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The German Suitcase
Greg Dinallo’s previous novels, Rockets’ Red Glare, Touched By Fire, Purpose of Evasion, Final Answers, and Red Ink have earned him accolades as a “suspense pro” from the Chicago Tribune; The New York Times heralded his “sharp insight into character,” proclaiming, “Mr. Dinallo makes us believe.”
Now, in his latest digital-first novel, Dinallo brings a novel of suspense and intrigue that is part WWII thriller and part modern-day mystery.
A vintage suitcase is pulled from the trash by a young New York advertising executive brainstorming a campaign on her way to work. The account is Steinbach Luggage, the German answer to Louis Vuitton and Hermes. There’s only one problem with the vintage bag — like Steinbach’s CEO, it’s a Holocaust survivor, as evidenced by the name and other personal data painted on it. It is hallowed memorabilia, and no one dares open it until they can determine if the is owner still alive. The holocaust survivor turns out to be an 89 year-old member of New York’s Jewish aristocracy, a prominent philanthropist and surgeon. When he gives his consent, the documents found inside the suitcase pique the interest of a New York Times reporter, whose investigation begins to unravel a devastating secret that has been locked away since the day Dachau was liberated.
The German Suitcase is a unique WWII thriller focusing on the Nazi doctors who were conscripted by the SS and given the task of carrying out Hitler’s Final Solution. The author delves deeply into questions that have been asked ever since the war ended. What is a war crime? What is guilt? How is justice best served? It questions the very nature of identity, and finally asks if a lifetime of good deeds can make up for past acts of evil? The German Suitcase is a fascinating tale of survival of the human spirit against overwhelming odds and wrenching moral ambiguity.
GREG DINALLO, a New York Times Notable Author, has published six novels: Rockets’ Red Glare, Purpose of Evasion, Final Answers, Touched By Fire, Red Ink and The German Suitcase, Dinallo's latest and digital-first novel. He has also written and produced many dramatic programs and movies for television.
Now, in his latest digital-first novel, Dinallo brings a novel of suspense and intrigue that is part WWII thriller and part modern-day mystery.
A vintage suitcase is pulled from the trash by a young New York advertising executive brainstorming a campaign on her way to work. The account is Steinbach Luggage, the German answer to Louis Vuitton and Hermes. There’s only one problem with the vintage bag — like Steinbach’s CEO, it’s a Holocaust survivor, as evidenced by the name and other personal data painted on it. It is hallowed memorabilia, and no one dares open it until they can determine if the is owner still alive. The holocaust survivor turns out to be an 89 year-old member of New York’s Jewish aristocracy, a prominent philanthropist and surgeon. When he gives his consent, the documents found inside the suitcase pique the interest of a New York Times reporter, whose investigation begins to unravel a devastating secret that has been locked away since the day Dachau was liberated.
The German Suitcase is a unique WWII thriller focusing on the Nazi doctors who were conscripted by the SS and given the task of carrying out Hitler’s Final Solution. The author delves deeply into questions that have been asked ever since the war ended. What is a war crime? What is guilt? How is justice best served? It questions the very nature of identity, and finally asks if a lifetime of good deeds can make up for past acts of evil? The German Suitcase is a fascinating tale of survival of the human spirit against overwhelming odds and wrenching moral ambiguity.
GREG DINALLO, a New York Times Notable Author, has published six novels: Rockets’ Red Glare, Purpose of Evasion, Final Answers, Touched By Fire, Red Ink and The German Suitcase, Dinallo's latest and digital-first novel. He has also written and produced many dramatic programs and movies for television.
348 pages, ebook
First published June 24, 2012
410 people are currently reading
1193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 29, 2013
This could have been such a great book. The story itself could have been quite good. The characters were unfortunately all one dimensional. It felt like an amateur play where everyone is overacting. I kept hoping it would get better.
And don't get me started on the lack of fact checking. Well, maybe I will.
1. Nazi flag described as orange. It was red
2. Penicillin used to try to save a Jew with typhus in Dachau. Penicillin was discovered by British researchers in the late 1930s. Due to the war it was brought to production by Americans. Neither of those governments was willing to share life saving technology with their sworn enemy Germany.
3. Dachau described as being close to the Ruhr Valley. Dachau is near Munich in southeast Germany. The Ruhr Valley is near Dusseldorf in northwest Germany. Not close at all.
4. A supposedly high tech research company using an AOL email address
5. An editor at a major newspaper laid off but one of his subordinates having access to the editor's email account at the paper.
