Paul Schumann, a German American living in New York City in 1936, is a mobster hitman known for his brilliant tactics and for taking only "righteous" assignments. But when he gets caught he is offered a stark choice: prison or covert government service. Paul must pose as a journalist covering the summer Olympics taking place in Berlin and hunt down and kill Reinhardt Ernst -- the ruthless architect of Hitler's clandestine rearmament. If he refuses the job, his fate will be Sing Sing and the electric chair.
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"Admittedly a great read on historical fiction but still lacks Deavers thrills.But it has its fair share of turns and twists and this book will make you guess all along the read.But somethings are absurd like American Olympic Gold medalist Jesse ownes being ridiculed on some scenes with the protagonist.But one thing if I have to tell you better read it to fail your guessing. You cannot predict even a single thing or a twist in this plot.I would like Paul Schumann more if he was portrayed as a more blood thirsty more crook minded and especially more villainous assassin.You cannot simply denounce someone for small mistakes especially when it comes to fiction so I gave 4stars better read this thing then you post your comment." — Duraimurugan (4 out of 5 stars)
"Admittedly a great read on historical fiction but still lacks Deavers thrills.But it has its fair share of turns and twists and this book will make you guess all along the read.But somethings are absurd like American Olympic Gold medalist Jesse ownes being ridiculed on some scenes with the protagonist.But one thing if I have to tell you better read it to fail your guessing. You cannot predict even a single thing or a twist in this plot.I would like Paul Schumann more if he was portrayed as a more blood thirsty more crook minded and especially more villainous assassin.You cannot simply denounce someone for small mistakes especially when it comes to fiction so I gave 4stars better read this thing then you post your comment."
“The best psychological thriller writer around.”
“Slick, breathless stuff from a master of suspense in full flight.”
“Teeth-chattering suspense.”
“Stunning.”
“Deaver’s novel, equal parts noir thriller and historical extrapolation, is a page-turner that offers a twisting visceral experience of the tension in Berlin during that fateful summer. He draws sympathetic portraits of everyday Germans caught between duty to country and their consciences. Into this mix, Deaver drops his coldly dangerous hitman who brawls with brownshirts, chums with Olympic athletes, collaborates with criminals, fraternizes with poets, and discovers the hero inside his hardened soul.”
“Deaver fans expect the unexpected from this prodigiously talented thriller writer…this time offering a deliciously twisty tale set in Nazi Berlin…bringing to frightening life the Berlin of 1936, a city on the brink of madness. Top Nazis, including Hitler, Himmler and Göring, make colorful cameos, but it’s the smart, shaded-gray characterizations of the principals that anchor the exciting plot. An affecting love affair between Paul and his German landlady goes in surprising directions, as do the main plot lines, which move outside Berlin as heroes become villains and vice versa. This is prime Deaver, which means prime entertainment.”
“Filling the tale with historical facts skillfully woven into the fiction, Deaver deftly places the characters into the chaos of 1936. American slang, German-language translations, food, and clothing are among the details used to create the setting. Individual characters clearly serve as examples of typical people caught up in the confusion and fear felt by the general population as they witness the rise of Hitler. Fans of action, adventure, or history will enjoy this fast-paced, tightly plotted story.”
“Although not known for historical fiction, Deaver takes the new genre in stride, subtly and plausibly working real people into the tale while delivering his signature sense of story, depth of characterization, and sharply rendered dialogue. Readers looking for the author’s usual startling plot twists will not be disappointed, either. Deaver’s audience will be pleased with this one, but it will be an equally big hit with fans of such Nazi-era thrillers as Philip Kerr’s Berlin Noir trilogy or Robert Harris’ Fatherland.”
