Robert Einstein was the first cousin of Albert, the scientist. Whilst Albert emigrated to the US, Robert built up a business and managed to buy a large country estate outside of Florence where he lived with his extended family during the war. As the Allied forces approached through Italy a small group of Nazis came to the estate looking for Robert. He was hiding in the woods nearby but the soldiers chose to massacre his wife and daughters. A year later Robert committed suicide. Why did this happen and who was responsible?
In this account Harding relates the awful events in detail but then goes on the explore the why and the who. There is no doubt in his mind that Robert Einstein was targeted because of his famous relative, someone Hitler hated. Robert was Jewish but his wife and family were not so could that be a reason. This is a very readable book about a little known atrocity.

This is the fascinating, tragic, true story of Robert Einstein, cousin of the rather more famous Albert, and his family who were murdered by the Nazis. Seemingly because they were related to Albert, who was pretty much public enemy number 1 to the Nazis, despite him having left in 1933. Robert was, according to Nazi law Jewish. But he did not identify as such, and his family were not.

Roberts nieces Paola and Lorenza suffered so much, losing almost everyone they loved. How such young women managed to survive that is almost unfathomable, and yet such a common story for the time. Their grace and ability to survive is a really testimony to their upbringing.

A true story about a family persecuted and murdered by the Nazis would be interesting enough. But this book is also somewhat of a murder mystery and also delves into the police investigation which took place 60 years after the murders to try and catch the perpetrators. It's fascinating to see how much can still be investigated so many years later and it gives me hope that current cold cases could be solved one day.

A brilliant book about a savage and unnecessary murder during the Second World War. Robert Einstein and his Christian wife and daughters live outside Florence. He hasn't seen his cousin Albert - an enemy of the Nazi regime, but safely in the US - for years, but he, and his family, are targeted by the Nazi regime as enemies, with tragic consequences. Thomas Harding has written a shocking, but readable account of the events leading up to this, and then researched the answers.

Would highly recommend this to anyone.

With thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC.

A fascinating book that I couldn’t stop reading. Everyone was brought to life as I continued to read. Fantastically researched book. I really didn’t know much about the Einstein’s but after reading this book I found myself deep diving more into their history. Brilliant book and highly recommend

The previously untold story of the murder of Albert Einstein's cousin and family by the Nazis in Italy in 1944 and the quest over many decades to find the truth and the individuals responsible.
Very well researched and presented. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I'd thgt this was fiction abt Albert Einstein but quickly was drawn in to history of his related family in italy .. carefully avoiding horrors during last years of war, living quietly in small Italian spot, until they realise perhaps the patriarch Roberto is being targetted ..he hides ..but days before italian liberation, German soldiers kill wife and 2 daughters .. Roberto follows by his own hand later from grief .. revenge by Nazis??? But no perpetrators are discovered. The sheer poignancy and tragedy are well drawn, and engagement is at immersive level. Very striking!

I don’t usually read non fiction but this book intrigued me and although the narrative was a little disjointed I felt … stuck with it. Amazed at how the persons who over the years investigated the story and how even after 80 years they are still searching for the truth

The book opens with a unit of 6 or 7 German soldiers who arrive at a villa near Florence. Villa Il Focardo whichis home to Robert Einstein, cousin to the most famous scientist in the world, Albert Einstein.

This true story revolves around the fact that twelve hours after arriving, the soldiers have vanished – and 3 members of the family is dead.

There is a really involved search for the culprits which I did not realise was time consuming and frustrating. Excellent and enjoyable though.

Thanks to Net Galley and Michael Joseph Penguin Random House.for the chance to read and review..

Absolutely magnificent; historic fact woven into a remarkable thriller. I’ve devoured this in a couple of sittings, captivated from start to finish. I knew nothing of the backstory to the Einstein family and very little about the German presence in Italy. I can only imagine that the author’s research has been meticulous. There’s a real feel for period detail and historical accuracy and I certainly felt as if I were in Florence. The locus is so well depicted. I haven’t read other books by this author, but he’s now on my hit list. The story is so well paced and I found it emotional in part, particularly the outcome for innocent family members. This is historical fiction at its best. Authentic and telling a forgotten story of world war 2 that deserves a wider audience. Really enjoyed this title.

Wow - I’m speechless. Firstly this is far removed from my usual genre selection but the name Einstein got my attention. Secondly, I love the elements of truth in historical novels, particularly during the 20th century and finally all the reviews for Thomas Harding’s books have excellent ratings.

The style of this novel drew me straight in and it was compulsive reading. The earlier sections set the scene with details of the family history and relationships of the extended Einstein family, with the latter half devoted to the various war crimes investigations over the past 80 years. It is saddening to note that the assassins of Robert’s wife Nina, and their two daughters remain unpunished. The extent of the in-depth research is of particular note.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this brilliant ARC.

