Vienna Prelude by Brodie & Brock Thoene

Even though the Thoenes have written scores of books, this is the only one of theirs I have read. Vienna Prelude is the first in The Zion Covenant Series. The year is 1936. Elisa Lindheim's family is in Berlin but the talented daughter, Elisa, is in Vienna, playing violin with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. We are introduced to several people who help Jews escape the dangers of the Nazis and others who are not willing to recognize the danger that is coming. There is much historical detail and some romance thrown in. The book is long (450 pages) and I felt some of the long sections of characters in thought could have been cut. I trust the historical context is correct as Chamberlain, Eden, and Churchill make appearances. This is not a page turner but the book is worth wading through to be reminded of the situation in Europe between 1936-1938. While the Lindheim family is Christian (Lutheran), the Christianity in the book is practically nonexistent, with the emphasis on the Jewish community.