And the worst insult of all - there was no ending. The story just stopped. I will not willingly read another book by this author.
And don't get me started on the lack of fact checking. Well, maybe I will.
1. Nazi flag described as orange. It was red
2. Penicillin used to try to save a Jew with typhus in Dachau. Penicillin was discovered by British researchers in the late 1930s. Due to the war it was brought to production by Americans. Neither of those governments was willing to share life saving technology with their sworn enemy Germany.
3. Dachau described as being close to the Ruhr Valley. Dachau is near Munich in southeast Germany. The Ruhr Valley is near Dusseldorf in northwest Germany. Not close at all.
4. A supposedly high tech research company using an AOL email address
5. An editor at a major newspaper laid off but one of his subordinates having access to the editor's email account at the paper.
And the worst insult of all - there was no ending. The story just stopped. I will not willingly read another book by this author.
January 23, 2015
I don't know Greg Dinallo at all. I'd never heard of him though I like to consider myself somewhat well-read. I was browsing Barnes online and came across this book. Curious, I ordered it.
It packs a mighty punch for being only 298 pages. I knew some information about WWII. Have read some books on it. My knowledge of it all, honestly, is less than I'd like. This book, unexpectedly, furthered my education about many things. I knew about the White Rose but not the Red Orchestra. I looked up things on page after page. The author explained things, but I was spurred to learn more. I listened to Hilary Hahn performing Schoenberg after the composer was mentioned in the book. I looked up Kandinsky's "Murnau With a Church." I looked up German phrases. I looked at maps.
I knew plenty of Germans helped Jewish people hide, escape, etc. I hadn't thought about what happens when good kind people were German and forced to participate while trying to help when they could. I also didn't realize that our troops shot up lots of SS etc. it's understandable that it was a reaction to all the horrors. Still, there's much to think about.
What do you do if Hitler's commanders tell you to participate or your family dies? I think I'd choose death believing they'd be killed anyway. I don't know that for sure. I do know Max Kleist was not a bad person. I know that his Jewish friends Jacob, Hannah, and Eva believed in him.
Prepare to walk the halls of Dachau in a way you haven't before. Prepare to cry a lot. Prepare to have your horror at and faith in humanity kindled in equal measures.
I never had any problems following the story. I lived with those characters. You will, too.
It packs a mighty punch for being only 298 pages. I knew some information about WWII. Have read some books on it. My knowledge of it all, honestly, is less than I'd like. This book, unexpectedly, furthered my education about many things. I knew about the White Rose but not the Red Orchestra. I looked up things on page after page. The author explained things, but I was spurred to learn more. I listened to Hilary Hahn performing Schoenberg after the composer was mentioned in the book. I looked up Kandinsky's "Murnau With a Church." I looked up German phrases. I looked at maps.
I knew plenty of Germans helped Jewish people hide, escape, etc. I hadn't thought about what happens when good kind people were German and forced to participate while trying to help when they could. I also didn't realize that our troops shot up lots of SS etc. it's understandable that it was a reaction to all the horrors. Still, there's much to think about.
What do you do if Hitler's commanders tell you to participate or your family dies? I think I'd choose death believing they'd be killed anyway. I don't know that for sure. I do know Max Kleist was not a bad person. I know that his Jewish friends Jacob, Hannah, and Eva believed in him.
Prepare to walk the halls of Dachau in a way you haven't before. Prepare to cry a lot. Prepare to have your horror at and faith in humanity kindled in equal measures.
I never had any problems following the story. I lived with those characters. You will, too.
January 31, 2013
The German Suitcase is about the discovery in New York City of an artifact from the Holocaust by a member of an ad agency. The book is a page turner with finely delineated characters who face ethical dilemmas, catastrophes, and heartbreak in 1945 and the present. The reader is immediately engaged and experiences horror, empathy, love, misery, courageousness, fear, and much more.
Be prepared to bop from 1945 to 2012 as you follow two stories that weave together. At first I disliked this approach, but as I read on I got used to it and longed for the next switch. The pace and tension never lets up.
I was disappointed in some of the formatting errors in the ebook and heartily disliked the repeated use of the word, "cackle" for laughter. For me the word is for old crones or hags, not these characters. Once I controlled my irritation, I could not put the book down and read late into the night on several occasions.
Highly recommended.
Be prepared to bop from 1945 to 2012 as you follow two stories that weave together. At first I disliked this approach, but as I read on I got used to it and longed for the next switch. The pace and tension never lets up.
