The Bormann Testament: The pulse-pounding spy action thriller novel for 2025 by the legendary Sunday Times bestselling author

Paul Chavasse #1

by Martin Fallon, Jack Higgins

Somewhere in Germany was hidden a manuscript that would rock Western Europe to its foundations: the testament of Caspar Schulz.

Once a prominent Nazi, and long believed to be dead, Schultz could soon be hailed as the author of the most shattering confessions ever to make print.

Paul Chavasse, British Intelligence's toughest trouble-shooter, was hired to track the former Nazi down and secure the manuscript. But he soon discovered that he wasn't the only one who wanted to get his hands on the book. And some of his rivals would go to any lengths – including murder – to get it.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Espionage, Action, Mystery, Adventure

139 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

One of the many pseudonyms used by Henry Patterson. See Jack Higgins for more complete information.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When British Intelligence officer Paul Chavasse, just back on British soil from an extremely tough job, found himself in front of his boss at 4am, he didn’t expect to be sent straight back into danger. But suffering extreme fatigue, he found himself on a train in pursuit of a former member of Hitler’s Reich, Caspar Schultz. Everyone had believed him to be dead, but rumours had surfaced about his being alive and well, and having written a manuscript, which many didn’t want to see the light of day.

As Chavasse rushed headlong into terrible danger, he discovered he was not the only one after this manuscript. Tangling with members of the Nazi underground who would stop at nothing to get their hands on the documents, including murder, and also finding allies among the unofficial Israeli underground organisation were only some of the problems he faced.

For Paul Chavasse, the adrenalin and fear were what kept him going, the tenseness and danger kept him one step ahead. But did they? His life and the lives of his friends were in danger; was there a traitor among them? How were the other side finding out things so quickly? Would this finally be his last case – were they too good for him?

An absolutely gripping thriller by the great Jack Higgins! This novel was first published back in 1979 and had been out of print for a long time. I’m glad they reprinted it, as I have read all of Higgins’ work, and always enjoy his writing. Highly recommended.

[Christian D. D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Jack Higgins novel is somewhat reminiscent of Frederick Forsyth's "The Odessa File," i.e. a plot involving Nazi-hunting in West Germany in the early 1960s, only far more action-packed, as Higgins's protagonist, the intrepid British agent (of half-French descent) Paul Chavasse, is a man of action (contrasted with Mr. Forsyth's protagonist, humble reporter Peter Miller). And the Nazi quarry this time is a much more historically significant one than was the case in "The Odessa File," this time the infamous Martin Bormann, Adolf Hitler's secretary whom many believe survived WWII and escaped. Makes for a quick, easy, fun-filled read.

[Imran Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the last few Jack Higgins novels disappointed me, I was apprehensive about starting The Bormann Testament. I kept the faith as the subject, i.e. the Nazi movement in 1960s post-war Germany, interested me.

I am glad. The Bormann Testament was a fast paced, entertaining novel. The plot moved quickly. There were just enough twists to keep me happy but not enough to confuse me. The story fell into place with a good cast of characters. I could even overlook the author's occasional political pontifications about Germany and its Nazi movement!

If one views the book as a work of 'historical fiction' then it reveals the extent of the German Nazi problem in 1962, a good fifteen years after the war ended with Hitler's Nazis defeated. (Arguably, there will always be an extreme right wing segment in German / European society, especially if one looks at recent political events in Europe?) That backdrop provided good context for the story.

Surely, the book is not one of Higgins' best. Nonetheless, it is not a bad way to while away a few hours.

[dennis barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Norman testament

A very fast read with a rather sad ending. An excellent read . Bormann, Hitler's right hand man,apparently had written his memoirs implicating a lot of powerful people. If you liked the Odessa file you will enjoy this!

