Book Review: The Amber Room

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Amber Room     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Steve Berry
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller
Ballantine, Sep 2003, $24.95, 400 pp.

During World War II, the Nazis stripped the incredibly complex relief designed panels crafted from the Amber Room of St. Petersburg, Russia’s Catherine Palace. Now decades later few survivors know what the Nazi art vampires did with the precious panels made from Baltic amber, but concentration camp survivor Karol Borya knows a few secrets about the lost set, but others are aware of that. Agents of those who want ownership of the precious panels kill him.

Karol’s daughter, Atlanta judge Rachel Cutler, enlists her ex- husband Paul to help her learn why her father was murdered in Europe. They head to Germany where they soon stumble into a deadly race between two wealthy rivals intent of owning the panels to reconstruct their own Amber Room. Both sides are willing to kill the amateur Americans to win the race.

This is an exciting by the numbers thriller that incorporates much, if not all, of the known facts about the Amber Room. That makes for a two edged sword as readers will be fascinated with what Steve Berry provides about the panels and the room they created, but also will find the action abruptly sidebarred as if the author could not decide between nonfiction and a thriller. Still the characters make for a delightful ensemble, the historical tidbits enticing, and the thrills fun so that the audience receives a solid somewhat disrupted tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner