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Title details for Before the Storm by James D. Shipman - Available

Before the Storm

A Thrilling Historical Novel of Real Life Nazi Hunters

by James D. Shipman
ebook
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1 of 1 copy available
Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, and Pam Jenoff, this thrilling, high-stakes Cold War novel from a bestselling author follows one couple's relentless pursuit of an infamous fugitive Nazi scientist across Europe in the aftermath of WWII.

Berlin, 1948: World War II may be over, but a new era of conflict has begun. The Russians have cut off all access to the western part of Berlin in an attempt to seize it from the Allies. The thirst for power, dominance, and revenge is as strong as ever, and anti-Semitism is still rampant. When a store in West Berlin is vandalized with swastikas, Sara Sturm, a German woman working for the US Department of Public Affairs, is dispatched to investigate, and meets Max and Karl Portnoy, two Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.

Sharing their stories of loss, Sara and Max form a bond. Max and his family were sent to a concentration camp during the war, where his parents and sister perished. The man who betrayed them, Nazi nuclear scientist Heinz Hoffman, is now a wanted criminal. Since Max and his brother are among the very few who can identify him, Sara agrees to accompany them to Hoffman's last known whereabouts, hoping they will finally be able to bring him to justice.
But tracking the elusive Hoffman is not just difficult, it's perilous. From the mountainous backroads of Bavaria to the Soviet border, Sara and Max race to evade assassins sent by the top-secret Odessa organization. And then there are other adversaries, hidden but no less lethal, determined to gain control of Hoffman and the knowledge he possesses—knowledge that may determine the course of countless wars to come.
"Set in 1948 against the backdrop of the Berlin Blockade, this fast-moving Cold War thriller brings to life the shifting alliances that splintered the Allies in the years immediately following WWII. As readers attempt to sort out motives, the plot twists keep coming." – Booklist

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    February 21, 2023

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781496736741

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781496736741
      • File size: 667 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      December 1, 2022
      Set in 1948 against the backdrop of the Berlin Blockade, this fast-moving Cold War thriller brings to life the shifting alliances that splintered the Allies in the years immediately following WWII. Based partially on the exploits of real-life Nazi hunters Beate and Serge Klarsfeld, the novel begins with two Jewish brothers attempting to put their West Berlin antique shop back in order after anti-Semitic vandals have trashed it. Americans from the U.S. Department of Public Affairs offer assistance, and Sara Strum, a German national working for the Americans, finds herself attracted to one of the brothers, Max, ultimately agreeing to help him track Nazi war criminal Heinz Hoffmann. A suspenseful if improbable chase ensues in which nearly all of the principal characters are hiding their real agendas. Against the overly melodramatic action, however, Shipman juxtaposes a pleasingly multifaceted crew of chasers and chased, including a lethal former SS sniper with a fondness for apple strudel. As readers attempt to sort out motives, the plot twists keep coming at a dizzying rate. A flawed but readable thriller that captures the chaos of the period.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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