Poignant, heart-breaking and graphic, but a must-read. Hugo Fischer, a criminologist, is sent to Auschwitz to investigate the suspected murder of a camp doctor. Hugo is a compassionate man, with a secret he must keep in order to survive in Nazi Germany. Giole, the bright boy who found the dead man, is one of many pairs of twins in the charge of the infamous Dr Mengele. The author has based this book on his great-uncle's experiences, which he was lucky to survive. The story seems especially moving because it is set at Christmas-time.

Thank you for allowing me to read an early copy of this book. Whilst I initially found it difficult to get into the story, once I did, I couldn't wait to find out who had murdered the doctor. The content is harrowing and at times made me feel very emotional, even though I have visited Auschwitz and Birkenau. and understand the horrors that took place here. Hugo the investigating officer has his own difficulties, but his perseverance is to be admired. Gioele, the young Jewish boy is both aware of the horrors and also very innocent of them. All the characters are well written and quite believable.
The story follows the lines of many criminal investigations/stories of initially appearing straight forward and then new clues throw the investigation. The ending was unexpected and for me so was the culprit.
This is a well written and researched book and I recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, however, with the caveat reader beware.

It is Christmas 1943 in Auschwitz, Gioele Errera is a Jewish boy one of twins who is imprisoned in the camp. He is one of many boys who is being experimented on by Dr Mengele. The boy witnesses the death of one of the SS officers.
Hugo Fischer is a Criminologist and has been brought it to investigate the suspicious death. Unknown to his Nazi superiors he is suffering from a degenerative disease and the only way for him to survive is to support the Reich.
As he investigates the murder, which is complex, he finds out the truth of the horrors that take place in Auschwitz.
Thank you, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for a copy of Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno this is a harrowing WW2 tale. Which is a bit different to others that I have read because it is not only set in Auschwitz but also a murder mystery which I found intriguing. The story also told of the experiments that went on with the children but the way they treated prisoners in the camp. Which was more graphic in this story that I am usually used too. So, it is not for the faint hearted. All in all, this is a good read from the author. 4 stars from me.

I have read a lot of world war 2 historical fiction but I think this book is the most painful. The horrors within Auschwitz are not hidden and at times I had to stop to process the horrors I had just read.

The irony of a murder investigation within a death camp is strong! Hugo finds himself witnessing first hand the atrocities taking place at Auschwitz while he is tasked with finding the murderer of one of the camp doctors.

The book shows the hideous reality of the work the doctors did in these camps and the degradation of the Jews and other prisoners. It also showed the choices Germans had to make and how some of them tried to make a difference no matter how small.

A truly difficult read made easier by some wonderful characters. A gripping who dunnit in a terrifying setting.

A young boy finds an SS guard dead in Auschwitz in 1943. There is some suspicion how he died, so Criminologist Hugo Fischer is brought in. Hugo had heard rumours of what was happening at Auschwitz and other camps, but the reality is far worse than he could ever have imagined. As he begins to delve into what could have happened, he receives help from a young Jewish prisoner, Gioele Errera, who is part of Dr Mengele's program of experiments. Gioele found the body and drew detailed pictures of what he found before anyone else arrived. These drawings help Hugo to piece together the crime scene but only Gioele seems to want to help him find the killer.
Something else is clearly going on in this hell on earth but finding out what could cost innocent lives. How can Hugo do his job when his conscience is pulling him in a different direction. Is he willing to stand up and try to make a difference?
A very original story about a man trying to find out who murdered a murderer in one of the most evil places on earth. It doesn't hold back on the brutality of what happened there, but it also shows that even in the worst of places scraps of human kindness can be found. A brilliantly different take on a crime novel.

Ashes in the snow

A title that hides the subject matter which is good as Auschwitz may put you off, however you mustn't be put off by this fact. This is a fascinating read that's honest and gripping as a thriller should be.

Hugo is a criminologist sent to investigate the death of a Doctor a word that needs to be used with suspicion when associated with this venue. His task to discover genetic genes. He meets a Jewish boy Gioele a gifted boy who is a twin and part of Mengeles program which I will let you read about so as not to spoil any of the plot for you. Its a shock for Hugo as he discovers more and more about the purpose of Auschwitz and the deeper evils of the Furhers Germany embracing the lands he conquers like Poland.

