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The Reich Trilogy #1
The Counterfeit Candidate
Berlin, 30 April, 1945
As the Russian Army closes in on the war-torn City, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun take their own lives. Their bodies are burned and buried in the Reich Chancellery garden, above the Führer's bunker.
Buenos Aires, 9 January, 2012
Three audacious thieves carry out the biggest safe depository heist in Argentine history, escaping with more than one hundred million dollars' worth of valuables. Within hours, an encrypted phone call to America triggers a blood-soaked manhunt as the thieves are tracked down, systematically tortured, then murdered.
San Francisco, 18 January, 2012
Senator John Franklin, hailed as the 'Great Unifier', secures the Republican Presidential nomination and seems destined for the Oval Office. Despite the sixty-seven year interval and a span of thirteen thousand miles, these events are indelibly linked.
Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas of the Buenos Aires Police Department and Lieutenant Troy Hembury of the LAPD are sucked into a dark political conspiracy concealing an incredible historical truth stretching from the infamous Berlin bunker to Buenos Aires and to Washington, which threatens the very heart and soul of American democracy.
As the Russian Army closes in on the war-torn City, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun take their own lives. Their bodies are burned and buried in the Reich Chancellery garden, above the Führer's bunker.
Buenos Aires, 9 January, 2012
Three audacious thieves carry out the biggest safe depository heist in Argentine history, escaping with more than one hundred million dollars' worth of valuables. Within hours, an encrypted phone call to America triggers a blood-soaked manhunt as the thieves are tracked down, systematically tortured, then murdered.
San Francisco, 18 January, 2012
Senator John Franklin, hailed as the 'Great Unifier', secures the Republican Presidential nomination and seems destined for the Oval Office. Despite the sixty-seven year interval and a span of thirteen thousand miles, these events are indelibly linked.
Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas of the Buenos Aires Police Department and Lieutenant Troy Hembury of the LAPD are sucked into a dark political conspiracy concealing an incredible historical truth stretching from the infamous Berlin bunker to Buenos Aires and to Washington, which threatens the very heart and soul of American democracy.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2024
228 people are currently reading
784 people want to read
About the author
Brian Klein
11 books43 followersBrian is an award-winning Television Director, with over twenty-five years' experience in the industry. His work regularly appears on Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC and Sky. Amongst his directing credits are twenty-five seasons of the iconic car show, TOP GEAR and five seasons of A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN ROADTRIP, Sky One's highest rating entertainment show.
He was part of the core team that produced twenty-two series of the controversial car show that became the biggest TV phenomena in the world, with 350 million weekly viewers in 120 countries and worked extremely closely with TV heavyweights, Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, high profile comedians, Jack Whitehall, Alan Carr, Tom Allen, Romesh Ranganathan and Micky Flanagan, sports stars turned presenters, Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Ronnie O’Sullivan and TV chefs Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White.
He has directed two feature-length films for BBC Worldwide and five entertainment specials for Netflix. THE COUNTERFEIT CANDIDATE is his debut novel.
He was part of the core team that produced twenty-two series of the controversial car show that became the biggest TV phenomena in the world, with 350 million weekly viewers in 120 countries and worked extremely closely with TV heavyweights, Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, high profile comedians, Jack Whitehall, Alan Carr, Tom Allen, Romesh Ranganathan and Micky Flanagan, sports stars turned presenters, Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Ronnie O’Sullivan and TV chefs Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White.
He has directed two feature-length films for BBC Worldwide and five entertainment specials for Netflix. THE COUNTERFEIT CANDIDATE is his debut novel.
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October 27, 2021
What is the connection between the brutal murder of 9 people, a presidential candidate, a lost mobile phone, a high-profile pharmaceutical company, an expertly planned and executed bank robbery, a vial of cyanid, and a 10 carat diamond Cartier ring? You got it, Safe Deposit box 1321 or more importantly its contents.
The bank heist, planned like a military operation for 8 months and perfectly executed was part of Pedro Garcia’s retirement plan, he was just looking for cash and money but was totally unaware of the contents of box 1321. They were equally oblivious to the small red velvet pouch that had spilled from one of the cloth bags and was now lying on the grass verge in his father’s garden, a few feet from the front door. The first mistake had been made.
Señor Franklin is informed that Box 1321 has been stolen, and what started as an audacious but pretty regular robbery has morphed into a catalogue of torture and murder, with levels of brutality that seasoned detective Chief Inspector Vargas has never seen before. The story takes us from Germany to San Francisco, and from Argentina to Washington, as the running candidate for presidency is informed that the specific items in the stolen security box were preserved for posterity and for the sake of political history, which could now bring an end to his campaign.
The characters were so well developed but many cloaked with lies, secrets and a dark history. The plot was superb although not exactly original, once you were introduced to the moving parts it was obvious who the counterfeit candidate was and how they were linked to Box 1321. However, with magnificent story telling you are carried through this roller coaster of a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat and with a mere 259 pages, the pace is fast, absorbing and to the point without all the superfluous bumf that authors sometimes use to fill up the pages.
I loved this book and would highly recommend.
The bank heist, planned like a military operation for 8 months and perfectly executed was part of Pedro Garcia’s retirement plan, he was just looking for cash and money but was totally unaware of the contents of box 1321. They were equally oblivious to the small red velvet pouch that had spilled from one of the cloth bags and was now lying on the grass verge in his father’s garden, a few feet from the front door. The first mistake had been made.
