A good read which kept me reading well into the night. It takes you right back to the reality of Hitlers reign - the descriptions of the time, the nazis, the hierarchy. The story centres around secret agents and spies rather than military and war time specifically. It shows the mix of friendships and relationships across nationalities which was a little unexpected, and shows not all Germans were bad but rather living life under a tyrant. . A recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kara is 10 years old and lives with her adoptive parents in Germany during WWII. Tom Wilde is a college professor and asked to take on a secret special mission to go to Germany and bring back a special package. When he finds out he needs to rescue Klara, whose life is in mortal danger, his mission becomes a deadly adventure. Who are Klara’s birth parents and who wants her dead together with anyone who knows she exists?
A fast paced read with well written characters. Adventure, intrigue, danger, death, love and hope. This book has it all from beginning to end. Enjoy every page.

I liked this book. It is one of a number of books following the WW2 exploits of Tom Wilde, the American academic from Cambridge University. He is smuggled into Germany to retrieve a "package" that will help the Allies' war effort but is soon in trouble and danger.

As I read the book I was intrigued by the actual provenance of the "package" and how much truth there was in its existence (I'm not much of an expert on WW2, to be honest) - i.e. how much is fact and how much conspiracy theory. As such there is blurring of the lines between history and historical fiction. Likewise I had never heard of Martin Bormann so it was interesting to understand more about him as a historical figure.

Great story line with well described characters.
This is I believe the 3rd in a series but the first I have read. I was not aware that there were previous books but his was easily read as a standalone novel.
Lots of actual locations described.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reading of this book. I didn’t realise there were previous books about the characters in this book by the author, but I really enjoyed this book. (I shall read the others). The references to the war always interesting to read. I would definitely recommend this book.

Number three in the series, and seeming somewhat predictable and formulaic

I did enjoy Clements' first Tom Wilde outing - perhaps in part because he was a new writer to me, I was interested in the period, find books about espionage absorbing, and, most importantly, was not familiar with the kind of tricks and formulae this writer might fall back on - where his strengths and challenges are.

I enjoyed also (perhaps a little less so) outing number two, already aware that the writer does over-employ coiincidences, uses cutaways a lot (quite filmic structure - maybe this is his hidden agenda, struggles with convincing dialogue somewhat, and is fonder of graphic descriptions of violence than I am, plus ditto, the somewhat steamy encounter.

James Bond spy territory I suppose, whereas I do prefer Ambler, Greene, perhaps something slower and more monochrome or nuanced.

My enjoyment ran out here. I was pretty well ahead of the writer, as his 'tricks' were now predictable to me. I knew, from the off the what 'the package' was going to be. The twists could also be predicted and there was nary an encounter which was not either 'gosh, that was lucky that...THAT should have happened at that precise moment' or 'gosh, that was unlucky that THAT should have happened at that precise moment'

And, as others have pointed out, surely a spy ought to have better command of the language of the country he is going to be inflitrating for his bit of derring do. It may be fair enough not to be passing yourself off as a native, but, you really do need better comprehension of others speaking the language - in fact, understanding more than people think you do might be an advantage.

Even more incredible, the need to assume another identify as a French man, and because of the tricks Clements uses so often it is glaringly obvious that the lack of knowledge of French will be rumbled, very very soon!

Tom Wilde is a History Professor at Cambridge a erstwhile war time spy. Recruited for an operation by the Americans with British support to enter Germany and collect a "package" .
Things do not work out as planned with danger all around him .A journey into and out of Germany fraught with problems and hunted to try and stop him delivering this package.

A curious novel ,but exciting and with unexpected twists and turns. Certainly a novel to keep you guessing on the outcome . The novel reads a bit antiquated unlike today's modern spy stories which are much more gritty and dark. However, still an enjoyable read with a different slant.

Very well told thriller set in a very interesting time period in history,

I am new to this series and I am glad to have been introduced. This book can be read perfectly well without having read the previous books, I’m going to read them now!

This book is set in Germany and the UK during the mid part of WW2. It is set on the premise that an important package needs to be brought to the UK from Germany. The package turns out to be a 10 year old girl with interesting heritage. It's an enjoyable read, possibly a little unrealistic in some areas but a very well written and gripping thriller.

Wow, it’s a while since I’ve outread my wife because I was enjoying a story so much. This is a great read, an adventure story classic set during WW II with lots of intrigue and twists and turns in the plot. You instantly feel at home and comfortable with the characters and the settings of Germany and England at this time. I read this book over three days either sitting in airports or on aeroplanes. I can’t recommend this book enough, well written, intriguing, exciting, and with lots of suspense. I hope the author has more like this please.

After reading this I didn't realise this was part of a series of books. It was a good stand alone book and I could grasp the story OK. Hitler’s Secret was a page turning thriller. It was hard to put down. An enjoyable book that had loads of action in it. Characters were good and the story all came together and flowed well.

