Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin publishing for providing me with the advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This novel has a publication date of October 29, 2013.
Book summary(via Goodreads):
In a riveting exploration of the power the past wields over the present, critically acclaimed author Antoinette van Heugten writes the story of a woman whose child's life hangs in the balance, forcing her to confront the roots of her family's troubled history in the dark days of World War II…
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.
Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration with the local police to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.
As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own and Rose's fate.
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.
Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration with the local police to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.
As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own and Rose's fate.
This insomniac's opinion:
I enjoyed this novel but would have enjoyed it much more if there had been much more of the stories of those around Amsterdam during the second world war. The title of this novel is derived from the stories of the Jews during the Holocaust who were forced out of their homes and, in desperation from starvation, dug up tulip bulbs to eat. The historical pieces of this novel were truly fascinating and led me into deep thought about how brave(or weak) I might have been if I had been there during those times.
Unfortunately, the core of the story-rooted in the present-was not as fascinating. In fact, the ending was far too action-packed and unbelievable for me. I was so frustrated that I hesitated to finish the last few pages. However, overall this was a good read. I liked it, but did not love it.
Worth staying up all night to read?
If you like mystery with a touch of history, it might be.
Rating: 3 stars
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