Señor Franklin is informed that Box 1321 has been stolen, and what started as an audacious but pretty regular robbery has morphed into a catalogue of torture and murder, with levels of brutality that seasoned detective Chief Inspector Vargas has never seen before. The story takes us from Germany to San Francisco, and from Argentina to Washington, as the running candidate for presidency is informed that the specific items in the stolen security box were preserved for posterity and for the sake of political history, which could now bring an end to his campaign.
The characters were so well developed but many cloaked with lies, secrets and a dark history. The plot was superb although not exactly original, once you were introduced to the moving parts it was obvious who the counterfeit candidate was and how they were linked to Box 1321. However, with magnificent story telling you are carried through this roller coaster of a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat and with a mere 259 pages, the pace is fast, absorbing and to the point without all the superfluous bumf that authors sometimes use to fill up the pages.
I loved this book and would highly recommend.
March 23, 2026
„Falsul candidat” de Brian Klein a fost pentru mine o surpriză extrem de plăcută, genul acela de carte care te prinde încă din primele pagini și nu-ți mai dă drumul până la final. Mi-am dat seama, citind-o, că îmi lipseau thrillerele despre teorii ale conspirației, acele povești care te fac să te întrebi cât din realitate este, de fapt, controlat din umbră. Am fost complet absorbită de această carte și am citit-o pe nerăsuflate, curioasă să descopăr fiecare detaliu.
Mai multe în recenzia de pe blog: https://carti.blog/2026/03/23/falsul-...
Mai multe în recenzia de pe blog: https://carti.blog/2026/03/23/falsul-...
May 3, 2022
This was my monthly book club read. We are a group of people with different tastes and preferences. Each month it is one members turn to pick four books and out of those four, we vote for one to read.
Consequently, we review a huge variety of books.
Now I must admit, I didn't think that I would be that enamoured with this one but I was very wrong. I thought it was great!
Safe depository heist ✅
Adolf Hitler ✅
Conspiracy ✅
Fast paced ✅
Page turner ✅
Now I can imagine that a few will
state it as too far-fetched... but is it?!
I would say that lovers of Dan Brown might enjoy this. It also has a hint of James Patterson about it, but maybe because of the structure of the chapters.
Consequently, we review a huge variety of books.
Now I must admit, I didn't think that I would be that enamoured with this one but I was very wrong. I thought it was great!
Safe depository heist ✅
Adolf Hitler ✅
Conspiracy ✅
Fast paced ✅
Page turner ✅
Now I can imagine that a few will
state it as too far-fetched... but is it?!
I would say that lovers of Dan Brown might enjoy this. It also has a hint of James Patterson about it, but maybe because of the structure of the chapters.
July 19, 2021
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
I was taken by surprise as this story jumps straight into action.
As three men in Argentina dig a tunnel at precisely on Monday 24th May 2011 they start drilling a tunnel that three men, continued every weekday night and weekend for eight months.
The earth they dug up was put into large bags and loaded onto a lorry which was driven far away to the north out of the city and dumped where no one would suspect where the earth had originally come from.
It took the three men a whole eight months until the tunnel was completed. They were smart lighting up the tunnel standing inside the giant vault.
All them were cautious not to be seen by the six CCTV cameras so they all wore plastic monkey masks.
Their job wasn’t over yet they had to drill through dual locks that took them forty-eight hours.
Once each box was opened they emptied them, with US Dollars, Euros, English Pounds and Argentinian Pestos. One box alone contained twenty solid gold bars and other boxes were crammed with jewellery, designer watches and hundreds of loose gemstones.
All they have to do now is get out before the bank was due to open.
My heart was in my stomach I wondered if the three men Pedro, Ricardo, and Sebastian will get away with this biggest heist in Argentina’s history.
I was taken by surprise as this story jumps straight into action.
As three men in Argentina dig a tunnel at precisely on Monday 24th May 2011 they start drilling a tunnel that three men, continued every weekday night and weekend for eight months.
The earth they dug up was put into large bags and loaded onto a lorry which was driven far away to the north out of the city and dumped where no one would suspect where the earth had originally come from.
It took the three men a whole eight months until the tunnel was completed. They were smart lighting up the tunnel standing inside the giant vault.
All them were cautious not to be seen by the six CCTV cameras so they all wore plastic monkey masks.
Their job wasn’t over yet they had to drill through dual locks that took them forty-eight hours.
Once each box was opened they emptied them, with US Dollars, Euros, English Pounds and Argentinian Pestos. One box alone contained twenty solid gold bars and other boxes were crammed with jewellery, designer watches and hundreds of loose gemstones.
All they have to do now is get out before the bank was due to open.
My heart was in my stomach I wondered if the three men Pedro, Ricardo, and Sebastian will get away with this biggest heist in Argentina’s history.
July 23, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
The Counterfeit Candidate is the debut novel by author Brian Klein. It features a mixture of genres including thriller, mystery, action, adventure, crime, and historical fiction. It also packs a punch and if you love books that suck you into the plot and get your heart pumping then this is certainly one to pick up.
We begin the story back in 1945 and the supposed suicide of Adolf Hitler and his new bride Eva Braun. The book runs with the conspiracy theory that Hitler never killed himself and that he and his wife fled to Argentina.
We then move to 2012, Argentina where three men have been building a tunnel for the last eight months from an old café site to a bank’s security deposit vault nearby. The three plan to hit the vault in the early hours of the morning, drill and take the contents of 120 boxes and then escape. Their plan includes splitting the boxes between them, each hiding their stash and not touching them for another year so as not to bring suspicion on themselves.
Also in 2012 Senator John Franklin has secured the Republican’s Presidential Nominations and seems to be on his way to being the next President of the United States. What is held in one of the boxes taken could have devastating consequences on his candidacy. He has an elite team of ‘finders’ looking for the contents of the box and they are willing to do anything to retrieve it.