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#1 in the Paul Chavasse series. This novel was originally published in 1962 as The Testament of Caspar Schultz by Martin Fallon. In 1962 the publisher had problems using the name Martin Bormann - one of the top Nazis and a member of Hitler's inner circle. This problem went away by 2006 and the novel was released with its original title of The Bormann Testament and listing the author as Jack Higgins (writing as Martin Fallon) although Higgins is a pseudonym of Harry Patterson. I loved this novel with its feel of post-war Germany (and the vast library, print and film, of the Nazi underground).

Special Agent Paul Chavasse is about to start a much-deserved holiday when he is abruptly pulled back to active duty. He knows that if he’s being called into action, a job has gone bad—and it’s about to get a lot worse. As Hitler’s private secretary—and an influential member of the Third Reich—Martin Bormann was one of those rare Nazis who managed to simply disappear at the end of World War II. But the terrible secrets Bormann carried into oblivion are about to be revealed to the world. A manuscript that exposes former Nazis now in hiding is up for grabs, and there are those in power who have much to lose with its discovery. Now, Chavasse must retrieve the Bormann Testament before it is buried forever—and him along with it.

[JasonReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I often use the phrase "didn't blow my socks off" to describe books that are good, but not outstandingly good, and this aptly describes The Bormann Testament. Did I enjoy reading it? Yes. Is it going to be a book of the year for me? Nope, but that's fine. If I hadn't liked it, I would have DNF'd it and moved on.

The idea of Martin Bormann - Hitler's private secretary and right-hand man - surviving the war and trying to sell a tell-all memoir is interesting, but also an anachronism in retrospect. In reality, Bormann died just after Hitler painted a wall with his brains and before Berlin fell to the Soviets, but at the time this novel came out, it was unclear whether he was alive or dead. His remains wouldn't be found until 1975 and definitely identified via DNA testing in 1998. Of course, if it was known that he was dead, then this novel wouldn't exist.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the main character, Paul Chavasse. He was not in any sense a James Bond clone. In fact, he would probably only qualify as one of those 00 agents that were sometimes mentioned as being killed in the movies. He was often caught flatfooted and found himself being rescued by one of the other characters in the novel. It's not really a surprise, then, that Jack Higgins only wrote six books starring Chavasse (the last being in 1969) and moved on to other characters.

Having said that, I might continue the series, provided I can get my hands on the next book in the series.

3.5 stars.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★ I chose this because it met requirements of one of the categories in one of my reading challenges this year which was to read a book that I'd seen someone reading in public. I rarely see anyone reading books in public (or if they are reading, it's on an electronic device, so I can't see what they're reading!). So come December, when I was at a Christmas event waiting for some entertainment to start, when I saw a woman reading a normal book in front of me, I sneaked a look at her book and this is what she was reading!

I've never read Jack Higgins before - I didn't think they would be quite my cup of tea, but this is one instance where reading a book just to satisfy a reading challenge category paid off, because I really enjoyed this. I partly worked out the twist, but not fully. Not my last Jack Higgins, I'm sure.

[Neil Fulwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first of the six-book Paul Chavasse series, originally published under the pseudonym Martin Fallon, Higgins seems to be aiming for an aesthetic somewhere between the sex and globe-trotting swagger of Ian Fleming and the anti-Ian Fleming down-at-heel shenanigans of Len Deighton. The result is a determinedly downbeat thriller which nonetheless wants to be full of boy’s-own action set pieces. The opening stretches are overly talky, the big reveal is pretty obvious and the action is competent rather than exciting. It’s mid tier Higgins, but short enough to not outstay its welcome.

[James Piss · Rating 3 out of 5]

it is always ok to punch nazis.

[Oli Turner]

The sixth jack higgins / harry patterson / martin fallon novel the testament of caspar schultz aka the bormann testament published in 1962 a thriller /spy novel that is highly enjoyable with an entertaining (nazi hunting) plot fast action and the typical “every woman he meets wants to jump into bed with him” protagonist. The previous 5 novels have been smaller scale one man against the world noir tales. This is the first attempt to have the “government agent on a mission” adventure that Higgins would focus on later in his career with the Sean Dillon novels. You can see how the formula works so well for him. The similarities and differences between these first six novels are interesting to consider. The similarities are mostly positive (except for the protagonist and female lead always immediately fall in love without actually getting to know each other). The differences in style probably have more to do with the original pseudonyms and publisher’s demands.

