September 2026

We all are well aware of the atrocities that Adolf Hitler committed during his reign of terror. His ordering of the extinction of Jewish people was barbaric, and the ramifications of that and the other cruelties he imparted on millions cannot be justified in any way. He changed the course of history, first in Germany and then with his outreach to countries throughout Europe. His antisemitic feelings still have consequences today. 

In THE MUNICH AFFAIR, James Patterson and David Ellis have nurtured a story that casts a new light on what Hitler was capable of --- and how he was surrounded by sycophants who would keep his secrets, even as they came too close to home. I knew he married Eva Braun the day before they both died by suicide. But I was not aware that he had a half-niece, Geli Raubal, who he sexually abused while touting her to the outside world like a special flower. His depravity should not come as a surprise, but here is a murder that he could be held and tried for. If only the details would be unearthed. 

This task is taken up by Detective Thomas Bauer and journalist Fritz Gerlich, both of whom will do whatever it takes to stop Hitler before he destroys Germany and the countries around it. They take risks as Hitler is intent on keeping news about himself written only in heroic terms. He can do no wrong and actually sees nothing that he does as wrong. 

In the modern-day portion of the book, Eleanor Robbins is an American professor who heads across the ocean to Europe hoping to unearth just what happened to Geli all these years later. The shadow of the Nazis is still out there. Neo-Nazis work hard to ensure that Hitler’s reputation remains untarnished, and they are ruthless in how they hide secrets. 

Bauer, Gerlich and Robbins are so well drawn that I felt like I was watching a film unfold as I read. The book is a page-turner. I tore through it as the writing was brisk and the suspense kept bringing higher and higher stakes. It definitely is worth a read for a story that is not well known.