Review: A Trace of Smoke
A Trace of Smoke
A Trace of Smoke
Rebecca Cantrell
Forge, 2009
ISBN 0765320444
Hardcover
Trade Paperback to be released 1/19/10 by Forge
Few novels that I pick up hold my attention beyond the first several chapters. What a pleasure to read A TRACE OF SMOKE by Rebecca Cantrell during the holiday hiatus. Cantrell sets her historical suspense/mystery in Berlin on the eve of Germany’s descent into control by the Nazis. Journalist Hannah Vogel discovers that her brother, Ernst, has been murdered. Circumstances prevent her seeking the help of law enforcement officials. She becomes the sleuth to uncover the identity of her brother’s killer, endangering her own life.
Cantrell’s craft at creating atmosphere is amazing. I could smell the sauerkraut and fear. But what I found particularly memorable about this book was its three-dimensional treatment of Nazis (and gays, and gay Nazis <g>). How easily Nazis have been depicted as faceless monsters in fiction and film. Far more difficult to show the human being beneath the brown shirt. Cantrell’s Nazis won’t sit easily with you. They’ll challenge you to admit that *anyone* can get caught up in the glitter of an idea that promises a better life, then sucked into hell when the idea disentegrates. That’s humanity.
I figured out early who offed Ernst. That didn’t bother me. The main payoff was watching Hannah stick to her principles and navigate around the land mines of everyone’s treachery and trashed dreams. Hannah Vogel v. the Nazis. A hero without a cape or karate. Hmm, maybe each of us has such courage buried inside.
Bring on the sequel in June.
Reviewed by Suzanne Williams and reprinted with her permission. Under the pen name Suzanne Adair, she is the author of several historical suspense novels set during the War for American Independence, including the award-winning Paper Woman.
January 18, 2010
Tags: mystery Posted in: Guest Reviews
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