But this is a Christmas line no other for Hugo, a dead "doctor" with a bit of apple lodge in his throat to look like he has choked to death. This is a thriller that could easily be true very realistic characters as well as plot. It is gripping and I feel deserves 5 stars. Looking died to me books from Oriana the author.

It's no secret that I have a weak spot for WWII fiction, and I was immediately intrigued when I read the blurb of Ashes In The Snow. Stories set in Auschwitz have become even more impactful for me after a visit to the camps in 2018, and I had high hopes this translation of an Italian debut would be a winner for me. And I was definitely more than impressed by this story! Ashes In The Snow ended up being a well-researched, thought-provoking and emotional read that will speak to fans of the genre.

The author might be Italian, but this story is set in Auschwitz, Poland. I guess there is a personal reason for this, and it was interesting to read about her motivation for this story. This doesn't mean that Ashes In The Snow doesn't have some Italian flavor though, mainly in the form of the young Jewish boy Gioele. I really liked what the parts told from his POV added to the plot, although the story does mainly follow detective Hugo Fischer. Hugo made for a fascinating character and we get to see everything that happens at the camps through his eyes... The descriptions are realistic, harrowing and truly heartbreaking, but like they say when you visit the camps in present day: the past shouldn't be forgotten.

Ashes In The Snow isn't your regular WWII fiction story though; the setting might have been done before, but you don't often see a detective thriller twist in one. Because the main focus of this plot is most definitely on the murder of doctor Braun, and detective Hugo Fischer was called in from Berlin to investigate. True, as Hugo learns more about what exactly is going on at the camps, the story becomes so much more than just the investigation... But Braun's murder is the red thread the plot is woven around. There are plenty of suspects to keep you busy, and there are also the moral questions including 'did Braun deserve to die?' and 'can you call it a murder in a place where so many innocent die'?

The writing style was enjoyable, and I liked the way the characters were developed. With their flaws, issues and secrets, they felt realistic and especially Hugo's development was intriguing to follow. The plot itself is well developed with just enough twists and false leads to keep up the suspense... And I liked how everything was wrapped up in the end. If you enjoy WWII fiction, I can highly recommend Ashes In The Snow!

Hugo Fischer is sent to Auschwitz to investigate the suspicious death of a doctor in the camp - one death among many in the camp, but one that needs investigating. Fischer is hiding a secret of his own, he has a neurodegenerative disorder which, to the Nazis, singles him out as imperfect.
As a boy, he had Jewish friends, and the inhumanity of the place horrifies him. But can he do anything?
As his investigation proceeds, he befriends a young Italian Jew, one of a pair of twins in Dr Josef Mengele's 'care', who has a talent for drawing and helps him with his investigation.
Each lead comes to a dead end. Who can he trust?

This is a beautifully crafted story, translated from the original Italian, and based, loosely, on fact. A harrowing but riveting read.

Christmas 1943, Auschwitz and a young Jewish boy finds the body of a SS officer.
Hugo Fischer is the detective sent to investigate the murder but he has a secret and to keep that secret must collaborate with the Germans.
Can he solve the murder and save himself?

There is an irony in a German police office being sent to Auschwitz in order to investigate a murder; and he appreciates that, but undertakes the task. This is a well-written, and engaging but horrific story, which presents well-rounded and sympathetic characters who are working in 'hell on earth', and doing the best they can.

With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC.

How can you say you enjoy reading a book such as this? You can’t! The Holocaust was an atrocity that never should have happened but it did and this revealing book tells the story of Hugo Fischer, a criminologist, who is called upon to visit Auschwitz to solve the murder of a Doctor within the camp. A doctor who has been using the bodies of Jews for experiments to enhance the Aryan race. A twin boy, Gioele, has become part of the experimental programme but has knowledge of the murder which helps Hugo with his investigations. Hugo is suffering from the onset of Multiple Sclerosis and must keep the fact hidden. You feel his misery, his pain and his horror. The story is told brilliantly, with much empathy and with a bittersweet conclusion.

