Reviews
“Once again, Cantrell nails the prewar German landscape, although this time, with the Nazis in power, the mood has gone from Weimar decadence to tight-lipped uncertainty…the appeal here is all about atmosphere and the historical moment.” —Booklist
“A race-against-the-clock thriller… Cantrell keeps the close calls and cliffhangers coming.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Cantrell’s first book was well received…the second is more polished, the story more intense, and the climax more exciting.” —West Hawaii Today
“A gritty realistic portrayal of 1930s Berlin…keeping the suspense high, Cantrell does an excellent job of projecting the fear of the time through her characters. Strongly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review) on A Trace of Smoke
“Cantrell’s scrupulously researched debut tolls a somber dirge for Weimar Germany in its last days…this unforgettable novel, which can be as painful to read as the history it foreshadows, builds to an appropriately bittersweet ending.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) on A Trace of Smoke
“[A] terrific debut. Cantrell’s atmospheric mystery keeps you off-balance; there’s a sense of dread as to what might be waiting around every corner. Vivid and dramatic descriptions allow readers to easily conjure up the imagery, as if you were watching a great old black-and-white film on the big screen.” —Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 ½ stars, TOP PICK!) on A Trace of Smoke
“Bold narrator and chilling historical setting…an unusually vivid context, [lets] Hannah report on the decadence of her world without losing her life–or her mind.” —The New York Times Book Review on A Trace of Smoke