Can the men get away with the biggest heist in Argentinian history or will the finders get to them first? There is a third option, that Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas who has been put on the case discovers who the men are first and get to them before the finders do.
The Counterfeit Candidate had me on the edge of my seat. It is pure action and adventure with a few lulls when it comes to the parts set back in time with Hitler and his wife. The conspiracy theory that Hitler never killed himself is one I hadn’t heard before, even though it began straight after his death. I can see why given the circumstances and what happened to the bodies as to why people would think that.
I loved the weaving of the past into the present, it worked well. I also love how the three thieves had planned everything for months, including getting rid of the dirt, timings (though they got this slightly wrong as only 90 boxes were taken), even their encounters with the police were calculated and planned. However, they never calculated for the storm that was about to rain down on them!
This was an absolutely outstanding piece of fiction that I couldn’t put down. With its short chapters that heightened the action and its cat and mouse feel I was in my element. Being able to perfectly visualise every moment and scene has me believing that this book would be an ideal choice for a movie adaptation. It would seem that Brian Klein is a natural storyteller.
The Counterfeit Candidate is the debut novel by author Brian Klein. It features a mixture of genres including thriller, mystery, action, adventure, crime, and historical fiction. It also packs a punch and if you love books that suck you into the plot and get your heart pumping then this is certainly one to pick up.
We begin the story back in 1945 and the supposed suicide of Adolf Hitler and his new bride Eva Braun. The book runs with the conspiracy theory that Hitler never killed himself and that he and his wife fled to Argentina.
We then move to 2012, Argentina where three men have been building a tunnel for the last eight months from an old café site to a bank’s security deposit vault nearby. The three plan to hit the vault in the early hours of the morning, drill and take the contents of 120 boxes and then escape. Their plan includes splitting the boxes between them, each hiding their stash and not touching them for another year so as not to bring suspicion on themselves.
Also in 2012 Senator John Franklin has secured the Republican’s Presidential Nominations and seems to be on his way to being the next President of the United States. What is held in one of the boxes taken could have devastating consequences on his candidacy. He has an elite team of ‘finders’ looking for the contents of the box and they are willing to do anything to retrieve it.
Can the men get away with the biggest heist in Argentinian history or will the finders get to them first? There is a third option, that Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas who has been put on the case discovers who the men are first and get to them before the finders do.
The Counterfeit Candidate had me on the edge of my seat. It is pure action and adventure with a few lulls when it comes to the parts set back in time with Hitler and his wife. The conspiracy theory that Hitler never killed himself is one I hadn’t heard before, even though it began straight after his death. I can see why given the circumstances and what happened to the bodies as to why people would think that.
I loved the weaving of the past into the present, it worked well. I also love how the three thieves had planned everything for months, including getting rid of the dirt, timings (though they got this slightly wrong as only 90 boxes were taken), even their encounters with the police were calculated and planned. However, they never calculated for the storm that was about to rain down on them!
This was an absolutely outstanding piece of fiction that I couldn’t put down. With its short chapters that heightened the action and its cat and mouse feel I was in my element. Being able to perfectly visualise every moment and scene has me believing that this book would be an ideal choice for a movie adaptation. It would seem that Brian Klein is a natural storyteller.
October 2, 2022
Ouch, quite a hopeless book. If you are going to write a plot - WARNING SPOILER - where Hitler survived the war and escaped thanks to the mastermind of his Nazi secretary Bormann, you better make it as believable and as balanced as possible. Well, forget it. The characters don't have any depth, the story lines are extremely thin, and the story over-all is rushed. Would not recommend this to anybody.
August 10, 2021
Enjoyable. But too far fetched and characters lack depth
A good lightweight read but the characters are a bit superficial, almost stereotypical. Pushes the conspiracy too far. Had Maria Callas sung with a whole bunch of musicians for Adolf Hitler it’d be a secret too hard to keep.
A good lightweight read but the characters are a bit superficial, almost stereotypical. Pushes the conspiracy too far. Had Maria Callas sung with a whole bunch of musicians for Adolf Hitler it’d be a secret too hard to keep.
March 27, 2026
Engrossing, Entertaining And Thought-Provoking!
I’m generally not a fan of alternative, “what-if” thrillers but I am a big fan of WWII thrillers. So, I decided to give Brian Klein’s The Counterfeit Candidate a read and, having just finished it, I’m pleased with my decision.
Here’s why I feel this way.
The strongest aspect of the book is its pacing. It moves quickly without feeling rushed, and the plot keeps unfolding in ways that mostly feel surprising and believable. The political backdrop adds tension without becoming overwhelming, and the author does a solid job of making complex ideas accessible
.
The main character is pretty well-developed and easy to stay invested in (as long as you can overlook some minor credibility issues). However, I feel some of a of the supporting characters are a bit underdeveloped. I found myself wanting just a little more depth from them, especially in key moments where their motivations could have added extra weight to the story.
There are also a couple of plot turns that, while entertaining, stretch plausibility slightly. They don’t derail the reading experience, but they do stand out enough to momentarily pull you out of the narrative. That said, I found The Counterfeit Candidate to be mostly consistently engaging and thought-provoking.
Bottom line for me is that Counterfeit Candidate is a compelling read that balances entertainment with substance. Not perfect, but definitely worth your time.
I’m generally not a fan of alternative, “what-if” thrillers but I am a big fan of WWII thrillers. So, I decided to give Brian Klein’s The Counterfeit Candidate a read and, having just finished it, I’m pleased with my decision.