A most interesting and well researched book detailing the tragic vendetta against the brother of Albert Eisnstein which resulted in the murder of his wife and two daughters. It's made even more devastating with our present knowledge that they were only days away from liberation.

Solid 4.5 book 🌟

Usually I have to audiobook non fiction to keep me engaged but this was really captivating.

This was a piece of history I knew absolutely nothing about but Harding gives you such an insight to the state of WW2 during this period, of Italy, and of Einstein’s family.

I loved the way the suspects were brought to life and dissected before being discounted

Overall, I loved that this was written with all the facts presented but not overdone in a way that enhanced the drama but diminished the fact that this horrific crime happened to very real people.

Thank you for approving me for the ARC, will definitely be recommending to my father in law who also enjoys ww2 non fiction.

Magnificently researched book with the historic context bringing the events to life as they happened. The identification of potential culprits presented some closure on the horrid events which occurred during the war in Europe. It also serves as a reminder of the atrocities that can arise when there are grievances between individuals or autocracies, but the flip side is that investigators did as much as humanly possible to identify the murderer. The writer should be commended for his diligence in unearthing the complex information, much of which dates from events which occurred over 80 years ago.

The Einstein Vendetta by Thomas Harding is a harrowing yet deeply compelling exploration of a forgotten atrocity from World War Two. In the summer of 1944, as the German army retreats from Italy, soldiers descend upon Villa Il Focardo, home to Robert Einstein—cousin of the famed physicist Albert Einstein. Within hours, three members of his family are murdered, leaving behind questions that have haunted survivors for decades.

Harding masterfully reconstructs the events surrounding this horrific crime, delving into the questions of who ordered it, who carried it out, and why justice was never served. His writing is both evocative and restrained, allowing the weight of the tragedy to speak for itself without sensationalism. Through meticulous research, he brings to life the people involved, their fears, and the brutal realities of war-torn Italy.

Before reading this, I knew little about Einstein’s family or the situation in Italy during the latter part of the war. Harding’s gripping narrative not only sheds light on this forgotten history but also offers a sobering reflection on the limits of justice. While the perpetrators escaped accountability, this book ensures that the voices of the victims are heard, echoing through time.

A powerful and eye-opening read, The Einstein Vendetta is both a historical investigation and a poignant act of remembrance.

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A fascinating dive into a little known horror from World War 2.

1944. The German's are being pushed out of Italy by the Allies. The cousin of world famous scientist Albert Einstein is living quietly with his wife and two children. In the course of a day, three will be murdered by German soldiers.

But why? who?

These are the questions the writer sets out to solve. Skilfully, he paints a picture of that time, and the people living within it. He is able to capture the feelings and events of those terrible days with not only evocative emotion but also tact. There is no dramatic gore and horror for the sake of it - the story is horrific enough, and it shows.

I knew nothing about Einstein's family before reading this, and very little of late WW2 Italy, so it was an eye-opening read that kept me turning page after page.

The mystery of who, the various suspects that were uncovered as time went on was enthralling. Justice has not been done to the family - after so long, justice perhaps can never be done. But this book goes a long way towards giving these long forgotten victims their voice, their anguish but also their love echoing through the years.

Perhaps that, in some small way, is justice.

Most of the world is aware in the brilliant physicist Albert Einstein however, how many know of his first cousin Roberto, who took his own life in July 1945 after his wife and daughters were murdered by German soldiers a year previously. The very complex history of the Einstein family, their achievements, persecution and the final tragedy of Roberto and his immediate family are told in this detailed chronology of their lives.
The account is the result of painstaking research that started in the immediate aftermath of the murders and continued in subsequent decades and the author spent years collating the disparate information into this very readable book. It can best be described as a non-fiction tragedy set in wartime Italy because of the ‘vendetta’ set off by Hitlers’ hatred of Albert Einstein, who was unreachable as he was living in the USA since 1933. Consequently, Albert’s immediate family was targeted.
An enthralling book that casts fresh eyes on an old story with many new facts to absorb.

Great story but sad in many ways.
Hopefully we all can learn from the past.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

Robert Einstein was one of Albert Einstein's cousins. He was residing in Italy, which was home to him and his family for many years, when something terrible happened.
This memoir is Harding's exploration of the accounting of what happened/what might have happened to Robert Einstein and his family.
It is a result of his personal interest, connection and extensive research to do justice to this family.
Harding's writing is engaging and the unresolved crime, with its brutality, haunts you after reading the book.
I hope the crime is resolved one day.