, change their names, and even undergo facial reconstruction surgery to create new identities all in order to remain in Vienna as long as they can. But when one particularly persistent SS officer takes an interest in uncovering their real identities, Mathias and Johannes find themselves in impossible situations, facing the all-too-real prospect of Hitler's death camps.

I really enjoyed this book with its vivid characters and the daunting choices they face with heroism and ingenuity, employing their resources as best they can. The glimpse at Nazi-occupied Vienna is disappointing and a new view of Hitler's worldbuilding for me as, though I knew of Vienna's proximity to Germany, I was relatively ignorant of its complicity with the Reich. I read extensively about WWII and as a result find it fascinating to continue to discover things I was unaware of despite my extensive reading.

I recommend The Vienna Writers Circle for readers of WWII and Holocaust historical fiction.

The Vienna Writers Circle by J.C. Maetis is set in the WWII era but has a unique focus on a group of friends, members of Freud’s Circle, meeting at the Café Mozart to discuss their writing and ideas. It’s a turbulent time full of treachery and uncertainty, and the brutality of the Nazi party is focused on finding those in Vienna, both hidden Jews and any sympathizers and as history tells, nobody is safe from the increasing anti-jewish movement taking place.

I’m a huge fan of HF but what set this story apart was the unique take it took on a group of men, all sharp intelligent men but all with something else in common, the threat that hangs over themselves and those they love. The sheer desperation and fear is felt acutely as the story moves on, it is insidious and creeping with the ramping of tension, as I can only imagine that is what it must have felt like for them as each day passed and the threat looming closer and becoming more real.

I really can’t recommend this one enough. My thanks to @HTPBooks for this gifted DRC.

Set in Vienna at the start of WWII, this story revolves around two authors, their literary agent, and Josef Weber, a police inspector. Cousins Mathias Kraemer and Johannes Namal are Jewish and members of the Vienna Writer’s Circle, headed by Sigmond Freud and made up of his friends and acquaintances who gathered regularly at the bright and airy café to talk about books and ideas over coffee and pastries. Writings by the Circle’s members are banned giving the writers a notoriety that may condemn them.

The Gestapo is looking for all the members of Freud’s Circle. I found this to be the most interesting part of the book. People went to extreme efforts to prevent the identities of the members of the Circle from being revealed. The thought of all the photos taken by friends and family ay gatherings of the Circle caused me to gasp. Any one of those photos could condemn them.

Julian Reisner, the cousins’ literary agent, worked quietly behind the scenes getting new identities for Jews so they could either leave the country or hide in plain sight.

I enjoyed the relationship between Josef and Deya Reynes, a Romani-gypsy woman. It provided a good balance for Josef who had to pacify the occupying forces while at the same time following his conscience. He was a friend to Mathias and helped him when he could even though he risked his own safety.

This story focuses heavily upon the lives of those with mixed ancestry, the mischlings. Many of them grew up as Catholics, but since they had Jewish ancestry Hitler considered them Jews. The second half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat. Amongst the betrayals and heartbreak, hope still flourished.

Vienna 1938, the Nazis are hunting down Jews and the members of the Vienna writers circle are trying to stay alive. A different feel from other WWII books, as it is told from the points of view of this intellectual group. A definite page-turner.

The Vienna Writers Circle by J.C Maetis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, I am still a bit lost for words as I’m blown away at how well written and amazing this book was to read. The perfectly places quotes from Freud or propaganda announcements of rule changes at the start of each chapter were perfect. The characters were all interesting and relatable in different ways that it was no issues switching between perspectives. I longed to know what was going on with each of them throughout the book and everything came together perfect without being predictable.

Huge thanks to the author, @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the ARC it was fantastic

Vienna has now been annexed into Nazi Germany. This creates despair and apprehension! All the new laws really change the population’s perception. The fear and the thought process needed to get around the city changed Mathias and his family’s daily activities and actions. Every day is something they never imagined could happen in their quaint city.

I loved how the author used Freud throughout this tale. This just added to the authenticity. I also had a favorite character. I loved the policeman, Josef. He goes out of his way to help Mathias and his family on more than one occasion.

Why am I giving this 3 stars? Honestly, it is most likely me. I am definitely in a minority with my review. But, I am a bit tired of WWII. And I LOVE this time period but I have been overrun with books in this setting and I expect a certain amount of emotion to go with this type of book. I felt this book moved a bit too slow and it did not have the emotional effect I expected.

Need a different take on daily life in WWII…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Set in the titular city of Vienna in 1938, “The Vienna Writers Circle” delves into the trials and tribulations in the lives of Jewish cousins Mathias Kraemer and Johannes Namal, their literary agent Julian, and their friend and local policeman Josef. As Austrian Jews face more and more restrictions following Anschluss, Mathias and Johannes make the difficult and dangerous decision to take on new, Catholic identities for themselves and their families. Both Julian and Josef are instrumental in helping with this transition, but as the local SS close in on the identity-change ring, will both men be able to save everyone in their network?

I really enjoyed this book! The majority of WWII-era historical fiction I’ve seen come out in the past couple of years has had a female protagonist, so I found reading from the viewpoints of men to be a nice change of pace. This book explores the difficult decisions people had to face – leaving their identities and lives behind for only the hope of safety, having to choose between the lesser of two evils, and navigating the political and social climate when various parties involved have very different agendas. The character Josef reminded me a bit of Jeffery Archer’s Detective William Warwick in that he was a clever, kind, and genuine man set on doing the right thing by masterfully maneuvering his opponents.

This book has so many layers and dimensions, interesting and complicated characters, and cliffhangers that will have you saying “just one more chapter!” way past your bedtime.

