Libby Fischer HellmannReviews

Barbara Adams, head of the Windbrook Library in suburban Chicago, has died, apparently from a fall down the stairs to the library's basement. But when Julia Fairbanks, her closest friend's daughter starts to poke around, she finds troubling emails that indicate Barbara was not the victim of a heart attack, but a vicious killer instead. Can Julia find the murderer? Or will she end up on The Last Page? This breezy mystery is a novella, approx. 20,000 words. It also includes two short stories by the authors, both from the acclaimed crime fiction anthology, CHICAGO BLUES.

This story has been told often: Hitler becomes stronger and bolder, creeping across Europe and destroying everything in his path, starting in Germany. Nobody believes it at first, because it is unbelievable and because it happens bit by bit, step by step. Suddenly the Jews (and other undesirables, anyone in the way of Hitler’s perfect world) realize they haven’t only been marginalized, they’ve been pushed aside, pushed away, unfathomably harshly dealt with, found unworthy of the basic necessities of life itself - discarded. Yes, we’ve heard this story before, but it never loses its potency. And in the always strong, capable, and excellent hands of author Libby Fischer Hellmann it comes fully alive and feels personal and unique.

WW2 is Hellmann’s forte. In Max’s War she perfectly captures the befuddlement of the German Jews. This cannot be happening to them. They are Germans. Good Germans. They contribute to society. They run businesses. They perform their civic duties. They are good citizens. So they are unwilling and unable to accept what is right before them, what is happening to them, even though it’s obvious and the end is inevitable. They search far too long for an explanation, for a way to fix this, to belong once again when it’s now apparent that that will never happen again.

Max’s mother wants the family to leave Germany and go to America as soon as the persecution starts, even securing papers for them so they can travel. But his father believes she’s overreacting, that the current state of the nation can’t last much longer and things will return to normal. Meanwhile, little by little they are shunned by old friends, lose business and Max is forced to change schools. It’s not until his father is arrested and imprisoned for a time that he finally agrees they must leave their home. America is no longer an option, so they resettle in Holland. His close friend and first love Renée and her family have already emigrated to Shanghai.

Things are good in Holland for a while. Max’s father is back in business, his mother is active in women’s groups, and Max makes friends at school. He misses Renée but it seems that was not meant to be. He meets Annaliese and once again his heart is full. But Hitler’s march stops for no one, and Holland is in his path. Max joins the resistance and vows he and Annaliese will use those papers he mother obtained years ago and go to America. But disaster strikes and Max barely escapes. His parents refuse to leave, citing his father’s illness as the reason. Max finds himself in Chicago with family and tries to make a life for himself as a mechanic. When Max learns of his parents’ deaths in Holland at the hands of the Nazis, he enlists in the US Army, determined to do whatever he can to stop this insanity. What has to this point been a heartbreaking story of one family’s struggle now becomes even more intense and fascinating thanks to author Hellmann’s meticulous research and attention to detail.

After basic training Max is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence and becomes a “Ritchie Boy.” The Ritchie Boys were a special collection of soldiers, with sizable numbers of German-Austrian recruits, who were used primarily for interrogation of prisoners on the front lines and counterintelligence in Europe because of their knowledge of the German language and culture. As a Ritchie Boy Max makes a difference many times over.

The story follows Max through the end of the war and his return to Germany in his work for the Americans in the German denazification program. How will that feel? Will anyone he knew as that young boy who left years ago still be there? Still be alive? Will it feel like home, or is his home – and heart – now in America?

Max’s War is a stunning portrayal of the horror, struggles, danger and despair for all those good souls who suffered and were victimized. And it is also the story of the perseverance and determination of a young boy who becomes a strong, determined man. I was completely drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down. I recommend it without hesitation. Libby Fischer Hellmann is always a disciplined, excellent, satisfying author and Max’s War is a brilliant example of that. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Your Sweet Man, my nineteenth (short) read/ listen from author Libby Fischer Hellman. I was given a book by the author and after having read it I decided to read more by this author & then another & another &... I'm glad I did. James Lewis’s talented narration adds to the enjoyment of the book. I was given an Audible copy of this book & I’m voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

The Day Miriam Hirsch Disappeared (Ellie Foreman 0.5), my 11th read from author Libby Fischer Hellman & the short prequel to the Ellie Foreman series. That’s it, no more spoilers from me though I can see more about this character in the future. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

I've read several books by author Libby Fischer Hellman and enjoyed them all. This book does not disappoint, although the second story is superior to the first. I'll continue to read stories from this excellent author!