I was disappointed in some of the formatting errors in the ebook and heartily disliked the repeated use of the word, "cackle" for laughter. For me the word is for old crones or hags, not these characters. Once I controlled my irritation, I could not put the book down and read late into the night on several occasions.
Highly recommended.
January 26, 2016
This is one of those books that moves back and forth, chapter by chapter, from the present to the past. The past here is the Holocaust - the present is modern day New York City and the advertising business. I seem to have read quite a few books this past year about World War II and this describes the closing days of the war in Berlin and Dachau. The dilemmas that faced good people trying to survive with the least amount of damage to others. The choices they had to make were horrific.
And the choices that people today have to make - how much truth needs to be put out there? How much do we need to know? Where do you draw the line between information and invasion of privacy?
This was an interesting read.
And the choices that people today have to make - how much truth needs to be put out there? How much do we need to know? Where do you draw the line between information and invasion of privacy?
This was an interesting read.
April 11, 2015
The German Suitcase by Greg Dinallo
I loved how the author should us a gray area when it comes to the Holocaust, so often it's good or evil! I've always wondered where were the people just caught in the horror of it, forced to make choices to protect their own families. Sometimes life doesn't give us just good choices. Sophie's Choice comes to mind. I like to think that they weren't all monsters. Often we hear, why did you stay? Why didn't you fight? This story the characters do all these things! This book would make a wonderful film, I could see it in my minds eye as I was reading it. It's an easy book to read and I loved the end of the story!
I loved how the author should us a gray area when it comes to the Holocaust, so often it's good or evil! I've always wondered where were the people just caught in the horror of it, forced to make choices to protect their own families. Sometimes life doesn't give us just good choices. Sophie's Choice comes to mind. I like to think that they weren't all monsters. Often we hear, why did you stay? Why didn't you fight? This story the characters do all these things! This book would make a wonderful film, I could see it in my minds eye as I was reading it. It's an easy book to read and I loved the end of the story!
August 24, 2012
Ok story, I did figure the twist out very early in the book, but I still wanted to finish it and see how it played out.
March 18, 2021
Dinallo has penned a novel of suspense and intrigue, part World War II thriller and part modern-day mystery. A young New York advertising executive on her way to work has discovered a vintage suitcase in the trash . It is, in due course, determined that the bag had been possessed by a Holocaust survivor, as evidenced by the name and other personal data painted on it. The suitcase is respected memorabilia, and it was important to establish if the owner was still alive. Investigation begins to explore many perplexing secrets locked away since the liberation of Dachau.
The book is a complex World War II tale focusing on the Nazi doctors who were conscripted with the task of carrying out Hitler' s Final Solution. The author questions the very nature of identity and ultimately raises the question if a lifetime of good deeds can supersede past acts of evil. This and other moral issues contribute to the engrossing story. Although Dinallo has researched his facts well and created an interesting plot-line, it was not difficult to determine the foundation of many of the mysteries in question. Nevertheless, I was able to absorb what followed with continued interest.
I had some difficulty in rating this book beyond 3 stars because of the following:
Of importance to me, I am astounded that this book passed editorial scrutiny. Despite the fact that I enjoyed reading it, there were many glaring errors.
Grammar:
p.44- “ ...framed snapshot of she and Max...”
p.62 “... Spirit that guided Jake and I...”
p. 279 “...It was a snapshot of she and Max in medical school... "
Etc.
Misquote:
p.294 “... within a hare's breath...” (should be within a Hair's breadth)
Punctuation:
“I might even reduce my fee; after all, I have a vested interest... “
"Just because the Nazis are on the run; doesn't mean they'll all be caught, let alone cured of this madness."
Paragraph errors:
Many sentences with mysterious line separations.
Ex:
“... living area. 'Get you a beer or anything?'----
She called out”
“...but, now, staring at his terrified face,-----
Max's eyes flickered with recognition....”
There have been numerous other errors of all above mentioned. I confess that viewing this disturbed my enjoyment of this novel.
The book is a complex World War II tale focusing on the Nazi doctors who were conscripted with the task of carrying out Hitler' s Final Solution. The author questions the very nature of identity and ultimately raises the question if a lifetime of good deeds can supersede past acts of evil. This and other moral issues contribute to the engrossing story. Although Dinallo has researched his facts well and created an interesting plot-line, it was not difficult to determine the foundation of many of the mysteries in question. Nevertheless, I was able to absorb what followed with continued interest.