" Nice fictional companion to "In the Garden of the Beasts" by Erik Larson, both books complement each other and provide the reader with a better understanding of what life was like in Nazi Germany before World War II. "
" AMAZING BOOK! Takes place in Berlin, Nazi/olympic intrigue. Highly reccommend it. "
" Another excellent suspense novel from Deaver. Set in nascent Nazi Germany, this is part Historical fiction, bigger part espionage intrigue. Deaver shows his range in this stark departure from his popular Linlcon Rhyme stories. The story keeps a pretty fast pace while weaving through the everyday life of 1936 Germany, the beginnings of a love interest with a grieving woman, and the politics and bureaucracy of the many departments of the German police/military. As usual for Deaver, this story is filled with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. "
" He sets up a character you want to relate to, but in the end you don't really want to anymore. A little slow with an unsatisfying ending. "
" This book taught me a great deal about the Germany of 1936 as well as told a great story with characters that are vivid and well developed. I enjoyed the narration by Jefferson Mays and have listened to this book several times. "
" Good book about an intelligence agent in Berlin 1936 - the hero is especially interesting, good picture of Berlin at this time. Better than average thriller "
" I'll get the negative out of the way first. At some times the book seemed a little bit long winded. But other than that, what a great read. There was great suspense on every other page. I thought Jeffery Deaver did a great job of researching the subject of the book, and the interaction of his fictional and non-fictional characters was excellent. I really enjoyed the characters he created. They had great personality and were very believable. If you like suspense, action and edge of your seat reading, I would definately recommend this book. "
" Denver always pleases. "
" Just okay. I didn't think this was anything special, but what do I know? It won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award in 2004. "
" Great premise and pacing. Lots of fast paced action. Unexpected ending. "
" It's a perfect beach read, but nothing more. It is a page-turner like most well-written crime stories, but nothing more. I think the setting is pretty accurate, and you can easily image being in Berlin 36 at the time of the games. "
" This book was awesome. I didn't know anything about it except that it was a "staff pick" at my local library. But, I LOVED IT. So suspenseful, great historical fiction. It was great. Actually listened to the audio book which I thought was wonderfully done - the reader was great. "
" Ok, so I actually listened to this one, well, actually, i've listened to it in entirety, probably 5 times. If you get a chance to listen to it, it feels very close to that time, and very exciting. It's one of my favorites! "
" An absorbing, quick page turner, like every other book by Deaver. "
" Read this for book club and although it got off to a slow start it was much more interesting the second half "
" A World War II thriller/mystery that kept me guessing until the end. "
" So far, the only Deaver book I didn't enjoy. It did not capture my attention. "
" Great historical fiction.. set in 1936, primarily in Germany. The entire book occurs in about one week. Action-packed, and full of twists and turns. "
" I thought this was going to be another "beach thriller." Instead, it is a very thought out historical fiction drama. There were a lot of twists and this became an excellent page-turner. "
" I liked this book a lot. Paul is an interesting character with some interesting traits. I'm also a fan of mobsters and World War 2 and this did a good job of combining the two. It has a fair amount of action and if your in to similar books i would recommend this. "
" Well, Deaver chose a 2nd World War setting, in Germany where an assassination is to take place.... an audacious effort.... "
" Very enjoyable historical mystery. "
" This book had lots of twists and turns, which I like because the ending is not what you expect it to be. It also depicted the events that happened in 1936 that aided in the war starting and how twisted Hitler's people were. "
" well written as expected of deaver. liked the contrast of two german officials seeing what was happening in their country and families. "
" Although this is not a book from the Lincoln Rhyme's series, it is an excellent book. Danielle, I really think this is one you would enjoy. "
" First Class, a change from the normal murder mystery. Must be one of his best books. "
" It was an interesting look at life in World War era Germany - of course thru the eyes of an American hit man, but still! I really liked the book. "
" Good mystery set in Berlin pre-WWII. It's a light read, but just what I needed in the last few weeks. "
" Excellent book - very readableGood historical fictionHighly recommended "
" Too real for me --about Hitler's time. A novel but it hurt reading it knowing things like that actually happened and continue happening in our world. "
" My all-time favorite thriller writer, JDeaver delivers with this complicated protagonist and great ending. "
" This was an unexpected twist to plot, having the crime and the investigation happening concurrently and also being set in pre-war Germany. "
Jeffery Deaver is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, three collections of short stories, and a nonfiction law book. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into twenty-five languages. His novels have won the Nero Wolfe Award, three Ellery Queen Readers’ Awards, a British Thumping Good Read Award, and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger awards from the British Crime Writers’ Association. A former journalist, folksinger, and attorney, he was born outside of Chicago and has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University.
Jefferson Mays, an Earphones Awards-winning narrator, is also an award-winning theater and film actor. In 2004 he won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Obie Award, and a Theatre World Award for his solo Broadway performance in I Am My Own Wife, a Pulitzer Prize–winning play by Doug Wright. He holds a BA from Yale College and an MFA from University of California–San Diego.
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