Here’s why I feel this way.
The strongest aspect of the book is its pacing. It moves quickly without feeling rushed, and the plot keeps unfolding in ways that mostly feel surprising and believable. The political backdrop adds tension without becoming overwhelming, and the author does a solid job of making complex ideas accessible
.
The main character is pretty well-developed and easy to stay invested in (as long as you can overlook some minor credibility issues). However, I feel some of a of the supporting characters are a bit underdeveloped. I found myself wanting just a little more depth from them, especially in key moments where their motivations could have added extra weight to the story.
There are also a couple of plot turns that, while entertaining, stretch plausibility slightly. They don’t derail the reading experience, but they do stand out enough to momentarily pull you out of the narrative. That said, I found The Counterfeit Candidate to be mostly consistently engaging and thought-provoking.
Bottom line for me is that Counterfeit Candidate is a compelling read that balances entertainment with substance. Not perfect, but definitely worth your time.
August 15, 2025
Begint als complottheorie, eindigt als de Zeven Zussen. Was best vermakelijk.
July 16, 2021
The Counterfeit Candidate by Brian Klein
Action-packed thrill-ride from beginning to end. This story is one of conspiracy, intrigue, crime, and moves between continents and time periods with facility. Settle in for a great story that will leave you thinking…what if?
What I liked:
* The plot, writing and story told
* The way it made me think about the past and what could have happened if something like this story had truly happened
* The dark gritty reality of the story
* That it had me doing google searches and reading about various places and characters in the book
* Wondering about what would motivate the various characters
* The police procedural aspect of the story
* Being able to hate the bad guys entirely – saw no redeeming qualities in them
* Thinking about who I would cast in the roles of the characters if this were to be made into a movie
* Wondering about the true relationship between Braun and Hitler
* Stepping into the past without actually having to be there
* Reading a debut novel by a new author
What I didn’t like:
* Exactly what I was meant NOT to like
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to MidasPR for the ARC – this is my honest review.
5 Stars
Action-packed thrill-ride from beginning to end. This story is one of conspiracy, intrigue, crime, and moves between continents and time periods with facility. Settle in for a great story that will leave you thinking…what if?
What I liked:
* The plot, writing and story told
* The way it made me think about the past and what could have happened if something like this story had truly happened
* The dark gritty reality of the story
* That it had me doing google searches and reading about various places and characters in the book
* Wondering about what would motivate the various characters
* The police procedural aspect of the story
* Being able to hate the bad guys entirely – saw no redeeming qualities in them
* Thinking about who I would cast in the roles of the characters if this were to be made into a movie
* Wondering about the true relationship between Braun and Hitler
* Stepping into the past without actually having to be there
* Reading a debut novel by a new author
What I didn’t like:
* Exactly what I was meant NOT to like
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to MidasPR for the ARC – this is my honest review.
5 Stars
January 26, 2022
What a load of rubbish but superbly entertaining and, at times, quite exciting. Some interesting characters as well.
Hitler is alive and well and living in Patagonia with Eva Hitler and Martin Boorman. Naturally he has changed his name and, believe or not, sired a son who’s a chip off the old block and thoroughly evil. He provides Hitler with a grandson who’s in line to become the next US President, thus founding the Fourth Reich. How the Mossad didn’t track this nest of vipers down is beyond me.
I suppose Hitler, the most vile man in the history of the planet, shouldn’t be a source of humour but there are so many laugh out loud moments it was difficult to keep a straight face at times.
Nonsense.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of ‘39, all published by Sacristy Press.
Hitler is alive and well and living in Patagonia with Eva Hitler and Martin Boorman. Naturally he has changed his name and, believe or not, sired a son who’s a chip off the old block and thoroughly evil. He provides Hitler with a grandson who’s in line to become the next US President, thus founding the Fourth Reich. How the Mossad didn’t track this nest of vipers down is beyond me.
I suppose Hitler, the most vile man in the history of the planet, shouldn’t be a source of humour but there are so many laugh out loud moments it was difficult to keep a straight face at times.
Nonsense.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of ‘39, all published by Sacristy Press.
October 17, 2023
The plot of The Counterfeit Candidate is a great idea, and although dual timelines don't always work for me, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. Although the characters are pretty shallow, the bread and butter of the plot unfolds pretty well and it's entertaining all the way through. For pure dumb entertainment, I could almost have given it 4 stars. However, there are too many obstacles to get past. I can't go into them all as it would be too revealing. One example, though. A powerful global corporation uses a security company with almost unlimited resources that will stop at nothing to get results. When they need to find a character's address, it takes them forever to find it out. They knew where he worked... maybe they could have followed him? Enjoyable in its own way, if you're happy to overlook its faults.
August 13, 2021
Need to suspend belief
To be fair the concept is interesting, there has always been conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Hitler and Eva Burn.
Also there are a fair few prominent historians and investigating journalists that believe that Martin Boorman did escape to South America with the knowledge of both the British an American intelligence agencies.
But the problem with this book is it isn't very good.
The idea is good but the writing isn't.
The characters have no depth its almost comical in parts.
Still I have given the book 3 stars for effort, and there is a good book in there somewhere.
To be fair the concept is interesting, there has always been conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Hitler and Eva Burn.
Also there are a fair few prominent historians and investigating journalists that believe that Martin Boorman did escape to South America with the knowledge of both the British an American intelligence agencies.
But the problem with this book is it isn't very good.
The idea is good but the writing isn't.
The characters have no depth its almost comical in parts.
Still I have given the book 3 stars for effort, and there is a good book in there somewhere.