I had some difficulty in rating this book beyond 3 stars because of the following:
Of importance to me, I am astounded that this book passed editorial scrutiny. Despite the fact that I enjoyed reading it, there were many glaring errors.
Grammar:
p.44- “ ...framed snapshot of she and Max...”
p.62 “... Spirit that guided Jake and I...”
p. 279 “...It was a snapshot of she and Max in medical school... "
Etc.
Misquote:
p.294 “... within a hare's breath...” (should be within a Hair's breadth)
Punctuation:
“I might even reduce my fee; after all, I have a vested interest... “
"Just because the Nazis are on the run; doesn't mean they'll all be caught, let alone cured of this madness."
Paragraph errors:
Many sentences with mysterious line separations.
Ex:
“... living area. 'Get you a beer or anything?'----
She called out”
“...but, now, staring at his terrified face,-----
Max's eyes flickered with recognition....”
There have been numerous other errors of all above mentioned. I confess that viewing this disturbed my enjoyment of this novel.
June 13, 2018
Awful, juvenile writing. The dialogue was full of cliches and stereotypes. Most of the characters were one dimensional and uninteresting. Max was the only character of depth. The story had potential to be captivating, but the writing was so poor that I figured the plot out early on, and just slogged through the rest of the book to finish it. In addition, I noticed many copy editing errors with sentences cut off mid-line and continued a line or two below. These mistakes, along with the horrible font used, made the book even harder to get through.
May 15, 2022
I really wanted to like this book, especially since I paid to get it. As you know, I hate to buy books because I read so much.
I didn't love or hate it. It was an ok story, but it was a novel, and it was hard to buy the story line in several parts.
As any of us WWII readers know, the SS had their blood type tattooed under their arm. Just saying.
I didn't love or hate it. It was an ok story, but it was a novel, and it was hard to buy the story line in several parts.
As any of us WWII readers know, the SS had their blood type tattooed under their arm. Just saying.
January 24, 2013
Mystery and Romance with a Holocaust Background
Stacey Dutton, a young New York Advertising copywriter, finds an old suitcase discarded on the sidewalk behind the Apthorp, a vintage apartment building built by John Jacob Aster. The suitcase is a perfect centerpiece for the advertising campaign for Steinbach & Company, makers of high quality luggage since 1847. Sol Steinbach loves the idea of featuring a suitcase that played a part in the Holocaust because he is also a survivor of the death camps. Now the mystery starts. Who owned the luggage? What's it's story behind its travels?
The suitcase dates from the end of World War II. Two young Jewish doctors have their papers revoked and must flee Germany or face the concentration camps. A wealthy German family helps them make their escape and the suitcase travels with them.
The book toggles back and forth between the story of the advertising campaign and the fate of the young doctors. The author does this very well. There's more action in the WWII sections including the romance surrounding the young doctors. In the present day sections, the mystery of who owned the suitcase and how it got to New York predominates. Both sections are well done, but the chapters in the WWII section have more immediacy.
The characters in the WWII sections are also the most interesting. The characters in the present day section seem more like vehicles serving the story. However, they make a good counterpoint to the intensity of the WWII characters and move the story along rapidly.
I recommend this book. It's well written and will hold your interest to the last page.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
Stacey Dutton, a young New York Advertising copywriter, finds an old suitcase discarded on the sidewalk behind the Apthorp, a vintage apartment building built by John Jacob Aster. The suitcase is a perfect centerpiece for the advertising campaign for Steinbach & Company, makers of high quality luggage since 1847. Sol Steinbach loves the idea of featuring a suitcase that played a part in the Holocaust because he is also a survivor of the death camps. Now the mystery starts. Who owned the luggage? What's it's story behind its travels?
The suitcase dates from the end of World War II. Two young Jewish doctors have their papers revoked and must flee Germany or face the concentration camps. A wealthy German family helps them make their escape and the suitcase travels with them.
The book toggles back and forth between the story of the advertising campaign and the fate of the young doctors. The author does this very well. There's more action in the WWII sections including the romance surrounding the young doctors. In the present day sections, the mystery of who owned the suitcase and how it got to New York predominates. Both sections are well done, but the chapters in the WWII section have more immediacy.
The characters in the WWII sections are also the most interesting. The characters in the present day section seem more like vehicles serving the story. However, they make a good counterpoint to the intensity of the WWII characters and move the story along rapidly.
I recommend this book. It's well written and will hold your interest to the last page.
I reviewed this book for Net Galley.
