Member Review
Review by
Annette C, Librarian
Seb is a detective in 1930s Munich, a good man in a bad time, doing his best to catch criminals in a country run by criminals- all very difficult and somewhat ironic- he says at one point” All pretence of open justice, fair play and democratic rule had long since been swept away”
He does not believe in the leadership but he does believe in justice and when a terror group assassinate a couple in front of their young child he investigates to his best ability but this unfortunately leads him very close to home.
He is also tasked with protecting the former Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson when they visit Bavaria there is information that the ‘Rote Freiheit” terrorists are going to try and assassinate them along with Hitler. Despite the realisation that the death of the leader might be a good thing, Seb does his best to ensure no one is killed.
Whilst all this is going on he is being watched by the Gestapo who suspect his motives and his fiancée, Hexie, is “invited” to Hitler’s mountain hideout by her friend Evie Braun! This is quite a chilling part of the novel . The description of her visit sent a shiver down my spine as she has several encounters with the most hated man in history!
As ever, Rory Clements has written an exciting and well researched historical thriller which held my attention from page one. Obviously the ex royal’s tour of the country is a matter of historical fact but it was a subject I knew little about.- it was frightening to read about his close ties to the regime.
I really like the character of Seb and his fiancee, the feisty Hexie who shares his views. Seb wants to do the right thing but this is very hard in the society he is living in. His son Jurgen, has been brainwashed by his time in the youth movement and he does not see eye to eye with his father- he did have a few redeeming features in this book but I felt like telling him to grow up and look to his father as a role model, not a bunch of thugs!
I definitely recommend this book and the whole series and look forward to to reading the next one when it is published.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
He does not believe in the leadership but he does believe in justice and when a terror group assassinate a couple in front of their young child he investigates to his best ability but this unfortunately leads him very close to home.
He is also tasked with protecting the former Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson when they visit Bavaria there is information that the ‘Rote Freiheit” terrorists are going to try and assassinate them along with Hitler. Despite the realisation that the death of the leader might be a good thing, Seb does his best to ensure no one is killed.
Whilst all this is going on he is being watched by the Gestapo who suspect his motives and his fiancée, Hexie, is “invited” to Hitler’s mountain hideout by her friend Evie Braun! This is quite a chilling part of the novel . The description of her visit sent a shiver down my spine as she has several encounters with the most hated man in history!
As ever, Rory Clements has written an exciting and well researched historical thriller which held my attention from page one. Obviously the ex royal’s tour of the country is a matter of historical fact but it was a subject I knew little about.- it was frightening to read about his close ties to the regime.
I really like the character of Seb and his fiancee, the feisty Hexie who shares his views. Seb wants to do the right thing but this is very hard in the society he is living in. His son Jurgen, has been brainwashed by his time in the youth movement and he does not see eye to eye with his father- he did have a few redeeming features in this book but I felt like telling him to grow up and look to his father as a role model, not a bunch of thugs!
I definitely recommend this book and the whole series and look forward to to reading the next one when it is published.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
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