Lies of Omission

By: Elena Graf

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

In 1938, Margarethe von Stahle is desperately trying to practice ethical medicine despite the Nazi policy of "racial hygiene" that is forcing doctors to collaborate in the extermination of the handicapped and mentally ill. She has always avoided politics, but now she must decide whether to remain on the sidelines or to act on her convictions. At the same time, she is struggling to hold her family together, despite intrigue, secrecy, and an unforgivable indiscretion. The people she holds most dear are conspiring against her for their own ends. Neither of Margarethe's children are playing to script, frustrating her hopes for the future of the House of Langenberg-Edelheim. Perhaps the only solution is to face the truth...or tell more lies of omission.
This timely novel is the third volume of the Passing Rites series, which follows the aristocratic Stahle family through the 20th century. Set in the last years before World War II, Lies of Omission addresses the challenge of resistance to the Third Reich. Despite great danger, some doctors honored their Hippocratic Oath. Ordinary citizens, working in small groups, came to the aid of the disenfranchised. A few brave souls managed to keep their moral compass, while all around them, a nation descended into collective lunacy.

"The writer captured the tone of the between-the-world-wars-era aristocratic Germany perfectly. The characters were complex and nuanced, and their story arcs compellingly told. I was engrossed from the very start. Wonderfully rich storytelling had me wanting for more, and I could hardly wait to start the next book in the series." - Rainbow Awards