WHAT'S DOUBLEBLIND ABOUT?
I'm going to appropriate the description from Hellman's website so I don't slip up and say something she wouldn't like me to reveal about the plot.

With little work during the pandemic, Chicago PI Georgia Davis agrees to help the best friend of fellow sleuth, Ellie Foreman. Susan Siler’s aunt died suddenly after her Covid booster, and Susan’s distraught mother wants the death investigated.

However, Georgia’s investigation is interrupted by a family trip to Nauvoo, Illinois, the one-time Mormon heartland. It’s there that her life unexpectedly intersects with the runaway spouse of a Mormon Fundamentalist. Back in Evanston, after Georgia is almost killed by a hit and run driver, she discovers that she and the escaped woman look remarkably alike.

Is someone trying to kill Georgia because of her death investigation case? Or is it a case of mistaken identity? And how can Georgia find her doppelganger before whoever wants them both dead tries again?

THE VACCINATION STORYLINE
I'm going to end up saying this at least a couple of times, but I thought it was a risky move to make the cornerstone of this novel a death that occurs right after the character receives a COVID-vaccination booster. It's risky enough to try to get readers to invest in a COVID-era novel, but to center your plot on it—particularly vaccines right now? Hats off to her.

What's more, there were a couple of times where I wondered if Hellman was on the verge of coming out pretty strongly anti-vaccination and other times I thought she was in danger of preaching the other direction—in the end, neither was true. There's enough for everyone to like the way Georgia opines (and enough for everyone to dislike it, too). For Hellman's sake, I hope her readers remember the views that are expressed by a fictional character do not necessarily match that of the author.

I thought the story wrapped up nicely, but I wish we'd gotten a little more time with it (and less of the Doppelgänger story).

THE DOPPLEGÄNGER STORY
I'm of two minds about this storyline—I got really invested in Georgia's doppelgänger. I'm not sure Hellman did the best job of depicting her story, but I really couldn't get into everything surrounding her story—the reactions of those she left behind, Georgia's involvement, the law enforcement angle...none of it seemed right.

If it stayed as a B-Plot to the Vaccine story, rather than taking over the book, I might have been better. If there'd been more nuance to the depiction of her husband—I'm not saying make him less of a clear-cut villain, just be more subtle about it's shown.

INFODUMPS
Given the subject matter of the two storylines, a lot of research had to be done to make the details believable—and a good deal of the product of that research needed to be delivered to the readers, too. The trick comes in how that product is delivered. Hellman gets it right with one storyline, and less-right with the other.

When it comes to the vaccination storyline, Georgia has to dig in and find out more about the transportation of the vaccines and how things are supposed to go if there's a problem with a patient post-vaccination. As Georgia does that research early on in the investigation, she has to think about what she learned and process it—this gives Hellman an opportunity to get that information in front of the readers in an organic way—even if it is an infodump.

On the other hand, Georgia and another character or two (being purposefully vague) need to be given information about Fundamentalist LDS culture and practices. Which results in some awkward infodumps—one that's so far beyond awkward and ill-timed that I couldn't suspend disbelief enough to handle the scene.

I've often heard authors in interviews talk about the temptation to use all their research in a novel, because it's just so interesting. The infodumps about the Fundamentalist LDS felt like Hellman just had to share everything she learned.* Giving us the information in a smoother fashion, and only what was needed (at least explicitly, she could've alluded to more) would've worked better for the flow of the story—and might have provoked the reader to go read more on their own.

* "Felt like" is the key term there, she clearly could've gone more in-depth, but in the moment it seemed like she left it all on the page.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT DOUBLEBLIND?
There's some really strong storytelling at work here, with characters that Hellman's clearly spent a lot of time crafting over the previous five novels.

I had some issues with some of the mechanics of writing—I thought that some of the dialogue needed another editing pass or two, some of it is best described as "clunky." Not all of it—but enough that it stood out as a problem. The pacing could've been tighter in spots, there are the above comments about the infodumps (for both good and ill) and I don't think Hellman prioritized the stronger storyline as she ought to have. Those detracted from and diluted the storytelling and characters—but not to the extent I wasn't entertained by the novel or intrigued by the stories.

I'll say it again, the way she incorporated COVID-19, the restrictions, and vaccinations was a gutsy move. I'm not wholly convinced it was the best way to approach it, but it was a pretty successful effort, and a nicely calculated risk.

