A Trace of Smoke (Hannah Vogel Series #1)

This is a powerful historical tale

In 1931 thirty two years old crime reporter for the Berliner Tageblatt Hannah Vogel visits Berlin's Hall of the Unnamed Dead. There on the wall is the picture of an unknown naked corpse whom she recognizes. The victim is her beloved gay brother Ernst, who could not harm a fly; he had no papers because he gave them to their Jewish friends to escape dangerous Germany for New York.

Outraged that someone would torture and kill her effeminate kind sibling, she knows she must remain silent re his identity or her "lost papers until their friends reach America. Still Hannah investigates using Ernst's sexual proclivity and his performing at the underground El Dorado cabaret as the starting points With the help of her dedicated lover and a young urchin claiming to be her nephew, Hannah makes her inquiries including the claim of the street kid that her obviously gay brother sired a child.

This is a powerful historical tale that looks deep inside the souls of the groups that make up the Weimer Republic at a time when Hitler is just starting to rise in power. The story line contrasts caring people from various religions vs. the brutal angry assaults of the Nazis. Not an easy read with no sugar coating, A TRACE OF SMOKE will have readers pondering whether this could happen in modern day America.

Harriet Klausner

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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Entertaining and surprisingly touching thriller

The wild despair that characterized Berlin in the early thirties has been the subject of many books and films, possibly because the setting is ripe with possibilities for drama and intrigue. "The Damned" and "Cabaret" both explored this world, and Rebecca Cantrell's debut novel feels as if it may someday be considered one of the significant works of this genre. The story follows the dangerous misadventures of Hannah Vogel, the author of a "true crime" column (under an assumed male identity) for a Berlin newspaper. When Hannah's brother, a cabaret personality, is found murdered, there is little interest and not many clues. But the boy may not have been as insignificant as it first appears, and the investigation soon leads to some very important and frighteningly dangerous people. Cantrell's style is elegant and fluid: Hannah is a sympathetic heroine, and her observations about those she encounters give the book a gentle heart, even when it concerns itself with the sordid side of Berlin's underground. Accurate period detail seems to be an essential ingredient in the success of such historical thrillers. Cantrell has clearly done extensive research, and the smoky clubs, squalid apartments, and intimidating government chambers are vividly realized. But some readers may be even more delighted by the passages that describe the love of writing, the passion for communicating on paper, and the almost addictive need Hannah has for telling her story as she lives it: "A Trace of Smoke" is a writer's book, as much about the words as it is about the events that lead to a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion. We've all read and seen stories about the horrors of the Nazi movement, but this book wisely tells that vast story through two characters--Hannah and an abandoned boy she informally adopts--and provides both a sense of the epic and an intimate look at the devastation wrought by monsters who murder adults and use children as pawns.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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Historical Depth in Gray

This story manages to fit neatly into four genre categories and does it amazingly well! While reading, my imagination portrayed the story in black and white form with dashes of color, mostly red, which is significant to the gay character. This is not due to a lack of development, but rather should be taken as a compliment to the author's talent to imprint emotions into the scene without directly stating or over dramatizing. I felt a connection to each character and grew to care about them all, even the 'bad' guys because their humanity coupled with history sparked a touch of sympathy. The lead character is an inspirational female, not for her overtly heroic antics, but for her ability to cope and face challenging situations. Thematically, the story builds on many levels, and for me the most convincing is the sense of bravery. Every character at some point and to some degree shows bravery and compassion, which makes this a moving and deeply human historical tale worth exploring.

I don't want to give anything away, but the ending was a bit too easy of an escape especially given the power of the foe the lead character faces. However, I am eager to read A Night of Long Knives (sequel,#2) to see where it picks up. Perhaps my questions or reservations will be answered. Please take into consideration I'm really picking to find one small flaw. I almost hate to mention it because the book was craftily constructed and I do not wish to tarnish this jewel!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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Love Amidst The Nazis

This is an interesting tale, pleasantly told although the writing is nothing special- lots of simple sentences given by a narrator apparently not well-educated. The gay men in the story are either Nazis or cross-dressers, but lovers all. The young man, Indian warrior as he is, is probably the most interesting character in the book. I can't decide if I want to read the sequel or leave well enough alone. As it is, Phillip Kerr's Bernie Gunther novels, set in Berlin in the same era, satisfy my need to know of this time and are much better written. But this one definitely has heart.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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I found this book by accident while shopping at a garage sale. I

I found this book by accident while shopping at a garage sale. I picked it up,read the back cover and laid it down and looked at other things. Before leaving the garage sale I went back and picked the book up again and bought it. It's not something I would probably normally read just based on the back cover. I did read it and I loved it! It was one of the best books I had read in a very long time. It's set in Nazi Germany and blends fiction with  real past history. I loved Hannah and her story and actually didn't want the book to end.  Imagine how happy I was to find out there were three more Hannah Vogel books waiting for me to read!!! I've read all of them now and  hope her story continues.  You will love this book too!!

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Hannah Vogel #1

I just started reading Rebecca Cantrell and am hooked on this series. She really brings WWII Germany to life, and makes you understand better the life they had to lead back then. She does a great job of building the characters along with some action. I will be definitely reading the rest in this series.

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