What an amazingly good book this is. There are so many stories around that try to link to the concentration camp atrocities and fail. This is one of the very few exceptions (fact or fiction) that succeeds.

A fictional story intertwining the author's Great-Uncle's Flossenberg camp experiences with the terrible combination that was the Auschwitz/Birkenau camps. One of the few books of this genre that leaves the stench of those camps in your nostrils long after you shut the book.

The storyline revolves around a civilian policeman sent to Auschwitz/Birkenau to investigate the violent death of one of the camp's eugenics doctors. The combination of the criminologist's personal flaws and their juxtaposition with the Final Solution in Auschwitz/Birkenau is quite chilling and the story poses lots of questions of the reader.

For example, how is it even possible to calmly and objectively investigate the murder of a single Aryan when the Aryans themselves are murdering thousands every day?

There are glimmers of light in this story. You will need to read the book to discover them. Please bear in mind that all of the abhorrent bits that are portrayed are a pale facsimile of the reality of what actually went on. Read this book for its intertwining stories and for its reminder that there are still many families, both German and other nationalities, that are related to the perpetrators of those atrocities and proud of what they nearly achieved in those camps.

There is so much more to this book. All I ask is that you read it - please.

Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno is a superbly-written murder mystery set in the notorious Auschwitz Concentration camp in 1943. What could have been a crass or exploitative book given the setting and storyline manages to make the reader realize that the appalling atrocities of the camp were everyday experiences for its inmates and those running it,making the whole thing more powerful.

Hugo Fischer is a policeman sent to investigate the murder of an SS Doctor in the camp. Like the majority of Germans he has no idea of what goes on at Auschwitz until he actually arrives and is sickened and horrified at what is slowly revealed to him. Suffering from,and trying to hide, a degenerative disease he also feels less than comfortable dealing with Doctors who openly talk about the master race and their ideas on achieving "genetic purity".

One of the few clues Fischer has is the detailed drawings of the crime scene,cleaned up by the time he gets there, by a young Italian boy called Gioele,one of a pair of twin brothers who appears to be a favourite of "Uncle Mengele". In the understated manner of the book not much is initially said of Mengele but I suspect that most readers will have the same reaction as me with my skin crawling as soon as his name is mentioned.

Fischer's investigation takes him all over the camp giving the reader a good insight into the day to day to running of the place where the shocking and abhorrent is barely noticed by people for whom none of it is unusual. It's all new to Fischer and has him reflecting on his own past behaviour and beliefs.

This is an excellent book,.a complex case, interesting and often unpredictable characters and an ending that I certainly didn't see coming. There are plenty of very difficult scenes,some quite horrific so please be aware of that.
An outstanding and powerful read.

I feel terribly guilty in saying how much I enjoyed Ashes in the Snow. That's because of the horrific descriptions of life in or near the WW2 concentration camps. It was an unusual setting for a detective thriller but it worked very well. Hugo, the detective, realises how through lack of backbone, that the seeds of the horror before him were sown a long while back and he viewed himself as a passive accomplice to it. He meets a marvellous little character, one of a twin called Gioele, whose skill at sketching helps him gain an insight in to the moment the victim's body was discovered. Gioele and his twin were separated from their parents purely because they were twins and Mengele wanted them for his experiments but Gioele was favoured by 'Uncle' Mengele because of his intellect and eye colouration. Hugo is horrified at the fate which will befall Gioele when Mengele explains how he will kill the little boy immediately after his twin dies, so that he can accomplish a synchronised autopsy on them both. It seems that Hugo is not alone in seeing the horrors perpetrated on the prisoners and discovers an underground movement of resistance amongst a handful of the suspects for the murder of Sigismund Braun.
A gripping thriller which informs and sickens.