March 10, 2016
This is absolutely a five star book. The characters draw you in immediately, and the story keeps you turning pages to figure out where the next twist is heading. Altho I figured out the "hook" pretty early, it didn't stop the pleasure of reading this novel.
So if it's a five star book, why give it four stars? It may sound a petty complaint to you, but this book was never proof-/copyread and the errors, particularly in punctuation, are so many and so glaring that I literally got mad at the book and couldn't read it at times. Things like
"Just because the Nazis are on the run; doesn't mean they'll all be caught, let alone cured of this madness."
"He had done for the dog what he hadn't been able to do for them; and hoped the Professor had been able to arrange..."
"He's on the run from the
Gestapo." [line break as in the book]
And many, many more - sometimes several per page.
BTW, this is the 2012 Open Road Media edition; it's possible that someone actually took a good look at it before it was released again.
So if it's a five star book, why give it four stars? It may sound a petty complaint to you, but this book was never proof-/copyread and the errors, particularly in punctuation, are so many and so glaring that I literally got mad at the book and couldn't read it at times. Things like
"Just because the Nazis are on the run; doesn't mean they'll all be caught, let alone cured of this madness."
"He had done for the dog what he hadn't been able to do for them; and hoped the Professor had been able to arrange..."
"He's on the run from the
Gestapo." [line break as in the book]
And many, many more - sometimes several per page.
BTW, this is the 2012 Open Road Media edition; it's possible that someone actually took a good look at it before it was released again.
September 21, 2017
I read quite a bit of non-fiction - mostly history and biographies - and I usually stop reading books if I find at least two factual errors in the text. I'm not talking about the notoriously bad editing that many Kindle books have, but real, wrong facts. I tend to be more lenient with historical fiction, but I found so many in Greg Dinallo's "The German Suitcase", that I almost did abandon the book, but decided to read on.
The book is set in alternating times - New York in 2009 and Munich in 1944-5 - and Dinallo actually does pretty well in his writing between the two periods. But, in addition to paper thin characters in both sections, the number of factual mistakes is quite high. If anyone reading this review wants me to enumerate them, let me know in a comment below.
"The German Suitcase" is a passable read if you're not too picky about the quality of writing and the facts.
The book is set in alternating times - New York in 2009 and Munich in 1944-5 - and Dinallo actually does pretty well in his writing between the two periods. But, in addition to paper thin characters in both sections, the number of factual mistakes is quite high. If anyone reading this review wants me to enumerate them, let me know in a comment below.
"The German Suitcase" is a passable read if you're not too picky about the quality of writing and the facts.
May 31, 2016
Fascinating idea: Do the good works of someone counteract their evil acts, even if those acts were forced at the hands of a greater evil? Nazis and holocaust survivors are loaded topics, one that require writing finesse. This book, at times, was compelling. At other times, it was so one-dimensional that I cringed. Not only did the writing vacillate greatly, but at times, the plot just didn't make sense. Typos (including the spelling of character's names), lack of a real mystery, and the heavy handed approach to this topic made it a pretty mediocre novel.
October 25, 2015
Interesting take on the traditional Nazi story. There were several inconsistencies and illogical moves by the main characters, but the spirit of what was being shared was good. The writing and some plot lines were spotty and hard to follow and I think the story would have become a powerhouse in a better writers hands. I'm glad I read the book but I am not inclined to read anything else by this author.
February 19, 2016
A wonderfully woven book about the holocaust. Brought back memories of my visit to Dachau three years ago. Overwhelmed with grief and emotions .
My only problem with the book was that object pronouns were not used correctly.
My only problem with the book was that object pronouns were not used correctly.
November 9, 2019
This was a new perspective for me. I've read many books on WWII/the Holocaust but not many from the perspective of SS Officers. It was well-researched and had a fun modern simultaneous plot to bring the past into the present.
Under the category "distracting" I will place in large, bold, underlined text, CRAPPY EDITING . First and foremost, whoever edited this book didn't know how to use commas properly, and it made me incredibly twitchy. Sometimes trying to figure out exactly what the sentence was saying took a re-read due to misplaced commas. Secondly, several times sentences were split inexplicably between two or even three lines, like someone bumped the "enter" key while typing and didn't bother to fix it.
These editing issues don't ruin the story but they will distract throughout the book, unless you, like the editor, normally struggle with commas and don't notice their misuse.
The big reveal at the end didn't feel like a big reveal, because I'd guessed it 80 pages back. I still made for a great story, and I appreciated the backstory filling us in on what happened all those years ago, but the big "Aha!" moment did nothing for me. The author made it too obvious too early and rather ruined the ending. Either because of this or because of meh story-writing, the entire last few chapters felt forced and unnecessary.