A good idea, and the book conjures up life in wartime Germany very well. However, Tom Wilde is a rather dull character, who doesn't really come alive for me. It seemed completely unbelievable that he would be asked to go to Germany on this "mission" when he speaks very little German, or any other European language besides English. I wouldn't rush to read other books in this series.

What an amazing read! I just couldn’t put it down - gripping from the very first page. I wanted to go and hide until I had finished it. I have read a few of Clement’s Shakespeare series and enjoyed them immensely but this is in a different league.

As a history teacher I enjoy historical fiction but with the caveat that it needs to be well researched as well as a good read - this ticks all the boxes and more. I want to read the rest of the series - unfortunately, I am doing it in the wrong order as I now know this is the 4th in the Wilde series but I have no doubt I will enjoy them immensely.
Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy such a well written, well paced and riveting book.

This started off well, focused on Hitler's powerful and cruel secretary Martin Bormann trying to cover up his part in a mysterious, unravelling secret from the past. I was interested in the plot but felt it was drawn out over too long a period, so that at times I felt exhausted by the minutae of travel, accommodation, documentation, routes etc.

Spoiler alert.

Overall the claustrophobic tension is effective and I kept reading, but was left somewhat unmoved by the central premise that the revealing of this secret would have materially changed anything about Hitler's hold on power. Dozens of murders, the pulling of strings from the absolute upper echelons of power and an incredibly risky nternational rescue for a very shaky objective, didn't seem at all plausible. The fact that Hitler was a psychotic mass murderer; angry, unstable racist and despotic tyrant with no apparent physical appeal didn't stop him being adored and admired, so why would having a daughter have lost him the war? And frankly, if anyone thought it would, they could have simply manufactured one, since DNA wasn't a factor.

I was already a fan of Tom Willde, an academic professor from Cambridge, and this series by Rory Clements. This book is set during WW2 and Wilde is asked by a friend, to fly to Germany to collect a package, and as one might expect this is no easy task. I really enjoyed this book, it is an easy read, but a most enjoyable one. There were times when I could predict what was about to happen, but I don’t think that detracts from the overall plot, which was pacy and enjoyable. I suppose the sign of a good book is when you feel compelled to keep reading and I was.

I enjoy Clements writing style and I would recommend this series and the John Shakespeare series.

A fantastic Spy mystery set in WW2 and as such not much is as it seems or as you expect to see it A simple task go across to Germany pretending your an American Businessman selling technology, pick up a package and make your way back to England with it. An American who is also a Professor teaching in a Cambridge University spying for England don't you like Old Boy
You will get to travel through Europe on the seat of your pants as they say who ever they is! The characters are very believable for the time with imperfections like the rest of us yet far more extreme as you'd expect from a good WW2 spy story. The Nazis are nasty but a few good guys which is how it was not all Germans were evil and as you will see not all Englishmen or Americans were pure either (but don't tell the Yanks that). I've learnt that not all old ladies just stitch with needles they have other uses but I will let you find out about that yourself
This book is going to grab you from the start & has a well written and thought out ending. It has enough surprises and twist that will have you gripping whatever your holding (a book or ebook no doubt). I really enjoyed this book and hope you do as well, well worth purchasing and even more so reading

I thought that this was a really interesting read. It investigates the possibility that Hitler had a secret child that he was unaware of. The dangers involved are many and the story is a real spy thriller. it is set in the second world war era so there is no technology apart from the telephone which feels really different from my recent reads..
The story revolves around the spy trying to save the child and the spies trying to stop him with many secrets and dangerous plans going on at the same time.
It moves quickly and I wanted to find out what happened next as I read. It is full of secret messages and anxiety about who is on which side.
Thoroughly recommended.

Soon after starting this book I realised that this was the latest part of a series about the main character Tom Wilde. This did not, however, detract from my enjoyment of the book which can easily be read as a stand-alone. Set in WWII around the time of Pearl Harbour with the action first in Germany and then in England, the story moves along quickly and is never boring. There is a real feeling of life in Nazi Germany and in wartime Britain running throughout this book, which is well researched. Hitler's secret is revealed early in the book and forms the main part of the plot. Could this really have happened? No, I don't think so but it makes a great story well worth reading. I shall now read the other books in the series.

Hitler’s Secret was a real page turning thriller which was hard to put down. I must confess it all went a bit wrong when Klara was brought to England and Wilde went maverick. There was too much potential for Klara’s potential parenthood affecting the course of the war for it to have been scuppered as portrayed. How it would have been handled by the German war machine would have filled many chapters. Other than that it was very entertaining and certainly food for thought.

I’m very grateful for this advance review copy from netgalley.

I’m afraid this book wasn’t for me, though, in fact I couldn’t finish it, I’m afraid. I think if you enjoyed Dan Brown style thrillers you’d really enjoy it, but I just couldn’t get into it and abandoned it at 33%.

I’m sure it will do very well, just not my thing, which is a shame as I do normally enjoy historical fiction.