Fear Itself

Jimmy Nessheim #1

by Andrew Rosenheim

A compelling, finely-crafted, intelligent thriller set in the Second World War.

It is 1940, and war is raging in Europe. With forty million citizens of German ancestry, there is great pressure within America to stay out of the fight. Elements ranging from the Nazi-sympathetic German-American Bund to the WASP-led America First movement are working feverishly to make sure America does not intervene on the side of a beleaguered Great Britain.

Jimmy Nessheim, a 28-year-old German-American Lutheran, is working for the still-fledgling FBI. Having grown up in a small Wisconsin town, Nessheim has attended the University of Chicago already known for its radical theories of education and Leftist sympathies. But Nessheim is conservative, befitting his small town upbringing as the son of a schoolteacher, and plays American football in college. Dealing with his own conflicts and that of his divided community, Nessheim finds himself assigned to infiltrate the Bund to seek out suspected Nazi-extremists. His investigations take him deep into the heart of Roosevelt's government. But as he moves closer to the truth, another even more sinister plot emerges which threatens the very foundations of American democracy.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Espionage

422 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2011

About the author

Andrew Rosenheim was born in Chicago and came to England as a Rhodes Scholar in 1977. He has lived near Oxford ever since.

He worked in electronic publishing and artificial intelligence for over fifteen years, and ran Amazon UK's Kindle Singles. He has also written for the TLS, The Spectator, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Tablet, The New York Times Book Review, among other publications.

Rosenheim is the author of nine novels, including Hands On (1993), a satirical novel featuring a precursor to ChatGPT, the trilogy Nessheim's War (The Accidental Agent; The Informant; Fear Itself), Without Prejudice, Holly Lester, and a memoir, The Secrets of Carriage H.

Reviews

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried another new author and it paid dividends again, finally. It was slow going for 300 pages or so but Mr. Rosenheim kept revealing enough of what I thought was going to be a very interesting plot that I kept at it. (I no longer stubbornly finish books just for the sake of finishing them) The cover caught my attention first; a picture of the American Capitol with a red shaded Swastika shaped cloud overhead. How in the heck can a lover of historical fiction not give that one a second look? The story takes place during the late 1930s when we learn that Germany arranged for a German child to be adopted by an American family thirty years earlier. The child, of course, was a spy and was eventually given an assignment. A young FBI agent learns about it and works undercover to find out what the spy's assignment is and how to prevent it. Mr. Rosenheim has an interesting background. He was born and raised in the U.S. of A. but won a Rhodes Scholarship and studied at Oxford. He stayed in England and lives there still. When reading his books the streets have kerbs, cars roll on tyres, you fly in aeroplanes and you tuck in at mealtime.

[Vicki Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book. It was 347 pages and it might as well have been 1000 pages as long as it took me to finish reading. The overall storyline intrigued me, but it took forever to develop. The hero is a young FBI agent in Chicago who really doesn't have the education to be an FBI agent. As I read the book, I wondered why he was ever hired in the first place. The story starts off at a pretty good pace with two murders, one taking place in a German forest. Our hero is assigned to investigate a possible Nazi plant in the US prior to the US entry into WWII. After an attention getting start, the story takes a nose dive. Our hero gets transferred to San Francisco and I can't help wondering why the author got off on this storyline. He does tie it together in the end, but the time spent in SF was totally boring to the reader. Then he gets an undercover assignment in Vermont which looks more promising. That also went at a snail's pace. I won't even comment of the completion of that assignment because it was totally unbelievable. Each time I thought the book was reviving up, it fell flat again. And that brings me to the hero. His personality was bland throughout the book. I could never actually figure out if I even liked him or not. The term "milk toast" best describes the character. He wasn't tough, didn't seem overly smart, and had a bland personality. The ending was a bit surprising and somewhat exciting. That earned it 2 stars instead of 1. I am an avid reader, but I don't want to work at finishing a novel like I did this one. The ending set up a possible series, but I am not the least bit interested. I can't imagine reading another Andrew Rosenheim boring novel. Sorry Andrew.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was a great read; however it was not as good as it could have been. The plot description on the back got me hooked before I even started - German-American pro-Nazi conspiracy threatens the body politic of the US on the eve of world war - yet there were many plot points which were unbelievable and represented an abuse of dramatic license. Jimmy, the main character, was likeable enough but what he goes through during this book is utterly absurd and highly improbable. I remained interested as the FBI sends Kimmy across America after a plot they know nothing about and was certainly surprised when big things happened, but I was disappointed with the ending. It didn't live up to the hype of the blurb and the body of the novel and I never quite understood exactly how the details of the plot led to the conclusion the reader is presented with. I give it 4 stars due to its readability and general interest as a historical fiction thriller, but it certainly could have been better.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page-turner set in immediate pre-WWII USA involving a long-planted Nazi agent finally set to be activated in mid-1940. Credible creations Jimmy Nessheim, a young FBI agent from Wisconsin and his boss, Harry Guttman, are integral to establishing the existence of the plot. The background from the late-1930s, particularly the still present impact of the Depression, is convincing as are the German episodes. The identity of the agent became clear well before the climax but it is totally engaging.

