A dogged police inspector and an insightful young psychiatrist match wits with depraved criminal minds in this acclaimed mystery series set in Freud’s Vienna. In glittering turn-of-the-century Vienna, brutal instinct and refined intellect fight for supremacy. The latest, most disturbing example: the mysterious and savage death of a young cadet in the most elite of military academies, St. Florian’s. Even using his cutting-edge investigative techniques, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt cannot crack the school’s closed and sadistic world. He must again enlist the aid of his frequent ally, Dr. Max Liebermann, an expert in Freudian psychology. But how can Liebermann help when he a crisis of his own: handling his conflicted and forbidden feelings for two different women, one a former patient? As the case unfolds, powerful forces will stop at nothing to keep a dark secret. Reviewers found Fatal Lies to be a thoroughly satisfying follow-up to the previous books in Tallis's series. As usual, they enjoyed Tallis's work not only for his still-rewarding device of a psychoanalytic amateur detective but also for his meticulously detailed depiction of fin-de-si√®cle Vienna -- which is delicious right down to the pastries. A literary thriller, it contains crime, intellectual and cultural matter, and luminous prose. In fact, the only complaint was that the American edition is only available as a trade paperback, which may make it somewhat hard to find. But as the Washington Post wrote: "If you're looking for the best in popular fiction, it's well worth seeking out." Copyright 2009 Bookmarks Publishing LLC *Starred Review* A young boy’s body is found in the science laboratory of a military school just outside Vienna. Police inspector Oskar Rheinhardt is called to investigate, and while it first appears that the boy died of natural causes, a closer look at his body reveals a series of bizarre hidden wounds. Fearing that the pupils at the school are involved in bullying or violent ritualistic practices, Rheinhardt appeals to his old friend Max Liebermann, a disciple of Freud, for help with the case. But Liebermann has his own problems. Unlucky in love, he has fallen head over heels for a beautiful violinist. But all is not as it seems, and Liebermann is drawn into a dark world of intrigue and deceit. Meanwhile, another boy mysteriously disappears from the military school. Feeling this is confirmation of his worst fears, Rheinhardt becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. Tallis has crafted an intricate, taut, and compelling plot, with an ending that is as shocking as it is inevitable. What is basically a murder mystery becomes something quite extraordinary as Tallis skillfully weaves in the politics, history, music, and social customs of turn-of-the-century Vienna. Another outstanding entry in an erudite and mesmerizing series; a must for historical-mystery devotees. --Emily Melton "Frank Tallis has surged to the front of the field riding his dark horse, Vienna in the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ….While it’s always a delight to visit the ballrooms where Strauss is played and the opera house where Mahler is rehearsing and the coffeehouses where ideas are devoured mit Schlag, this smart series has far more to offer than decorative charm."— New York Times Book Review Another immensely satisfying novel in Frank Tallis' intelligent and subtle Dr. Liebermann/Inspector Rheinhardt series…dense, engrossing….a fine adventure."— Boston Globe "St. Florian's Military Academy outside Vienna serves as the forbidding backdrop for Tallis's stellar third historical to feature Insp. Oskar Rheinhardt and Dr. Max Liebermann…Several late twists lead to a startling resolution of this compelling tale." — Publisher's Weekly , starred review "What is basically a murder mystery becomes something quite extraordinary as Tallis skillfully weaves in the politics, history, music, and social customs of turn-of-the-century Vienna. Another outstanding entry in an erudite and mesmerizing series; a must for historical-mystery devotees." — Booklist , starred review "Tallis's singular achievement is to bring vividly to life many of the glories and dangers of a great city at a crucial moment in its history....immensely satisyfing….The author delights us with rich, often gorgeous prose...[He] has an exceptional ability to move seamlessly among varied plot elements, characters and emotions….If you're looking for the best in popular fiction, it's well worth seeking out."— Washington Post Frank Tallis is a writer and practicing clinical psychologist. He is the author of two previous Dr. Max Liebermann novels: Vienna Blood and Mortal Mischief. From The Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com Reviewed by Patrick Anderson "Fatal Lies" is the third of Frank Tallis's immensely satisfying literary thrillers set in Vienna at the start of the 20th century. And what, precisely, do we mean by "literary thriller"? In the case of "Fatal L