[Pam Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Chavasse is an agent about to go on holiday when he is pulled back for a job--to find Martin Bormann, who everyone thought was dead, and to retrieve his "testament" about former Nazis, now in hiding. I have been a fan of Jack Higgins' political intrigue books since the publication of The Eagle has Landed. I have gone through a couple of his series and working through the Liam Devlin series but found this at a library sale so I picked it up. This was the first in a series that I had not read, but now I want to read the others in this series. As usual, Higgins' descriptions are top notch, both of people and the country of Germany, and he keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end with a twist that I did not see coming.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting premise, crappy book. It's one of my least favorite kinds -- the author becomes a Gary Stu in his own work. You could tell that Higgins wished he was as handsome/daring/popular with the ladies/brave as Paul Chavasse. Also, I dislike when the main character meets a woman and falls immediately in love with her ("there was something different that he never felt before, etc") but continues to fraternize with other women.

The only good thing I can say about this book is that it was a quick read, so I only had to suffer for a short amount of time.

[Damian Vargas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself disappointed with this novel well before the ending. I won’t include any spoilers, but while I love Higgins’s ability to paint a believable picture of a time and places that are wonderful to visit, I found the overall story somewhat predictable, unbelievable and disappointing. There were a series of moments where I found myself thinking; “nobody will react (or fail to react) like that”. Others plainly don’t fault the book on that basis, so hey, maybe it’s just me.

[Linda Heckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Higgins. I have decided to reread all his books.

[Serdar Poirot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Chavasse zorlu bir görevden yeni dönmüştür ama şefi onu dinlenemeden yeni bir göreve gönderir. Batı Almanya'da gidecektir. Martin Bormann'ın günlüklerini Muller adında bir adam yayınlamak istemiştir. Bu günlükleri ele geçirmek oldukça önemlidir. Trende Muller ile buluşacak olan Chavasse'ye Sir Robert Harvey de yardım edecektir. Ancak trende başka biri öldürülür ve polis şefi Steiner onu yakalamadan önce Anne Hartmann ve Mike Hardt onu kaçırır. Bu ikisi İsrail adına çalışmaktadır ve onlar da Bormann'ın peşindedir. Yapılan araştırmalar sonucunda kız kardeşinin kayıp olduğu ortaya çıkar. Dr. Krueger adında biri faydalı bilgiler verebilir. Bir muayenehaneye gizlice girerler ama burada Steiner'a yakalanırlar. Muller de buradadır ve bilgi vermeden ölür. Zor da olsa Mike ve Paul kaçarlar. Bu arada Anna ile yakınlaşan Paul bu iş bittiğinde emekli olmayı bile düşünür. Nagel adında bir Nazi sempatizanı Steiner ve ekibini yönetir. Anna ve diğerlerini yakalayan Nagel esas planını açıklar. Niyeti Almanya politikası için önemli bir ismi öldürmektir. Hep birlikte buradan da kaçan ekipten Anna ve Paul, Harvey sayesinde evlerine döner. Partiye katılmadan önce Von Krall adlı Alman istihbarat mensubu ile şefinin tavsiyesi ile görüşen Paul, Anna'dan defteri aldığının haberini alır. Muller'in kız kardeşi posta ile yollamıştır. Ancak Steiner defteri yok eder ve Anna ölür. Paul de Steiner ve Nagel'i öldürüp politikacıyı kurtarır. Dönüşte Harvey ile beraber gemidedir. Ama bir şey hatırlar. Hey şeyi değiştiren bir şeyi. Mark da gemidedir ve ihaneti yüzünden Harvey'i öldürür. Çünkü Bormann notlarında ondan da bahsetmiştir. Bundan sonra ne yapacaktır Paul? Dinlenmek için hangi ülkeye gidecektir? Keyifle okunan bir roman.