A different sort of WWII story focused on cousins Mathias and Joannes, crime writers and member of Freud's circle, who happen to be Jews. While the prologue telegraphs part of what happens it's how the other members of the circle support the cousins that make this a good read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book is set in Vienna, Austria and focuses on Hitler's annexation of Austria and the subsequent extermination of Austrian Jews. However, the story provides a chronological timeline of a group of well-known intellectuals and writers who are friends, including Sigmund Freud. The story examines the impact of Anschluss on the mischlings (mixed ancestry/part Jew), Roma families, and Austrian Catholics, rather than focusing solely on Jews and the resistance.

This story follows two authors, and explores how their writing condemned them initially, but later has the potential to save them. The 2 main characters are cousins, Mathias Kraemer and Johannes Namal, both writers who form part of Freud's Circle, an intellectual discussion group of sorts. As the families of Mathias and Johannes try to survive in the dark days and keep their families out of harm's way, they are faces with unimaginable choices and decisions.

The mystery and suspense definitely builds as the story progresses. The characters are well developed and very likable. Such a gripping story!

Highly recommend!

The concept of this book sounded interesting and different from what I typically read in this genre. I loved the addition of books which were banned by the Nazis. Josef was perhaps my favorite character. Some parts felt unbelievable, even for fiction, and the ending was a bit disappointing. Sadly, I never felt an emotional connection with the characters, which is something that rarely happens when I read books such as this., and it made it hard to stay engaged.

The Vienna Writers Circle … belonging to it is a death sentence.

I’m thoroughly impressed with author J.C. Maetis’ (John Matthews) ‘The Vienna Writers Circle.’ It’s refreshingly different. Not only is it a Sigmund Freud Holocaust story, but it’s also a chronological timeline (except for the prologue), features a group of well-known intellectuals, rather than traditional resistance fighters or concentration camp experiences and examines the impact of Anschluss on the mischlings (mixed ancestry), Roma families, and Austrian Catholics rather than focusing solely on Jews.

This book follows two authors, their literary agent and a police inspector and explores how although their writing condemned them initially, it has the potential to save them.

Mathias Kraemer and Johannes Namal are crime novelists, cousins and members of Sigmund Freud’s ‘Circle,’ a group composed of writers, mathematicians, intellectuals and psychiatrists who meet to share ideas. One day when they are having coffee, SS officer Heinrich Schnabel enters the cafe with a demand that changes their lives forever.

I was immediately caught up in the tension created by the demand and my heart rate increased each time Schnabel entered a scene. He truly was a relentless man and I felt the fear. I appreciated that this tension was counter-balanced by (1) an against-all-odds romance between a police inspector and a Romani-gypsy woman and (2) an undercover identity-changing operation. The police inspector continued to walk the grey area between serving the occupying force and acknowledging his morals/obligations in upholding the law. His actions were courageous considering how much he had at stake.

I felt that the focus on the two writers added a level of humanity to the novel and loved that it was ‘words’ that saved them on more than one occasion. The simple fact of belonging to this elite group, the inner Circle, was ironic. The fame the inner circle members achieved made them targets and while their books were burned, their connections and their craft offered them options that ordinary people did have. I had never before considered that obtaining a new identity was an option…and why not?! The undercover operation and the tension it added to the story were fabulous. Finally, I appreciated Freud’s quotes introducing each chapter and the lack of spoon-feeding by the author. I loved being prompted to research countless times during this book.

While I did feel that there was a missing ingredient that I can’t put my finger on, I did note that I felt I was sitting at Cafe Mozart with the Circle members and listening while they recalled their Anschluss experiences. Having been to Cafe Mozart and another coffee house that Freud allegedly frequented, I noted the coffee house culture and the importance to the Austrian cultural heritage. This book has that feel.

Congratulations on a fantastic cover! One of the best I’ve seen.

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Maetis's The Vienna Writers Circle was not for me. At its heart, it's about the Invisibles/U-Boats/Hidden Jews of Vienna. In this case, several members of Freud's circle hide in Vienna under assumed identities all while playing cat-and-mouse with the Gestapo. The atmosphere is very limited, very claustrophobic. The characters are not necessarily painted very well. I wish I would have enjoyed it more, but I just didn't find it immersive and it's certainly not a great example of this genre.

This does a great job in telling a suspenseful historical novel, it does what I was looking for. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put the book down. The plot worked with the World War 2 setting and I thought the plot worked well. The characters felt like real people in that time-period. I can't wait to read more from J. C. Maetis as I really enjoyed this book.

"Josef shook his head. “I don’t like it. Maybe it’s time you took me up on my last offer to make a decent woman of you and you leave the club once and for all.” “Thank you, Josef.” She looked across soulfully and clasped his hand. “I love you dearly too. But I think we have to make that decision when the time is right for us—not because the Nazis are forcing us into it.”

The Vienna Writers Circle focuses on the story of two cousins in Austria during World War II. The cousins, Mathias and Johannes, write books banned by the Nazis and, ultimately, receive identity changes to protect themselves from the SS. Still, both must take drastic measures to protect themselves and their families until the war ends and the Gestapo is removed from Vienna by the Allies.

I enjoyed several of the characters in this story, especially the Viennese police officer, Josef, with whom the men are good friends (and who helps them through several difficult events). I liked reading about the cousins’ relationship, as well, and to what lengths they would go to protect one another and their families.

At the same time, however, I expected more out of this book. It seemed rather unbelievable at times, and I was a bit disappointed in the ending (which I won’t spoil for other readers, but I will say that I thought it was a bit too simple). I also think the book was missing the larger atmosphere, both of Vienna and of the concentration camps to which one of the characters is sent. Overall, I just didn’t feel a strong connection to the characters—while I liked their stories, I didn’t feel emotionally involved in their experiences.