August 22, 2022
Counterfactual stories always interest me but this one is ruined by poor writing. Novels such as SS-GB and Fatherland admittedly set the bar very high but there's no excuse for using clichés whenever the opportunity presents, nor for the number of murders included. I have the impression that this book was written very quickly.
February 13, 2022
Only give a 5 star if a book really intrigues me and stays on my mind for a while. The What-ifs flowing from this book kept me busy for a while because the scenarios are believable. Well done for a debut book. It's nice to see that something positive came from the lock down.
May 5, 2024
If you just want a page-turner, this is probably 4.5 stars. If you want anything even vaguely approximating possibility, probably best not to start. However, I suspended all disbelief, raised my eye-brows a lot, but did enjoy the filmic ride.
October 31, 2025
Het is een politieke thriller van het type "Wat als?".
Zoals de schrijver zelf in zijn nabeschouwing aangeeft, is het boek gebaseerd op 1 van de vele complottheorieën die ontstonden na de val van het Derde Rijk en de veronderstelde dood van Adolf Hitler. De waarschijnlijkheid dat net deze theorie de waarheid zou bevatten is trouwens heel erg laag.
Uiteraard geen probleem voor een fictieboek, maar het vormt wel een drempel om in het verhaal mee te gaan. Dit wordt gaandeweg in het verhaal wel beter als de elementen van de complottheorie op de achtergrond belanden en de fantasie van de schrijver de overhand neemt.
Toch is er ook een ander vervelend probleem: doordat deze theorie heel wat aanhangers heeft en publiekelijk beschikbaar is, zijn er ook heel wat verhalen rond geweven en boeken geschreven. Echt origineel voelt het niet aan (al zal het dag ongetwijfeld wel zijn).
Er wordt nogal eens door de tijd gesprongen en de locatie en het perspektief verandert ook regelmatig. Gelukkig staat er onder elke hoofdstuknummer een datum en een locatie.
Het geheel loopt van 30 april 1945 (de officiële datum van de zelfmoord van Adolf Hitler en Eva Braun) tot 6 april 2012 waarde auteur ons in de epiloog een open einde en cliffhanger voorschotelt.
De verhaallijn uit 1945 tot voor 2012 gaat over het lot van Hitler en Braun en hun nazaten. De ontsnapping uit Duitsland en reis naar Argentinië, waar ze zich vestigen en hoe ze hun leven opnieuw inrichten. In enkele tijdsprongen krijgen we dan een zicht op de uitbouw van het nieuwe pharmaceutische concern en de volgende generaties nazaten die van Argentinië naar de Verenigde Status verhuizen. Het einddoel is het Vierde Rijk met aan het hoofd de kleinzoon van Hitler die in 2012 op het punt staat om president van de U.S.A. te worden.
Na een korte intro in Duitsland gevolgd door een zeereis zal de schrijver constant switchen tussen Buenos Aires en Los Angeles. Aanvankelijk gaat het vooral over Hitler, Braun en Martin Bormann. Later wordt de aandacht verdeeld tussen Paz in Argentinië en vader en iets minder zoon Franklin in de U.S.A.
De verhaallijn uit 2012 begint met een bankoverval en legt dan de focus op de gevolgen en het onderzoek dat steeds een groter terrein zal beslaan en waarbij heel wat doden vallen.
Speurders Hembury en Vargas spelen de hoofdrollen.
Het is gebaseerd op een heel bekende complottheorie waarvan de waarschijnlijkheid erg laag wordt ingeschat. Toch is er al veel inkt over gevloeid. De gegevens uit het begin van het boek zijn dus zeker niet uniek te noemen.
Het is een "Wat als?" boek en gaandeweg nemen de interpretaties en toevoegingen (zeg maar de inspiratie) van de schrijver de overhand en dat is natuurlijk zijn eigen verdienste.
Om een zekere couleur locale en ook geloofwaardigheid te demonstreren zal de schrijver een heel aantal personen en historische feiten doorheen zijn fictie mengen.
Feiten zijn per definitie niet origineel maar de mix met fictieve personen en gebeurtenissen is dat wel.
De ontsnapping van Adolf Hitler en Eva Braun uit nazi-Duitsland is natuurlijk een onverwacht gegeven.
De ontdekking dat de buit van de bankoverval bij de nazaten van Hitler alarmbellen doet afgaan betekent absoluut een plotwending, wat de overvallers al snel tot hun dodelijke spijt zullen ontdekken.
Paz laat zijn mobiel op een plaats delict liggen en dat zal heel zware gevolgen hebben waarbij opnieuw een wending in het schijnbaar doodgelopen politieonderzoek wordt gegeven.
Het even ten tonele voeren van de bijna 100-jarige Eva duwt het plot weer in een andere richting en de zelfmoord van vader Franklin lijkt alle vorderingen in het onderzoek te niet te doen.
De karakters zijn stereotypes met weinig echte diepgang. De schrijver heeft goede maar beperkte bronnen voor de historische onderbouw gebruikt en dat merk je. Het gedrag van Hitler en Eva, hun omgang met mekaar en Bormann is nogal op de populistische interpretaties van feiten en veronderstellingen gebaseerd.
Ook van de andere criminelen komen we op zich weinig te weten, de focus ligt volledig op het handelen in het hier en nu (waar en wanneer dat dan ook mag zijn).
Maar zelfs de inspekteurs ontsnappen niet aan deze trend: als er al iets van hun achtergrond wordt meegegeven is dat puur functioneel omdat het direct impact heeft op wat verteld wordt.
