Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsAnother very Berry book
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 22, 2022
Steve Berry's books are one of my guilty pleasures. I read these books for fun, for their entertainment value, and to learn a little history along the way. I am a fan and I collect Berry's books along with those of a few other authors. Stating that you can now take my reviews with a grain of salt if you like but just because I am predisposed to liking Berry's books does not free him from my criticism when it's called for. Berry writes thrillers that are based upon some morsel of history, a myth, legend, rumor, or a misunderstood or falsely reported fact. He then constructs an adventure and plot around this historical tidbit. His last couple of books were below his usual standards and I said so in reviewing them but as a fan I expect that not every book is going to be a hit. When I picked up this book its title had me expecting some tale based on WWI history but that was quickly proven dreadfully wrong. This book started off clearly indicating that it was about former high ranking Nazis surviving WWII and having families, children. Good grief I thought hasn't that been done already, maybe done many times to the point of being trite or cliche? I feared a third disappointment from an author I enjoyed. Maybe Berry has finally run out of steam, imagination, or desire. But the fan kept reading and the fan's fears proved false.
This book is about high ranking Nazis surviving WWII and their children but that is only the platform for the plot. This story is more of a political thriller in the vein of <u>The Manchurian Candidate</u> and it is a page turner. It involves a woman that is the present chancellor of Germany running for re-election against a wealthy man who is inciting and appealing to the right wing conservatives of his country. The book clearly takes full advantage of the issues posed by present day right wing movements around the world but especially in Europe and Germany. One can imagine Angela Merkel in the form of the female chancellor in the book but other than being female and the chancellor the similarity ends there. Marie Eisenhuth, the chancellor, is no Angela Merkel in that she is clearly liberal and the only surviving child of a wealthy industrialist and former Nazi. A murder in a police station and indications of some damaging information about her opponent, Theodor Pohl, have Marie calling her friend former president Danny Davis for help. Davis then involves Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt to check into and verify the information. From there I wish to say no more but that the ending was totally unexpected and shocking. This is one of Berry's better books that will take you all over Europe, South America, and Africa before the adventure concludes. You will also learn something about WWII, the Nazis, their supporters, their activities, and their preparations for survival. I think Mr. Berry has gotten his mojo back. Enjoy.
