"Hitler's Peace", by Philip Kerr

I am a huge fan of this author since my introduction to the Bernie Gunther series some time ago. I simply could not stay there waiting for the next installment so why not backtrack and “Hitler’s Peace” became my preferred choice.

This is briskly paced and a sharp standalone spy thriller set in 1943 when Hitler and his advisors see that they are losing the war and unconditional surrender is out of the question. Hitler and his advisers then work on a secret plan to manipulate the Allies to turn their backs on the Russian State.

With this as background, Willard Mayer, a former Princeton philosophy professor currently working as an intelligence analyst is given an unexpected assignment from the President of the U.S.A to examine the facts surrounding the Katyn Forest Massacre and to be part of his entourage to the Teheran Conference where the “Big Three” (Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill) would meet to strategize about the war.

Meanwhile general Schellenberg plans to kill the Allies leaders in order to save the Fatherland from further destruction and then begins the high stakes game of deals and double-dealing. The body count mounts, twists spins the tale and eventually every piece of the puzzle falls into place.

This is indeed an interesting concept and a great fiction based on facts, Mr. Kerr explains which one are true at the end of the book. The story is told in the first person narrative by the protagonist, Willard Mayer, a pretentious and somewhat bland character. The book is populated with overpowering historical figures that once on the stage could have overshadowed everything else. With excellent portrayal of them, Mr. Kerr did manage to make them appeared less stringent at times. Some side escapades were a fun read and brought a light touch to the suspense. Despite its flaws (a fiction is a fiction) this fast paced novel left me wanting more as I flipped the pages.

“Hitler’s Peace” is an interesting and entertaining novel I enjoyed quite a bit..