By the author of the critically acclaimed international hits The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon and The Warsaw Anagrams, this novel proves Richard Zimler's mastery of the "riveting literary murder mystery" (Independent on Sunday).
Berlin, 1932. Sophie is a smart and sexually precocious fourteen-year-old coming of age during Hitler's rise to power. Forced to lead a double life when her father and boyfriend become Nazi collaborators, she reserves her dreams of becoming an actress for her beloved elderly neighbor, Isaac Zarco, and his friends, most of whom are Jews working against the government in a secret group called the Ring. When a member is sent to Dachau, she realizes there must be a Nazi traitor in the group—but who?
Through successive mysteries, reversals, surprises, and a race against time, The Seventh Gate builds to a shattering end. In its chilling but sensuous evocation of the time and place, Richard Zimler's novel is at once a love story and a tragedy—and a tale of ferocious heroism.
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“Zimler…combines sexy coming-of-age adventureswith coming-of-Hitler terrors in this powerfully understated saga…Adult fictionthat counts on readers’ ability to draw meaning from cultural signposts such as TheCabinet of Dr. Caligari, Greta Garbo, and The Magic Mountain. Butits plucky heroine gives it young adult appeal as well.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“A gripping, heartbreaking, and beautiful thriller…Unforgettable, poetic, and original.”
— Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author“A moody, tightly constructed historical thriller that is both entertaining and instructive.”
— New York Times“Explosive and prophetic.”
— Newsday“Equal parts riveting, heartbreaking, inspiring, and intelligent.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“Zimler surpasses himself with this coming-of-age epic set in Berlin at the start of the Nazi era…The whodunit is captivating enough, but the book’s power lies in its stark and unflinching portrayal of the impact of Hitler’s eugenic policies on the infirm and disabled.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Mixing profound reflections on Jewish mysticism with scenes of elemental yet always tender sensuality, Zimler captures the Nazi era in the most human of terms, devoid of sentimentality but throbbing with life lived passionately in the midst of horror.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Adding a touch of Jewish mysticism to his historical thriller, Zimler excellently captures the gamut of tumultuous emotions in his intense and detailed portrait of a city destined for war, and his exceptionally drawn characters struggling to survive in a world gone mad make for an unforgettable story.”
— Library Journal (starred review)“The Seventh Gate is not only a superb thriller but an intelligent and moving novel about the heartbreaking human condition.”
— Alberto Manguel, author of The Library at NightBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Richard Zimler is the award-winning author of several novels, including The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, winner of the Herodotus Award for Best First Historical Novel, and The Warsaw Anagrams, named the 2010 Book of the Year in Portugal by Ler. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists in twelve countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Portugal, Italy, and Australia. He writes reviews for the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle and lives in Porto, Portugal.
Gabrielle de Cuir, award-winning narrator, has narrated over three hundred titles and specializes in fantasy, humor, and titles requiring extensive foreign language and accent skills. She was a cowinner of the Audie Award for best narration in 2011 and a three-time finalist for the Audie and has garnered six AudioFile Earphones Awards. Her “velvet touch” as an actor’s director has earned her a special place in the audiobook world as the foremost producer for bestselling authors and celebrities.
Stefan Rudnicki first became involved with audiobooks in 1994. Now a Grammy-winning audiobook producer, he has worked on more than five thousand audiobooks as a narrator, writer, producer, or director. He has narrated more than nine hundred audiobooks. A recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards, he was presented the coveted Audie Award for solo narration in 2005, 2007, and 2014, and was named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices in 2012.