Would I recommend this? Yeah, I would—maybe with a few reservations, but I don't think they're important enough to make me wave off a potential reader. Am I going to read Georgia Davis #7? I think it's likely, I'm curious to see how Georgia moves from this point.

Georgia Davis is an intriguing character with a lot to commend her to your attention. Hellman's a solid storyteller. That's a combination I'm glad to recommend.

I thought that this book was really good! I have had this book on my tbr list forever so when I saw that it was available at my local library, I moved it to the top of the pile. I was hooked by the story from the start and it held my interest until the very end. This is the fifth book in the Ellie Forman series but I read it as a stand-alone which worked perfectly fine. Of course, I do want to go back and read all of the earlier books from the series now that I have read this book.

I liked Ellie from the start. I don’t know that I would have dug into things quite as she did but I sure enjoyed watching her try to figure out exactly what was going on. Ellie is hired to produce a video for an aviation company. She thinks that the project is going well so she is caught off guard when one of the company’s vice presidents gets it canceled. Ellie is suspicious and wants to know why there is a sudden change in attitude so sets up a meeting with a man that she thinks might know more but when he is killed on the way to their meeting, she realizes that things may be more involved than she first thought.

This book was exciting. I had fun watching Ellie fit all of the pieces of the puzzle together as she worked to solve this mystery. Things did get pretty dangerous a few times during the story and I worried about the safety of Ellie and the people close to her. Ellie has a great support system and seems to be able to connect with the right people to solve the case. The mystery was quite complex and kept me guessing until the end.

Nan McNamara did a great job with the narration of this book. I believe that this is the first time that I have had the chance to listen to this narrator and I was very impressed. I thought that her voice was perfect for this story and I loved the way that she brought Ellie to life. I thought that she added a lot of excitement to the story through her reading.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done mystery with characters that I enjoyed. I am looking forward to reading the earlier books in this series just as soon as I get the chance.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Poison Pen Press via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

Georgia Davis, former cop, now Chicago PI, hasn't had much work during the pandemic. So she's got less reason to hesitate than she might otherwise have had, when Ellie Forman asks her to look into the death of her best friend Susan Siler's aunt. Why would she hesitate? Susan's aunt died almost immediately after getting a covid vaccine shot, and so did another elderly recipient, a man, at the same vaccine site at the same time. The two unfortunate dead have no other connection. A previously undetected, fatal risk associated with the vaccine seems wildly unlikely, especially considering that Susan's aunt had received the first shot without incident. Yet it also seems unlikely that anyone targeted Susan's aunt and this unrelated man. Georgia starts by checking out the doctor and the hospital running that clinic, and finds that the doctor and his wife have abruptly left Chicago. She turns to trying to track down not just the source of the vaccine but the specific lot used for the shots that killed two recipients. Georgia runs into roadblocks there, too, and has to turn some of her questions over to people who can dig deep into the relevant databases.

In the meantime, her mother, JoBeth, wants to take her and Vanna on a weekend trip, and Georgia reluctantly agrees. It's on this trip, during a stop in a small town, that Georgia encounters what will be the other problem that complicates her life in this story.

The reader has already been introduced to this other thread of trouble. In alternating chapters, Eden Christansen has been telling her story, of her life as the wife of Porter Christensen, a leader of the fundamentalist Mormon community in this small town. She has three children, but she's also abused, and has come to the conclusion she needs to disappear, even if it means leaving her children behind for a while, or Porter is going to kill her.

As it happens, Eden and Georgia resemble each other rather strongly.

Some people in the small town, Navoo, think Georgia is Eden. But Georgia also makes a visit to the plant where the vaccine is being manufactured, in her attempt find out how she can track the correct lot number. She has some angry encounters, there, too. When she returns to Chicago, and starts to have near-fatal accidents, the first serious question is, who is behind it?

What follows is a complex and exciting chase for not one but two answers, and sets of villains. It's a great read, with characters who have depth and complexity, and very enjoyable and satisfying.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and are reviewing it voluntarily.

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.

Another great read in the Ellie Foreman Series where once again Ellie is thrown for a loop when she gets a package delivered to her door and she gets involved with a video of an unknown young woman's murder and the police chose not to get involved. One thing that Ellie can not do is not try to help solve the name of the unknown woman. I did not read the first two books of the series, but had no trouble with keeping up!