[Lisa Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good (not great) story with a likable protagonist and historical depth. I enjoyed the details on J. Edgar Hoover especially, as well as FDR and Lucy Rutherford.

[Lorreine Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started well and after the first few chapters I thought wow, this has something. Then strangely the book simply slowed and seemed to meander all over the place. I stuck with it although the last half of the book seemed to take me forever. Shane. The premise was good but......

[Trilby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm enamored of this genre, the WWII Nazi spy thriller, but this book sorely disappointed me. First, I was put off by the British spelling and usage. Why would an American writer writing about American characters in an American setting in a book published by an American press do this? It was jarring to see "tyre" and "in hospital" in dialog spoken by regional US characters. Then I saw that the novel had originally been printed in the UK. Apparently the US editors couldn't be bothered to change this--nor did they seem to mind leaving "snuck" in the narration (not dialog). Strange.

Another thing that bothered me was the protagonist's allegedly German surname, Nessheim. This is a Norwegian surname, the name of a town and of farmsteads in Rogaland and Hordaland. The town in Norway has a namesake in North Dakota. On top of this, in the beginning of the book, the Nessheim family is said to be from Swabia. Lutherans from Swabia? Very unlikely. By the end of the book, Nessheim is saying his ancestors came from Bavaria and northern Germany...Like the British-isms, jarring and confusing.

Full disclosure: After working as an editor and composition teacher, I admit to being a bit of a crank about style and consistency. However, the real problem for me is that the story dragged along, never managing to give the reader any thrills. Nessheim's character is bland, his motives unclear. If there is an antagonist, it's J. Edgar Hoover, not the Nazi characters. I figured out who the Nazi plant was about three-quarters through the book. The ending was emotionally unsatisfying. I really don't care what happened to Nessheim or his love interest or anyone else in this rambling non-thriller.

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Fear Itself’ takes the reader into a tumultuous time in American history: the late 1930s before the start of World War II. Even thought America’s a melting pot, there were many who held tightly to their cultural beliefs and practices. Most especially are the Germans immigrants who are supporters of Hitler during his rise to power. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is still fledgling organization, headed by J. Edgar Hoover, and green Special Agent Jimmy Nessheim only wants to make a difference. Being the child of German immigrants, he is particularly sensitive to these issues and the perfect candidate to go uncover into the ‘Bund’. The Bund is a German-American group with branches all over the US who are up to a lot more than sharing recipes for schnitzel. As Nessheim digs further, he finds there is way more than meets the eye to this group and they have connections even into the heart of Washington, D.C. ‘Fear Itself’ is great semi-alternate historical fiction. I’ve always been fascinated by this time period and Mr. Rosenheim makes it come alive with his acute attention to detail. The characters are definitely products of their time and the novel includes historical figures, such as J. Edgar Hoover, interacting with the fictional characters. I enjoyed every step along the path with Special Agent Nessheim as he raced to unweave the tangled web of intrigue.