Overall, I mostly enjoyed the story; the modern characters weren't interesting, but the historical ones were, and the perspective is important--that there were SS officers who didn't want to be doing what they were doing, but had to in order to save their families and their own lives. Also that there were people inside the camps who did whatever they could for their own reasons to help those who were marked for extinction. This is an important fact to remember, lest we head down the "humanity is awful and we don't deserve to exist" rabbit hole.
In short: This wasn't my favorite WWII book, but it wasn't awful. The editing was distracting, the big reveal wasn't a surprise, and some of the characters were flat, but the story is still mostly engaging, and I thought it was a rather unique approach to telling a historical fiction story. There are better Holocaust books to read, but this one isn't a complete waste of time.
Under the category "distracting" I will place in large, bold, underlined text, CRAPPY EDITING . First and foremost, whoever edited this book didn't know how to use commas properly, and it made me incredibly twitchy. Sometimes trying to figure out exactly what the sentence was saying took a re-read due to misplaced commas. Secondly, several times sentences were split inexplicably between two or even three lines, like someone bumped the "enter" key while typing and didn't bother to fix it.
These editing issues don't ruin the story but they will distract throughout the book, unless you, like the editor, normally struggle with commas and don't notice their misuse.
The big reveal at the end didn't feel like a big reveal, because I'd guessed it 80 pages back. I still made for a great story, and I appreciated the backstory filling us in on what happened all those years ago, but the big "Aha!" moment did nothing for me. The author made it too obvious too early and rather ruined the ending. Either because of this or because of meh story-writing, the entire last few chapters felt forced and unnecessary.
Overall, I mostly enjoyed the story; the modern characters weren't interesting, but the historical ones were, and the perspective is important--that there were SS officers who didn't want to be doing what they were doing, but had to in order to save their families and their own lives. Also that there were people inside the camps who did whatever they could for their own reasons to help those who were marked for extinction. This is an important fact to remember, lest we head down the "humanity is awful and we don't deserve to exist" rabbit hole.
In short: This wasn't my favorite WWII book, but it wasn't awful. The editing was distracting, the big reveal wasn't a surprise, and some of the characters were flat, but the story is still mostly engaging, and I thought it was a rather unique approach to telling a historical fiction story. There are better Holocaust books to read, but this one isn't a complete waste of time.
January 29, 2018
This suitcase not quite packed full
The premise, storytelling style, and moral questions were set-up for a more fascinating read than this turned out to be.
While a good story set in an important historical setting with an underlying mystery, the writing missed the mark –
+ good storyline as a mystery in an uncomfortable setting
+ good introduction of not-so-clear moral lines by German citizens who chose their own way to try to lessen the horrors of the Nazi regime
+ made me stop to think about what I might have done if faced with similar choices as the main characters in 1945
- most of the characters were cardboard cutouts with minimal depth of thought indicated, only predictable actions
- light-hearted commentary seemed inappropriate during multiple scenes
- flipping between current and historic times with every (short) chapter change was annoying for the first half of the book; it either eventually was better-implemented or I got used to it
- resolution of the mystery that holds the story together was fairly obvious from about half-way through the book
This is worth reading, but with managed expectations. There are other books with similar backstories that are superior.
The premise, storytelling style, and moral questions were set-up for a more fascinating read than this turned out to be.
While a good story set in an important historical setting with an underlying mystery, the writing missed the mark –
+ good storyline as a mystery in an uncomfortable setting
+ good introduction of not-so-clear moral lines by German citizens who chose their own way to try to lessen the horrors of the Nazi regime
+ made me stop to think about what I might have done if faced with similar choices as the main characters in 1945
- most of the characters were cardboard cutouts with minimal depth of thought indicated, only predictable actions
- light-hearted commentary seemed inappropriate during multiple scenes
- flipping between current and historic times with every (short) chapter change was annoying for the first half of the book; it either eventually was better-implemented or I got used to it
- resolution of the mystery that holds the story together was fairly obvious from about half-way through the book
This is worth reading, but with managed expectations. There are other books with similar backstories that are superior.