After their village is burned to the ground by American soldiers, sisters Mai and Tam escape down the Mekong river. In Saigon, Tam finds work in a restaurant, while Mai Mai becomes a bar girl, flirting and drinking with American soldiers. Disgusted, Tam parts ways with Mai and ends up training and fighting with the Viet Cong.

This felt very much like an Americanized story. I enjoyed the story itself, and reading about the two different paths, but somehow the book lacked authenticity. Mai and Tam felt very western. Overall, a bust.

I’ve read books by this author before and have always enjoyed he books. They were mostly thriller/mystery type books which are my favorite. I thought I would read this even though it was a little different for me. I’m very glad I read it. What an interesting read about two Vietnamese sisters who are the only members of their family that survive after their entire village was destroyed. The sister’s take different paths in their lives but it’s amazing how they both went through so much along the way and became very strong women. The author describes everything very clearly and you feel like you are right there. I learned a lot about this horrible time in history and glad I read it. Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone and I’m glad I did. I highly recommend this book for everyone to read. The author did an exceptional job of reminding us what was happening in our world during the 1960’s.

After I told the author I would read this book, I asked myself what I had gotten myself into. This isn't my usual genre and I figured it would be a DNF. Boy, was I wrong! I stayed up till 4AM finishing it. This book grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go . You live the life these girls live. You are there with them when their village is massacred, as they escape to Saigon and as they try to survive this awful war. I was a college student during the Vietnam years. I didn't think we should be there but I wasn't an activist. Like much of the American public we believed what our government told us back then. We see the war from their side in this book. Mai, the youngest daughter at 14, is a typical teenager who wants love and marriage and babies. Tam, 17 was the scholar who wanted to study botany, listened to radio broadcasts with her father and came to share his views in favor of the North. Think back to when you were 14-17. Can you imagine living in a hut in a tiny village, seeing your family murdered right in front of you, traveling down a river in a tiny boat to reach Saigon, living in a tent city, and doing whatever you had to just to survive? This book will give you a new perspective on the Vietnamese people. It is fiction but it is well researched fiction. It is powerful, descriptive fiction that will stay with you. It is the best book I have read in a long time. Thank you Libby Fischer Hellman for asking me to read this. I wish I could give it 10 star

I guess that Bend in the Road may be offensive to some that fought in the war that wasn't declared a war with so many horrors to both the Americans's forces, the affected families, and the minds of two teenager girls who found there was no family nor friends left in the village that they had called home. While Mai three years younger than her older sister only thought of her looks and marrying a wealthy son in their village, Tam wanted to go to college to study botany, she found herself the sole responsibility of her younger sister. There was nothing left of use in their village, and Tam had heard the Americans say which way they were going so she led her sister the opposite way toward Saigon. They were unaware that their lust to always be right, as girls will scrabble would take them in different directions. As the war goes on will they be reunited?

I received a copy of this book for review. I wasn't too sure about the whole high-tech thing but I was very pleasantly surprised. This book shows how easy identity theft and computer hacking can be in this day and age.
A momentary lapse of procedure by bank employee Rachel Foreman leads to identity theft. Pamela Cannon is the CEO of a drug company on the verge of a breakthrough in Alzheimer's. Not only is her identity stolen but a former employee is murdered and the murder is blamed on her. Rachel's mother Ellie, an investigator introduced by the author in her own series which I have not yet read, introduces Rachel to computer whiz Zach and they become involved in this case. Enter the FBI and we have some really high tech hacking. It's amazing what can be done with the proper software.
I don't want to ruin anything for the reader. The book moves fast with unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed the characters. I look forward to reading more of this series and the Ellie Foreman series.

MY GOD, TALK ABOUT GLUED TO MY SEAT AND RAPIDLY READING! It started when a CEO of a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company identity was brazenly stolen and her bank account hacked, bank manager, Rachael Foreman, was duped into opening another credit card account for CEO Pamela Conner and she wondered why a woman of her means needed another one. Rachel was fired, her reputation now ruined she went home to find her mom there. Ellie knew she needed to help her daughter and she called in favors, now mom and daughter are hell bent to find answers! Between dodging bad guys and figuring out the end game, this book kept me HIGHLY entertained!

This is a prequel to another book. Set in late 1930's, early 1940's Germany. The story captivates you and makes you want to know what is going to happen to everyone. Will definitely have to read the next book.

