A gripping standalone thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles seriesINTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LOS ANGELES TIMES AND SUSPENSE MAGAZINE In a shadowy antiques shop in Rome, violinist Julia Ansdell happens upon a curious piece of music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual … music—the Incendio waltz—and is immediately entranced by its unusual composition. Full of passion, torment, and chilling beauty, and seemingly unknown to the world, the waltz, its mournful minor key, its feverish arpeggios, appear to dance with a strange life of their own. Julia is determined to master the complex work and make its melody heard.
Back home in Boston, from the moment Julia’s bow moves across the strings, drawing the waltz’s fiery notes into the air, something strange is stirred—and Julia’s world comes under threat. The music has a terrifying and inexplicable effect on her young daughter, who seems violently transformed. Convinced that the hypnotic strains of Incendio are weaving a malevolent spell, Julia sets out to discover the man and the meaning behind the score.
Her quest beckons Julia to the ancient city of Venice, where she uncovers a dark, decades-old secret involving a dangerously powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.
Praise for Playing with Fire
“Compelling . . . I defy you to read the first chapter and not singe your fingers reading the rest.”—David Baldacci
“One of the best and most original thrillers of the year.”—Providence Journal
“[A] novel brimming with emotion, literary description, and psychological suspense.”—The Huffington Post
“Will make readers drop everything to immerse themselves in its propulsive dual narrative.”—Los Angeles Times
more
Liked it. Read it fast enough… wouldn’t rely on it for more than a long flight or over a couple of evenings. Seemed to be heading in several directions… dunno – loved that it was set in Venice – very evocative – but not as satisfying at her Rizzoli & Isles books – thinking in particular of the recent one set in Africa (wow!)
Excellent book – keeps you guessing till the end
A must read
This intriguing psychological thriller tracks a mysterious piece of sheet music purchased in Rome which appears to have supernatural properties. The story pivots between the new owner of “Incendio,” a troubled woman with an uncertain family in present-day Boston, and the original author of the piece who is rounded up by the Italian SS in WWII Italy. Well-written and fascinating for its history of the Holocaust in Italy, PLAYING WITH FIRE is well worth reading, although the ending didn’t quite live up to expectations.
I’ve read a lot of Gerritson’s books and found them generally great. This was an exception, not really terrible but not up (IMO) to her usual standards. If you’ve read a lot of Gerritson and want to read this, I suggest tempering your expectations. If you haven’t read Gerritson, I hope you don’t start with this book. I’m afraid you’ll go “meh” and write off an otherwise excellent author.
A violinist, Julia, purchase an old music book in an antique store in Rome. Inside the book she finds a loose music sheet. It is a handwritten waltz, unfamiliar to her.
Upon returning home, she plays the piece on her violin. She finds that every time she plays the piece her 3yr old daughter, Lily, is implicated in acts of violence. She becomes terrified of Lily, but no one believes that the acts she is accusing Lily of, is done on purpose.
She flies to Venice in search for answers and information about the composer. The events that follow leave you with a sense of not wanting to put the book down.
The conclusion is worth every minute spent reading. What a great book!
Tess Gerritsen’s talents go far beyond writing amazing books. She is the composer of the piece, Incendio, referred to in this book
A gorgeous blend of psychological thriller and historical fiction. Lyrical, tense, tragic, heartfelt. This novel is as beautifully written as the violin piece the author composed. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook so you can enjoy the music with the prose.
This was a fantastic book. The ending took me totally by surprise. I let a friend read it as it was so good. You will really enjoy this book. It gives a behind the scenes view of what some of the people experienced at the hands of the Nazi SS and mankind’s inhumanity to mankind. Very good book. Let us not forget.
This book dips into a several genres: historical fiction, thriller, and mystery. The author alternates between two stories that are linked in the end. However, towards the beginning, it feels like you are reading two completely separate books that you don’t want to put down.
Her books are so riveting, you better clear your schedule. The minute you start reading this book you won’t want to put it down. I was enticed from the 1st page and couldn’t put it sown until the last word