[Ruskoley · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is gunplay and trains and cigars and Dobermanns and manuscripts and none of it has to have a 200-page backstory. It is what it is – stop getting so morose over not knowing the main character’s shoe size, his childhood pet, or all his motives and feelings about everything. I did not take an immediate shine to Paul Chevasse. I did not dislike him, but I wanted to see how it was all going to go. After all, this novel was just going to be a tally mark for me. Lo and behold, by the end of the novel, I actually like the chap well enough and without having to have all the unnecessary backstory.

Overall, I think most readers will say this novel has a somewhat superficial style to it. It does, they are correct, but that is not a bad thing. In fact it is because some of the scenes are so “expected” that the novel is delightful. For example, there is an amusing scene in chapter eight with Gisele that is light-hearted and contrived, but maybe do not take it so seriously and enjoy the fun of it!

Do not get me wrong, this is not great literature, but I am really glad I read it – and not just because of the speediness of reading it.

It surprises me that I enjoyed this so much and was so affected by it. I really enjoyed the Anna storyline. I actually came to like the characters more than I would have thought possible in such a spare and “tropey” novel. It was a nice spot of interesting fun for a speedy read. This is good for readers who need a fast novel without a lot of word count.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3

A solid entertaining thriller that does exactly what a novel of this period (early 1960’s) and genre should do : entertaining storyline, fast paced, page turner writing style.
Yes at times the ‘hero’ appears to be a copy of their more well known spies and agents, but I didn’t find that detracted from the reading experience.
Obviously now the storyline which concerns ex nazi supporters gaining power in Germany is old fashioned but at the time of original publication (1961/2) it was both a concern amongst western governments and a common idea seen in thrillers.
The storyline pretty much goes the way you would expect, the successful ending of the mission for the protagonist, the death of several ex nazi’s and sympathisers, death of a love interest.

Overall a solid recommendation for this novel

[François · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is the first of the Paul Chavasse series (‘The Testament of Caspar Schultz’; ‘Year of the Tiger’; ‘The Keys of Hell’; ‘Midnight Never Comes’; ‘Dark Side of the Street’; ‘A Fine Night for Dying’), all of which are superb.

The plot of this spy thriller is gripping and runs at a break-neck pace, as British spy agent Paul Chavasse - university professor, languages expert and all-round hard man - is on a mission into Germany to recover a Nazi manuscript. In the prevailing complexion of 1960s paperbacks, this espionage caper covers a lot of ground; the action on the train into Germany is reminiscent of ‘From Russia With Love’. It is interesting to see the post-war Europe in which former Nazis have taken up key positions in society, including the police service. Following one lead to another, leaving a trail of death and destruction in the process (memorably Schmidt’s deadly fall from a window), Chavasse experiences twists and turns towards a confrontation with villains Kurt Nagel, Dr Kruger and Steiner. A highlight is Chavasse being chased through woods by ferocious dogs, as well as the final twist that resembles the one in Alistair MacLean’s ‘Where Eagles Dare’ in which treachery is born out of self-preservation when one’s name appears on a list of malefactors.

As strong as the plot is, this novel is fortified by profound characterisations: Chavasse is a philosopher at heart, driven by duty while hounded by nihilistic thoughts; Anna Hartmann is a Jewish girl wise beyond her years, emerging as a potential love interest for Chavasse; Mark Hardt is a resourceful Israeli agent with a singleminded purpose while engendering paternal love for Anna.

Considering that this is a reasonably early work of Jack Higgins, the balance of elements is indicative of an author quickly developing his craft to a high level.

Feel free to read my other reviews.