[Gerald Sinstadt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thriller set partly in Europe but mostly in the United States between 1936 and 1940 holds promise. Andrew Rosenheim's story of a young FBI agent acting under cover in a bid to thwart a plot against Roosevelt has originality to recommend it, and so do the many twists - even if they do get to seem more and more improbable.

I read to the end and in a few days so that is a recommendation. Why, then, only three stars? Too much of a good thing, for a start. Period detail is of the essence in such a project but in time I came to feel that it was done too emphatically: what should have been authentic background became irrelevant show-off detail that got in the way of the narrative. Not all the dialogue convinced, notably when the author felt the need to update events in the war in Europe.

Overall, I could not escape an impression of an author not quite of the same calibre as his idea. Too many cliches that looked as if they had been hurried on to the page without second thoughts - "There was nothing for it ..." ... "Annie was standing stock-still ..." .. "Then all hell broke loose ..." This is hardly Le Carre prose. And I doubt very much if the phrase "any time soon" was in use in 1940.

[Nick Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an atmospheric thriller set just before the WW2. A fledgling FBI is more concerned about communism then the threats of a potential Nazi Germany. A young agent is put under cover to investigate German sympathisers against the wishes (and knowledge) of FBI Director Hoover. At the same time there is a deep cover Nazi agent with a mission that could change history.

This worked quite well, and I enjoyed the atmosphere and historical aspects of a time when the concerns were more about the commies then the changes in faraway Germany. The attitudes of German immigrants in the US was an interesting aspect as was the attitudes of the FBI and its agents. It moves along nicely with some engaging lead characters and one or two interesting twists. I think the author has delivered an entertaining and atmospheric thriller. It didn’t blow me away but it certainly kept me turning the pages.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the beginning days of World War II, this book features a FBI man whose family is German and has mixed allegiances. He is able to use these things to his advantage in discovering the mole who was planted in the US when he was a young boy. Somehow the characters were just a bit flat. And it seemed the action fell just below the mark.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure that it was necessary that the lead character sleep with every single woman he came across, but other than that this was an interesting war-time book from a quite different perspective: expat German activism in the US leading up to the war.

[David Campton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively routine thriller in the style of Frederick Forsyth but without the strong narrative drive you find with Forsyth. It covers an interesting and rarely referred to part of recent US history, mixing fact with fiction, but the fiction isn't as interesting as the fact.

[Michelle Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book, leading up to WWII. Jimmy is an FBI agent tasked with rooting out Nazi spies in the U.S. before war breaks out in Europe. He goes undercover in several assignments gathering clues and finding out why an informant was murdered.

[Kimberly Thomas johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring and tedious. I just couldn't finish it.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable, not too probable, but it is a novel after all.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entirely mediocre.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

WWII fictional thriller with a few twists and turns.

[Ann Costello · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like historical murder mysteries set in Washington, DC with a bit of romance and real historical figures mixed in. So this was a natural for me. Quick read.

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow and uneventful with very little history.

[Judi Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is s l o w going.

Officially admitting defeat: I shan't be finishing this one.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

good historical thriller

[Saran Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, finding the build up and atmosphere fascinating and immersing the reader in the experience of being in the time and place of late 1930s America. The depiction of the Bund was done well, the tensions and violence in local communities as they struggle with their identity very reminiscent of the problems of our own times, and the despair and struggle of living in the Depression era very well realised. The main character, Nessheim, develops well during the story, and the various adventures he gets into helps to develop the underlying plot. Historical characters such as Hoover and Heydrich make chilling, and dangerous, adversaries, whilst the machinations of FDR and those around him are an interesting counterbalance. The mystery of the Dreilander keeps you guessing until the end, and the denouement is quite shocking when it comes.