September 10, 2020
An absolutely fabulous book, alternating WW2 events with modern time events, the author explores the questions of guilt, complicity, ethics, morality, following orders and conscience. It’s impossible to not be caught up in the story and the conundrums the characters find themselves a part of - most through no fault of their own. The author is a master at characterization and the dilemmas faced by the characters are real and compelling - I feel like I lived through the events myself, experiencing anger, grief, confusion and torment! The book is so real, you will not come away unchanged! The characters were people that I wanted to know and some who I wanted to hate- the author made them that real and multidimensional. A great story for book clubs, as there is much to ponder and discuss, if only about choice vs mandate or right vs wrong. Is everything in life black and white?? This book will challenge the readers very basic sense of morality and ethics when it comes to war and choices made or made for us! This book should be mandatory reading!! I can’t say enough good things about it, and in closing it was amazing that the author did not resort to cliches and trite answers to life’s hardest questions!
August 23, 2021
A vintage suitcase is pulled from the trash by a young New York advertising executive brainstorming a campaign on her way to work. Turns out, the suitcase is a pricey old relic from Germany, and she begins to spin an advertising campaign around the case and if the owner was a holocaust survivor. A search is done to find the 'owner' of the case, and they uncover the case belonged to a very prominent man who is a doctor and philanthropist. With the owners permission, the case is opened and the documents inside the suitcase begin to interest a New York Times reporter—whose investigation begins to unravel a horrible secret that has been locked away since the day Dachau was liberated. We next delve into doctors in Germany, those who became Nazi doctors, the guilt they experienced (or didn't experience) and the tragedy and triumph of the human spirit. Great book and thought provoking. Enjoy the reading experience!
May 5, 2022
Just finished reading The German Suitcase, an interesting and exciting story of love, lost and war during World War 2. The story is also about a throw away suitcase found one day by a young Ad Agency women, Stacey, who thinks there maybe a tale to tell concerning the old suitcase. The story goes back and forth between the 1940's and the early 2000's. The story has many well developed characters in each time periods.The story took place in Germany, Dachau and New York. I found this book an excellent read about Germans and Jews trying to survive in Germany under cruel order of the Nazis. The old German suitcase plays a big part in story of who owned it and why it was throwed away and what secrets it held inside.
October 13, 2019
A vintage suitcase is pulled from the trash by a New York advertising executive brainstorming a campaign on her way to work. The account is Steinbach Luggage, the German answer to Louis Vuitton and Hermes. There is only one problem with the vintage bag- it is a Holocaust survivor, as seen byby the name painted on it. The Holocaust survivor is an eighty-nine-year-old member of New York’s Jewish aristocracy, a philanthropist and surgeon. The documents inside the suitcase pique the interest of a New York Times reporter, whose investigation begins to unravel a secret that has been locked away since the day Dachau was liberated. An entrancing novel that keeps you reading and turning the pages.
August 22, 2020
This was very intriguing & thought provoking. My father was stationed in Munich, Germany when I was 8 years old in the early 1950's. I remember a lot of the historic sites mentioned, especially the Angel of Peace.
When I was 9 we took a tour of Dachau which had been preserved as a memorial. For some reason. I was so overcome with emotion & fear I could not finish the tour with my family. I had to go sit in the car & wait for them. I cried until they came out & we could leave.
I'm glad that I read this book. It gave me some insight & revelations into Dachau that I didn't know. There were good people on both sides.
When I was 9 we took a tour of Dachau which had been preserved as a memorial. For some reason. I was so overcome with emotion & fear I could not finish the tour with my family. I had to go sit in the car & wait for them. I cried until they came out & we could leave.
I'm glad that I read this book. It gave me some insight & revelations into Dachau that I didn't know. There were good people on both sides.
August 14, 2017
Must read!
The German Suitcase was a very intense read! You really won't want to put this book down until it is finished. I was only four went Pear Harbor happened and the Germans were already on their way to conquering Europe! Wonder how the Jews and others who survived the various death camps ever got over their experience. Will definitely be reading more of this authors books. The story came alive in my minds eye. Thank you for not only a good read but for bringing to mind some of what went on during World War 11.
The German Suitcase was a very intense read! You really won't want to put this book down until it is finished. I was only four went Pear Harbor happened and the Germans were already on their way to conquering Europe! Wonder how the Jews and others who survived the various death camps ever got over their experience. Will definitely be reading more of this authors books. The story came alive in my minds eye. Thank you for not only a good read but for bringing to mind some of what went on during World War 11.
November 24, 2021
Historical fiction is definitely my "go-to" genre and this story was a winner. The novel is a suspense and mystery story crossing WWII and modern times.
It starts with an ad agency employee who finds a vintage suitcase in a trash pile and wants to use it in an ad campaign for the high-end luggage company that manufactures the brand of the vintage case. The challenge is that the suitcase belonged to a holocaust survivor and nothing would be used without determining if the owner was still alive and if they had permission to use the case.