A great though disturbing novel. I enjoyed the plot with an uncommon policeman looking for the truth notwithstanding his own fear (he himself has a congenital illness) and the horrid eye opening of his investigating in Auschwitz.
What disturbed me though is the author mentioned too many of the atrocities and sadism fuelling the concentration camp. I could have done with fewer examples even though I do know what happened there, or is it because I do know? I probably should have expected it . Anyway, the storyline was very good and I did hold my breath up to the thought provoking conclusion!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

There have been a lot of books that cover this period in our history but not many that are written from a German point of view. This book handles the subject sensitively and with compassion. Set in Auschwitz/Birkenau in December 1943, Gioele Errera, a young Jewish boy, finds the body of SS Dr Braun, As a twin he has come to Dr Mengeles’ attention, which could never have been a good thing. Hugo Fischer, a criminologist, is brought in to find the murderer, but he has his own secret to keep, he’s suffering from a degenerative illness, which not only nearly cripples him physically at times but could also bring worse complications given the medical ‘research’ being done in the name of science in the camp.

Really powerful and thought provoking, it’s hard to read at times as it feels that one human couldn’t possibly treat another in this manner. Unfortunately we know otherwise. There were some light moments, needed in a book on this subject. Set in the depths of winter really adds another level to the treatment meted out to the prisoners. The murder enquiry is very well written and Hugo Fischer is a tenacious character, determined to find the truth in the only thing that he can control in the camp - his investigation. He is stunned, and unable to believe what’s happening here or to cope with it. I can’t say I enjoyed it but I would highly recommend this book, a stunning read with an authentic feel of this horrific period in history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The author states that this is a work of fiction but still we can feel the horrors and atrocities of Auschwitz in this story. We are able to gather a chilling picture of life (and death) in the concentration camps.
The highlighting of Nazi officers we’ve all heard of from history, brought a reality of their evil works to the story.
Altogether, extremely sobering. Moving and thought-provoking. I was left pondering how such evil could ever happen.

This was a heartbreaking story about the Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War. A real example of Mans inhumanity to Man. The story really brings the camps to life and tells a true story of what happened within them

Wow, what a horrible story. Well the background to the story. It all happens in Auschwitz concentration camp. A murder of one of the German doctor by a German nurse. The top criminologist is called in from Berlin to investigate. He sees first hand the appalling inhumanity’s that are being perpetrated by the likes of Mengele and others. I read this in one day.. it’s very well written and I really cared for the main character. The ending was not at all what I thought might happen - it’s good. A difficult book to recommend but a very good read.

4+
Ashes in the Snow is a very moving WW2 detective mystery set amidst the horror of Auschwitz/Birkenau and is inspired by the authors great uncle. It’s 21st December 1943 and Gioele studies the guard outside in the freezing cold as he stares into Doktor Josef Mengele’s office. He has just discovered the body of Doktor Sigismund Braun and the talented twin starts to draw what he sees. On 23rd December Hugo Fischer of the Kriminalpolizei is dispatched to solve the murder of Braun.

The two characters of Gioele and Fischer are excellent and of course, their lives could not be of greater contrast. Gioele has survived so far because he is bright, inquisitive and highly intelligent which sets him apart from his twin Gabriele. Through sensitive writing the author conveys a great deal about Gioele’s life, his family, the camps and of course Mengele. It’s very easy to love Gioele which makes his situation hard to bear.

Fischer is a fascinating central protagonist. He is hiding a major secret, he’s seen much, feels much and is a man of compassion as well as intuitive. His introduction to Auschwitz is terrifying, you hold your breath in sickening fear and horror, the tension is palpable. Even though you know what happens in this place it never ceases to shock and shatter your heart.

It goes without saying this is an intense read but via the character of Fischer the author conveys what he witnesses with empathy. The focus is different in that it’s a detective novel investigating one murder amongst so many - oh, the irony. It’s riveting reading, it’s very well written with several layers to the storytelling such as the murder mystery itself, the dynamics between staff and others as well as what goes on in this hell on earth place. There’s a ghostly element which is intriguing and the author uses the weather to great effect too. The pristine white snow masks and conceals the horror but it pervades nonetheless. The mystery of what happens to Braun is very good, taking you in several directions with some clever red herrings which keeps you guessing. The ending is really good and feels just and right.

‘Whoever Saves One Life, Saves the World Entire’.

This is by very definition not an easy read but it’s a very worthwhile one and the author does her great uncle proud.

Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.