Uiteraard is het altijd oppassen met een verhaal over Hitler en de auteur heeft er, misschien wel zo verstandig, voor gekozen om geen risico te lopen en besloten om heel voorzichtig te zijn met interpretaties die verkeerd kunnen uitgelegd worden. In de praktijk zorgt dat voor een lichte bias van links en woke (dat toen nog alomtegenwoordig was met zijn cancel-cultuur).
Er is weinig ontwikkeling te merken, zelfs niet over de lange tijdspanne die het boek dekt. Een aantal mensen sterven natuurlijk en anderen groeien op maar verandering of verdieping zit er niet in.
Argentinië is het land dat heel veel nazi's een nieuw vaderland heeft geboden, de Verenigde Staten zijn natuurlijk nog altijd het belangrijkste westers land op politiek, economisch en militair vlak. Die met mekaar verbinden is een goeie zet van de schrijver, de tijdspanne is realistisch als je, net zoals de schrijver zelf, nadenkt over het "wat als..." gevolgd door "hoe bouw je het Vierde Rijk met onbeperkte financiële middelen?".
Het boek zit vol aktie en bevat een zekere dosis spanning maar mist diepgang, en dat merk je ook in de ietwat fletse sfeer buiten de aktiescènes om.
Het deel over het verleden is natuurlijk niet echt spannend te noemen, we kennen de geschiedenis. En doordat er van het heden terug naar het verleden wordt gesprongen is daar ook niet echt veel spanning te rapen, daar kennen we immers ook al de afloop van.
Maar het echte verhaal van de bankoverval en het daaropvolgende onderzoek en de tegenakties staan bol van de spanning. Van komen ze weg met de buit van de overval, over zullen de nazi's hun geheim kunnen bewaren tot de spanning die gepaard gaat met een onderzoek naar een misdaad en de jacht op de daders. Op het einde komt daar het element van machtspolitiek, valstrikken en een race tegen de tijd bij.
Door de algemene oppervlakkigheid is de spanning vooral voelbaar en verbonden met de aktie. Daarbuiten valt dat merkbaar weg.
Er zit veel aktie in en dat is uiteraard beeldend, maar voor de rest, inclusief de dialogen, is het eerder vlak geschreven. Korte zinnen en hoofdstukken, actieve taal, lage moeilijkheidsgraad - het past allemaal bij de indruk van de domme en sadistische nazi. Maar bevat ook wel een tegenstelling doordat ondanks die domheid de kleinzoon van Hitler toch ei zo na Amerikaans president dreigt te worden. Het taalgebruik is, ondanks de regelmatige vermelding van het gebruik van het Spaans, typisch Amerikaans Engels. Dat maakt het erg toegankelijk en daarbij merk je dat Brian Klein dat ook bij zijn tv-werk gebruikt.
Het is heel goed leesbaar door de vele aktie en de lage moeilijkheidsgraad. Ik had in het begin wel wat moeite met de assumpties die niet stroken met de algemeen aanvaarde geschiedenis maar dat is nu eenmaal het kenmerk van complottheorieën.
Zeker in het begin vroeg ik me af wat het verschil is tussen dit boek en iets wat op basis van dezelde complottheorie door de laatste A.I. kan geproduceerd worden. (dit is geen beschuldiging). Maar het zal niet lang blijven hangen, en ik heb ook niet de intentie om de andere boeken in deze stijl van dezelfde schrijver te lezen.
Zoals de schrijver zelf in zijn nabeschouwing aangeeft, is het boek gebaseerd op 1 van de vele complottheorieën die ontstonden na de val van het Derde Rijk en de veronderstelde dood van Adolf Hitler. De waarschijnlijkheid dat net deze theorie de waarheid zou bevatten is trouwens heel erg laag.
Uiteraard geen probleem voor een fictieboek, maar het vormt wel een drempel om in het verhaal mee te gaan. Dit wordt gaandeweg in het verhaal wel beter als de elementen van de complottheorie op de achtergrond belanden en de fantasie van de schrijver de overhand neemt.
Toch is er ook een ander vervelend probleem: doordat deze theorie heel wat aanhangers heeft en publiekelijk beschikbaar is, zijn er ook heel wat verhalen rond geweven en boeken geschreven. Echt origineel voelt het niet aan (al zal het dag ongetwijfeld wel zijn).
Er wordt nogal eens door de tijd gesprongen en de locatie en het perspektief verandert ook regelmatig. Gelukkig staat er onder elke hoofdstuknummer een datum en een locatie.
Het geheel loopt van 30 april 1945 (de officiële datum van de zelfmoord van Adolf Hitler en Eva Braun) tot 6 april 2012 waarde auteur ons in de epiloog een open einde en cliffhanger voorschotelt.
De verhaallijn uit 1945 tot voor 2012 gaat over het lot van Hitler en Braun en hun nazaten. De ontsnapping uit Duitsland en reis naar Argentinië, waar ze zich vestigen en hoe ze hun leven opnieuw inrichten. In enkele tijdsprongen krijgen we dan een zicht op de uitbouw van het nieuwe pharmaceutische concern en de volgende generaties nazaten die van Argentinië naar de Verenigde Status verhuizen. Het einddoel is het Vierde Rijk met aan het hoofd de kleinzoon van Hitler die in 2012 op het punt staat om president van de U.S.A. te worden.
Na een korte intro in Duitsland gevolgd door een zeereis zal de schrijver constant switchen tussen Buenos Aires en Los Angeles. Aanvankelijk gaat het vooral over Hitler, Braun en Martin Bormann. Later wordt de aandacht verdeeld tussen Paz in Argentinië en vader en iets minder zoon Franklin in de U.S.A.