The owner of the suitcase turns out to be a wealthy 89-year old former surgeon and philanthropist. The focus of the story is the Nazi doctors who were conscripted by the SS and given the task of carrying out Hitler’s grotesque mission and confronts the questions that have been asked ever since the war ended. What is a war crime? Who/What is guilty? How is justice best served?
The German Suitcase is a tale of survival of the human spirit against overwhelming odds and heart-wrenching moral ambiguity and reveals a devastating secret that had been hidden since Dachau was liberated.
It starts with an ad agency employee who finds a vintage suitcase in a trash pile and wants to use it in an ad campaign for the high-end luggage company that manufactures the brand of the vintage case. The challenge is that the suitcase belonged to a holocaust survivor and nothing would be used without determining if the owner was still alive and if they had permission to use the case.
The owner of the suitcase turns out to be a wealthy 89-year old former surgeon and philanthropist. The focus of the story is the Nazi doctors who were conscripted by the SS and given the task of carrying out Hitler’s grotesque mission and confronts the questions that have been asked ever since the war ended. What is a war crime? Who/What is guilty? How is justice best served?
The German Suitcase is a tale of survival of the human spirit against overwhelming odds and heart-wrenching moral ambiguity and reveals a devastating secret that had been hidden since Dachau was liberated.
August 17, 2025
I was recommended this book, and when I first searched for it, I was taken aback by the symbol on the cover, but intrigued by the synopsis. This book didn’t disappoint. It’s a historical fiction account that takes place both in present day and during the Holocaust. In present day, an advertising agent finds a suitcase in the Upper West Side of NYC. What ensues is the search for the owner and the wartime history it uncovers. Though the writing is somewhat simple and the characters are not entirely dynamic, the story is compelling with twists and turns and important historical notes.
November 7, 2018
A different take on a World War II book.....the relationship between a sympathetic, wealthy, German/Catholic family in Munich and two Jewish doctors. This is two parallel stories taking place
near the end of the war and the lives of the survivors today. Dinallo really depicts the conflicts that many German doctors faced in order to keep their families alive.
There are a few instances when the author gets a little bit too wordy, but other than that it is well written.
near the end of the war and the lives of the survivors today. Dinallo really depicts the conflicts that many German doctors faced in order to keep their families alive.
There are a few instances when the author gets a little bit too wordy, but other than that it is well written.
May 1, 2019
I was NOT happy with the end of this book. Never forgetting is also NOT allowing lies to perpetuate. I realize this novel is a fiction, but it’s used in a classroom setting, and should be considered a historical reference point. Everything was top notch until the endings burial of the truth. It’s not impossible to believe one survivors story, and fact check it- but it is impossible to forget that this novel could’ve added to the war criminal repertoire.
July 17, 2021
Wonderful Story Of Then & Now
It is not too often that I find pleasure in a book with the story of past & present unfolding at the same time. This book is the exception; Greg Dinallo made it so very interesting as well as intriguing. He captured the workings of the human psyche in his writing making his characters come to life. After reading this, ask yourself what you would do.
It is not too often that I find pleasure in a book with the story of past & present unfolding at the same time. This book is the exception; Greg Dinallo made it so very interesting as well as intriguing. He captured the workings of the human psyche in his writing making his characters come to life. After reading this, ask yourself what you would do.
August 24, 2025
a complex moving story of the Holocaust & its lasting effects
In addition to the narrative story covering the lives of the german family & the horrific treatment of jews , the novel asks how we resolve complex issues of guilt and redemption and how we weigh a measure of a life coerced into service of an evil regime & trying to ameliorate some of the inhuman horrors & keep their humanity
In addition to the narrative story covering the lives of the german family & the horrific treatment of jews , the novel asks how we resolve complex issues of guilt and redemption and how we weigh a measure of a life coerced into service of an evil regime & trying to ameliorate some of the inhuman horrors & keep their humanity
December 18, 2017
Good read
The characters r interesting and I liked how the author switched back and forth between present day and the wanning days of WWII. The story unfolds slowly giving the reader time to get emotionally attached to the characters. The ethical questions the author raises have given me things to think about now that I have finished the book.
The characters r interesting and I liked how the author switched back and forth between present day and the wanning days of WWII. The story unfolds slowly giving the reader time to get emotionally attached to the characters. The ethical questions the author raises have given me things to think about now that I have finished the book.
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