Summary
Tess Gerritsen's Playing with Fire is a gripping standalone thriller that masterfully blends historical mystery with contemporary suspense. Published in 2015, the novel follows violinist Julia Ansdell as she uncovers dark secrets linked to the Holocaust through an enigmatic musical composition. Gerritsen, best known for her Rizzoli & Isles series, showcases her versatility as an author with this haunting tale that intertwines music, family, and long-buried truths. The book's central musical piece, “Incendio Waltz,” was composed by Gerritsen herself, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the story.
Plot
In Tess Gerritsen's Playing with Fire, violinist Julia Ansdell stumbles upon a mysterious piece of music called the “Incendio Waltz” in an antique shop in Rome. Intrigued by its unusual composition, Julia purchases the sheet music and brings it home. However, when she plays the piece, strange and violent events begin to unfold, centered around her young daughter.
Disturbed by these occurrences, Julia embarks on a journey to Venice to uncover the origins of the haunting melody. As she delves deeper into the music's history, she discovers a dark secret dating back to the Holocaust. This revelation puts her in the crosshairs of a powerful and dangerous family who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.
Julia's investigation leads her through a web of historical intrigue and present-day peril. As she races to unravel the mystery of the “Incendio Waltz,” she must confront the possibility that the music itself may hold a sinister power, while also protecting herself and her family from those who wish to silence her.
Themes
• Music as a catalyst for uncovering dark secrets
• The lingering impact of historical atrocities
• Maternal instinct and the protection of children
• The power of family legacies and hidden truths
• Pursuit of justice in the face of danger
• Blending of past and present through artistic expression
• The transformative nature of uncovering one's heritage
Setting
The novel Playing with Fire takes place across two distinct time periods. The primary setting is contemporary, spanning locations in the United States and Italy. Julia Ansdell's story unfolds in present-day Boston and Venice, providing a stark contrast to the historical backdrop.
The secondary timeline transports readers to 1940s Italy during World War II. This era forms a crucial part of the narrative, delving into the dark history of the Holocaust and its impact on the characters. The juxtaposition of these two time periods creates a compelling tension throughout the novel.
Within Italy, the story focuses on two iconic cities: Rome and Venice. Rome serves as the initial setting where Julia discovers the mysterious sheet music in an antique shop. Venice becomes the focal point of her investigation, its labyrinthine canals and rich history providing an atmospheric backdrop for uncovering long-buried secrets.
Characters
• Julia Ansdell: The protagonist, a violinist who discovers a mysterious piece of music in Rome that seems to have a dark effect on her daughter.
• Lily Ansdell: Julia's young daughter who becomes implicated in violent acts after Julia plays the mysterious waltz.
• Lorenzo Todesco: The composer of the “Incendio Waltz” and a key figure from the past whose story is intertwined with the present-day events.
• Rob Ansdell: Julia's husband (name inferred, not explicitly mentioned in the descriptions).
• Powerful Venetian family: A dangerous group connected to the music's dark secret, willing to go to great lengths to keep the truth hidden.
Quick facts
• It is a standalone novel, separate from Gerritsen's popular Rizzoli & Isles series
• The story was inspired by Gerritsen's own experiences playing violin
• Parts of the novel are set in Venice, Italy, which Gerritsen researched extensively
• The book explores themes of music, family secrets, and the horrors of the Holocaust
• It was published in 2015 and became a New York Times bestseller
• The “Incendio Waltz” composition has been recorded professionally by violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou
• Gerritsen wrote the book in just six months, which is faster than her usual writing pace
• The novel received praise for its emotional depth and historical elements
About the author
Tess Gerritsen, an internationally acclaimed author, took an unconventional path to her writing career. After graduating from Stanford University and earning her M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco, she began writing fiction while on maternity leave from her medical practice. Her debut novel, Call After Midnight, was published in 1987, marking the beginning of a prolific career spanning over three decades.
Gerritsen's breakthrough came with her 1996 medical thriller, Harvest, which landed her on the New York Times bestseller list. Since then, she has authored numerous suspense novels, including Gravity, The Surgeon, and Vanish. Her work has been translated into 40 languages, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide. Critics have praised her writing, with the Chicago Tribune describing it as “Polished, riveting prose,” and Publisher Weekly dubbing her the “medical suspense queen."
One of Gerritsen's most notable achievements is the creation of the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles series. These novels, featuring a homicide detective and a medical examiner, inspired the popular TNT television series Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander. This adaptation brought Gerritsen's characters to an even wider audience, solidifying her status as a household name in the thriller genre.
Throughout her career, Gerritsen has received numerous accolades, including the Nero Wolfe Award for Vanish and the Rita Award for The Surgeon. Her latest venture, a spy thriller titled The Spy Coast, has been optioned by Amazon Studios for a television series. Now retired from medicine, Gerritsen resides in Maine, where she continues to write full-time, captivating readers with her expertly crafted suspense novels.
