Heather’s Bookshelf: The German Client
Author: Bruno Morchio
Released: 2/17/20
Genre: International Mystery/Crime
“The enthralling stories he told me with such care had shown me much of th eworld that had shaped me. But they didn’t, they couldn’t, reveal certain hard truths. Grandpa was mad of different, better stuff.”
“The German Client” is a dual timeline, dual point of view novel that begins by following a private investigator, Bacci Pagano, as he is approached by a wealthy man looking to find his half brother. Reluctantly, he accepts the job and soon finds himself investigating what happened to a group of partisans in 1944 Genoa, Italy during World War II.
“The German Client” intertwines Bacci’s investigation with another point of view. Tilde is a young woman living in Italy during World War II. Her storyline is intriguing and tragic at the same time. She is forced to make terrible decisions in order to save those around her and fight for her cause. Her character is truly heartbreaking.
Bacci’s present timeline follows his investigation into the mysterious man’s family history as well as into an investigation to find a missing young woman. While the action related to the second mystery is interesting, it does not seem to fit in with the rest of the story. I did like Bacci’s character though. I appreciated his complexities in emotion and how they led much of his decision making.
Fair Warning: The story is set during war time. There is some adult language, murder, and sexual situations.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It was emotional, tragic, and heart breaking. The character of Tilde and her point of view absolutely make this novel. The alternating timelines provide an interesting way to incorporate details while also drawing correlations between the past and present. The ending is also really great. There are a couple of little surprises and while they are not completely unexpected, they are super satisfying. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A heart breaking tale with intriguing characters and a fantastic ending. Side story just didn’t seem to fit in with the rest.
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with Bruno Morchio
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here:
(paid link by Amazon Associates)
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