© François

[Rick Lagerstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to rate many books very highly. I also pick and choose my authors and books, though I read perhaps 50 to 100 a year. This was one that I could rate 4 stars, but for any aspect that might not be as good as some other author specifically, I was impressed at the overall writing. This is a true page turner - I read it in one day. It's tough to put down. It is a very interesting story that progresses logically, adding clues and action throughout. It's the first of the Special Agent Paul Chavasse books and is a good one. Give it a shot. You will probably like it and, like I, look forward to #2.

[JoAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am guessing that I read my first Ian Fleming James Bond book back in the early 60's. I always thought 007 was a great spy (although he always gave his real name which was a riot to me). Not sure the main character Paul Chavasse in this book would have fallen into that category of greatness. Maybe I am always on high alert when I read CIA, MI5, Mossad-type books I expect the main character to be very aware of his surroundings. Chavasse always fell short. And the ending with a particular character, it was so strongly hinted that something was amiss with him, all I thought to myself was "yeah, I knew it from the start".

[Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how fast paced this was. Higgins wastes no time in his plotting and I truly appreciate it. However, it can make the character development feel too rushed. Like Anna and his relationship. It really reminded ld westerns I used to watch like Bonanza where our main heartthrob meets a girl, they fall hard and fast, only for her to be forgotten in the next episode while he’s onto the next. I think it would’ve been more satisfying if she surprised us with living but chooses her own work over a life with him. But all in all, I did really enjoy the book and I was right; Chavasse is definitely my favorite of Higgin’s characters (sorry Dillon). Too bad his first name is 😬Paul🤢

[Santanu Dutta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another nice read from master of thrillers. I got intersted in second world war stories after reading "The Eagle HasLanded" by the author. Although that one is probably the best sold novel by the author, however another book, "The Valhalla Exchange" made me more intersted and especially on wheareabouts of Martin Bormann - The Man in the Shadows and the most powerful person the Nazi Germany, whose whereabouts after the war is another mystery. Here is anothrer story of espionahe and counter espionage with double espionage by top ranking officials made twists after twists.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another of the old Higgins originally published in 1979 under the name "The Bormann Testament".

It wasn't bad. This is the first of the books to feature Paul Chavasse.

Again Higgins reused the German names of Steiner and Karl with them being the bad guys this time around!

The story was okay and it had the romance element that some of the older Higgins seem to also.

It was a quick and easy enough read so 3 stars as nothing to shout about!

[Tim Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

British agent Paul Chavasse has a vacation interrupted to chase down the wartime journal of Martin Bormann, Hitler's private secretary. The previously unknown journal has surfaced and threatens to expose several of the beautiful people of modern Europe. Some will do anything to expose or destroy the manuscripts.

Higgins combines his two most prolific genres--modern British spies and World War II intrigue--to create a fun story.

[D. Richard Eunice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fast moving book

This is the best book I have read by Higgins. It moved very fast and there was very little confusion with the characters. I had some early suspicion about one of the characters which proved to be true. I highly recommend the book if you like a quick adventure with a little bit of romance.

[Eric Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this to be a response to the literary James Bond phenomenon and while there are some similarities, this novel stands high up on its own two feet. Paul Chavasse is a very memorable agent who has heart, flaws, grit, intensity, and plenty of intellect. The Bormann Testament is a memorable fast paced read that’s sure to please many an espionage thriller fan.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

August 2018 The other reviews are all over the place. Lots of ****. One * that called it a "crappy " book. Goes to show Paul Chavasse is not everyone's "cup of tea". I liked this one and I liked the quirky and violent nature in the protagonist. For me, this was a page turner.

[Jamie Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started as a young adult reading Jack Higgins. Very easy to read but with all the suspense & intrigue. This was hers usual fair, still very enjoyable. Post war problems. The language is a bit dated now, but it needs to be taken for the time it was written.

[Stuart Hirsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

not his best book

Plot is interesting, but way to obvious. It is not difficult to figure out all the twist and turns. The last action takes an interesting turn. The ending is too easy to guess. I think I will not read anymore in this series.

[George W Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

This one of many books by Jack Higgins i have enjoyed .I liked the main character and look forward to other books in the series.