De verhaallijn uit 2012 begint met een bankoverval en legt dan de focus op de gevolgen en het onderzoek dat steeds een groter terrein zal beslaan en waarbij heel wat doden vallen.
Speurders Hembury en Vargas spelen de hoofdrollen.
Het is gebaseerd op een heel bekende complottheorie waarvan de waarschijnlijkheid erg laag wordt ingeschat. Toch is er al veel inkt over gevloeid. De gegevens uit het begin van het boek zijn dus zeker niet uniek te noemen.
Het is een "Wat als?" boek en gaandeweg nemen de interpretaties en toevoegingen (zeg maar de inspiratie) van de schrijver de overhand en dat is natuurlijk zijn eigen verdienste.
Om een zekere couleur locale en ook geloofwaardigheid te demonstreren zal de schrijver een heel aantal personen en historische feiten doorheen zijn fictie mengen.
Feiten zijn per definitie niet origineel maar de mix met fictieve personen en gebeurtenissen is dat wel.
De ontsnapping van Adolf Hitler en Eva Braun uit nazi-Duitsland is natuurlijk een onverwacht gegeven.
De ontdekking dat de buit van de bankoverval bij de nazaten van Hitler alarmbellen doet afgaan betekent absoluut een plotwending, wat de overvallers al snel tot hun dodelijke spijt zullen ontdekken.
Paz laat zijn mobiel op een plaats delict liggen en dat zal heel zware gevolgen hebben waarbij opnieuw een wending in het schijnbaar doodgelopen politieonderzoek wordt gegeven.
Het even ten tonele voeren van de bijna 100-jarige Eva duwt het plot weer in een andere richting en de zelfmoord van vader Franklin lijkt alle vorderingen in het onderzoek te niet te doen.
De karakters zijn stereotypes met weinig echte diepgang. De schrijver heeft goede maar beperkte bronnen voor de historische onderbouw gebruikt en dat merk je. Het gedrag van Hitler en Eva, hun omgang met mekaar en Bormann is nogal op de populistische interpretaties van feiten en veronderstellingen gebaseerd.
Ook van de andere criminelen komen we op zich weinig te weten, de focus ligt volledig op het handelen in het hier en nu (waar en wanneer dat dan ook mag zijn).
Maar zelfs de inspekteurs ontsnappen niet aan deze trend: als er al iets van hun achtergrond wordt meegegeven is dat puur functioneel omdat het direct impact heeft op wat verteld wordt.
Uiteraard is het altijd oppassen met een verhaal over Hitler en de auteur heeft er, misschien wel zo verstandig, voor gekozen om geen risico te lopen en besloten om heel voorzichtig te zijn met interpretaties die verkeerd kunnen uitgelegd worden. In de praktijk zorgt dat voor een lichte bias van links en woke (dat toen nog alomtegenwoordig was met zijn cancel-cultuur).
Er is weinig ontwikkeling te merken, zelfs niet over de lange tijdspanne die het boek dekt. Een aantal mensen sterven natuurlijk en anderen groeien op maar verandering of verdieping zit er niet in.
Argentinië is het land dat heel veel nazi's een nieuw vaderland heeft geboden, de Verenigde Staten zijn natuurlijk nog altijd het belangrijkste westers land op politiek, economisch en militair vlak. Die met mekaar verbinden is een goeie zet van de schrijver, de tijdspanne is realistisch als je, net zoals de schrijver zelf, nadenkt over het "wat als..." gevolgd door "hoe bouw je het Vierde Rijk met onbeperkte financiële middelen?".
Het boek zit vol aktie en bevat een zekere dosis spanning maar mist diepgang, en dat merk je ook in de ietwat fletse sfeer buiten de aktiescènes om.
Het deel over het verleden is natuurlijk niet echt spannend te noemen, we kennen de geschiedenis. En doordat er van het heden terug naar het verleden wordt gesprongen is daar ook niet echt veel spanning te rapen, daar kennen we immers ook al de afloop van.
Maar het echte verhaal van de bankoverval en het daaropvolgende onderzoek en de tegenakties staan bol van de spanning. Van komen ze weg met de buit van de overval, over zullen de nazi's hun geheim kunnen bewaren tot de spanning die gepaard gaat met een onderzoek naar een misdaad en de jacht op de daders. Op het einde komt daar het element van machtspolitiek, valstrikken en een race tegen de tijd bij.
Door de algemene oppervlakkigheid is de spanning vooral voelbaar en verbonden met de aktie. Daarbuiten valt dat merkbaar weg.
Er zit veel aktie in en dat is uiteraard beeldend, maar voor de rest, inclusief de dialogen, is het eerder vlak geschreven. Korte zinnen en hoofdstukken, actieve taal, lage moeilijkheidsgraad - het past allemaal bij de indruk van de domme en sadistische nazi. Maar bevat ook wel een tegenstelling doordat ondanks die domheid de kleinzoon van Hitler toch ei zo na Amerikaans president dreigt te worden. Het taalgebruik is, ondanks de regelmatige vermelding van het gebruik van het Spaans, typisch Amerikaans Engels. Dat maakt het erg toegankelijk en daarbij merk je dat Brian Klein dat ook bij zijn tv-werk gebruikt.
Het is heel goed leesbaar door de vele aktie en de lage moeilijkheidsgraad. Ik had in het begin wel wat moeite met de assumpties die niet stroken met de algemeen aanvaarde geschiedenis maar dat is nu eenmaal het kenmerk van complottheorieën.