I'm not a big fan of short stories and this collection didn't change my mind. The stories were good and it was nice to read several authors I haven't tried yet. I will try reading their full length stories now that I've tasted their writing but I guess I'd rather have the whole cow than just a little bite of beef. LOL!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love this series! It's fairly fast paced, very interesting and actually funny at times. Love the characters and was happy to see a little more of Georgia's half-sister, Savannah. Wonder if their mom liked Georgia (the state, not the daughter) for some reason. Also happy to see a little romance for Georgia too. Really good read!
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

This book contains 2 novellas and a short story. I'm not a big reader of short stories but enjoyed all of this. All were set in Chicago area during WWII and were very interesting. I read a lot about that time period but mostly set overseas. These were good because they dealt with American citizens along with immigrants and POW's. Haven't really read a lot about that and it definitely piqued my interest. I had read about the Japanese internment camps in the States but didn't know that we also had camps all over the States for German POW's. There was some romance in the stories but more suspense. All in all a really good read!

I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

This is my first Ellie Foreman book and I loved it! I'll have to go back and read the earlier ones. This was a really good thriller with lots of action. Makes you a little wary of all of the government agencies that deal with terrorism, military issues etc. and how big all of that is becoming. Very interesting too with the election coming up because it makes you question who is best equipped to handle all of the issues we have now. Good job!
I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! I was given an ARC copy for an honest review and I'm glad I read it! I haven't read any of this series before but I will be going back to read the earlier books.

Georgia Davis is a former cop turned PI. She gets a note claiming it's from her sister who is pregnant. Georgia doesn't know she has a sister but she's determined to find out. Her journey takes her to small towns, Russian mobs, crooked doctors etc. It is a wild ride for sure but in the end, it's all worth it.

You really get to know Georgia and care about her and you have to root for her sister because she's so young and naive and has such a hard life.
Of course, there's romance and you have to hope that Georgia can learn to open up and keep the relationship going. But I guess we'll have to wait for the next book in the series to find out. Can't wait!!

Reading WWII books are hard for me. Sophie's Choice swore me off of any more WWII books many years ago. But what to do when one of your favorite authors writes a collection of short stories on this topic?? Read them, of course. LFH has breathed new life into stories of this era. The collection is not so much about the war as it is about people caught up in a tumultuous time: their hopes, motivations, decisions, desires, situation, maturity, and influences. This is a timeless examination of human behavior in extraordinary circumstances, but particularly and uncomfortably relevant in current times.

I loved the novella format for this story. Hellman manages to include great character development and a suspenseful, twisting plot in a compact book that reads in one sitting! I also loved the historical aspects that make this historical fiction and suspense all in one.

Note: While this is labeled as Book #3 of the series, it really is set before Book #1 and can be read as a stand alone novel.

This is a clever serial killer mystery. The Feldman development site seems to be central to the story, but us readers know a little more than the detectives. The story has flashbacks to when houses were just going up on the Feldman site, showing us how families put their dreams into being home owners. At first the bodies don’t seem to be connected, but as Georgia and Detective Matt Singer dig into each one, similarities become apparent.

Singer and his partner Detective Sargent John Stone make a good team. But Matt has some personal issues. First, he’s in a relationship with Georgia, which is against department regulations. That double standard rears it’s ugly head and Georgia pays the price. Then he’s helping out a potential victim of the serial killer, Vicky Feldman (daughter of the Feldman who created the housing complex).

While I really enjoyed the plot, the characters fell a little flat for me. Matt is a wishwashy guy who can’t decide what he wants in a relationship. Georgia is drowning in self-pity and alcohol. Stone is interesting but we get so little of him. Ricky starts off as a capable business woman but later huffs off in anger, putting several people in danger.

The ending is full of suspense and action. The story revealed the motivations of the killer in such a way that I did sympathize with them in many ways. It was an excellent wrap up of the murder mystery. I did want a bit more from Georgia, showing us clearly how she went from being that drunken sorry sot to the competent PI we know and love. 4/5 stars

The Narration: Beth Richmond and Derek Shetterly tag team this book. I’ve gotten used to Richmond narrating the first 2 books solo, so I feel she could have pulled this entire book off. Again, I like her voice for Georgia. She also tackles several Jewish words with ease. Shetterly was OK. I often had trouble differentiating his voice for Stone and his voice for Singer, so I sometimes lost track of what each guy was doing. Over all, the pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Libby Fischer Hellmann. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.