Zeker in het begin vroeg ik me af wat het verschil is tussen dit boek en iets wat op basis van dezelde complottheorie door de laatste A.I. kan geproduceerd worden. (dit is geen beschuldiging). Maar het zal niet lang blijven hangen, en ik heb ook niet de intentie om de andere boeken in deze stijl van dezelfde schrijver te lezen.
February 26, 2023
Never imagined this book to turn out so intriguing and exciting throughout. A wonderful and entertaining narrative which mixes up European history with contemporary America and gives the reader a wonderful experience. The idea of keeping Adolf Hitler and his lineage at the core of a Bank heist and murder mystery is simply brilliant. Look forward to more work from the author. The audible experience was good.
February 10, 2026
Een wat-als verhaal. wat als Hitler, Eva Braun samen met Martin Borman ontsnappen uit Berlijn vlak voor het volledig in Russische handen viel. Wat als zeer dan in Argentinië gaan leven, over een valse naam. Wat als ze daar een de farmaceutische industrie starten die uiteindelijk zeer machtig werd. wat als Hitler's kleinzoon een Amerikaanse senator wordt die kandidaat is voor het presidentschap.
..
..
September 3, 2023
Great premise and engaging story that is well told. A couple of minor narrative jarrs only slightly detracted from an otherwise enjoyable read.
March 17, 2024
The plot was really good, I thought that the major twist halfway through would be it but then it revealed lots of other twists later on! Very excited to read the 2nd one 😁🇦🇷
June 2, 2024
The book wants to build suspense and make the reader feel like something big is happening but the story ends up being very shallow and amateur. The historical fiction element was a bummer.
January 7, 2022
I very rarely give 5 stars but this was an unexpected read which surprised and excelled. Not my usual genre but a very well written, thought provoking political thriller.
The premis: Hilter escaped rather than commit suicide. And now his grandson is about to become President of the United States of America!
The premis: Hilter escaped rather than commit suicide. And now his grandson is about to become President of the United States of America!
July 27, 2021
This is an intriguing story and one of the few books that has had me turning pages until the candle guttered. The plot takes several turns that often leave one guessing. The plot drives the book rather than the quality of the prose.
I was halfway through before I tuned in to Mr Klein’s style. I had started to wonder if English is his first language - the use of some words and phrases hinted at a translation. Often the dialogue is somewhat stilted - and nobody in Argentina or America uses the phrase: “Done a runner.” The descriptive passages suffer from frequent pleonasm (unnecessary words) and repetition. The product placement is overdone. The author is obsessed with glass topped coffee tables.
In summary: Excellent theme - questionable writing - would make a good film.
PS: If you want to know what really happened to Hitler, read Look Who’s Back by Timur Vermes.
I was halfway through before I tuned in to Mr Klein’s style. I had started to wonder if English is his first language - the use of some words and phrases hinted at a translation. Often the dialogue is somewhat stilted - and nobody in Argentina or America uses the phrase: “Done a runner.” The descriptive passages suffer from frequent pleonasm (unnecessary words) and repetition. The product placement is overdone. The author is obsessed with glass topped coffee tables.
In summary: Excellent theme - questionable writing - would make a good film.
PS: If you want to know what really happened to Hitler, read Look Who’s Back by Timur Vermes.
May 21, 2022
Counterfeit fantasy
Not helped by often archaic or stilted language this paint by numbers "thriller" took an inordinately long time to plough through.
Had I read this as a thirteen year old I'm sure I would have enjoyed it.
Not helped by often archaic or stilted language this paint by numbers "thriller" took an inordinately long time to plough through.
Had I read this as a thirteen year old I'm sure I would have enjoyed it.
January 3, 2022
Brilliant read, I can't remember finding a book I couldn't put down in a long time. highly recommended .
March 7, 2022
As far as debut novels are concerned, Brian Klein can be justifiably proud of how his debut attempt has shaped up. The Counterfeit Candidate is a thriller and a historical fiction rolled into one. Klein has allowed his imaginative powers to run wild and has dreamed up a plot that hinges on a conspiracy theory centred around the suicide of Hitler and Eva Braun in their bunker in Berlin, following the capitulation of the German war machine to the Allied Forces.
Klein’s debut novel makes it apparent that he is exceedingly adept at weaving together disparate plotlines thereby conjuring up a vivid narrative spanning three continents and over a timeline of about 70 years. It all begins in Hitler’s bunker in Berlin during the final days of the Third Reich in 1945 where he and his new bride, Eva Braun was supposed to have committed suicide to escape the Allied Forces. Klein spins an unlikely narrative wherein Hitler, Eva Braun and Hitler’s private secretary Martin Bormann flee across the Atlantic to Argentina under false identities after simulating their deaths. Bormann thereafter proves to be ingenious enough to hatch an audacious plan to perpetuate the Fourth Reich thereby attempting world dominance.
The timeline then moves to 2012, when in Buenos Aries, Argentina a bank heist takes place that is set to create ripples across the world. One of the bank lockers that gets looted happens to hold incriminating documents and memorabilia associated with Hitler’s Third Reich and which could disprove the theory of the purported suicide of the Fuhrer and his bride in Berlin in 1945.
The plot then moves on to the election for the President of the United States in which Richard Franklin and his son John Franklin are heavily invested in. Explosive revelations regarding the Hitler memorabilia are likely to unhinge John Franklin’s hugely successful Presidential campaign and the duo of father and son are hell-bent to avoid anything that will prevent them from attaining what they want so desperately – John Franklin being anointed as the President of the United States.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas of the Buenos Aries Police Department sets out to solve the bank heist that had taken place in Buenos Aires. During the investigation, Vargas realises the gravity of the case and the potential geopolitical turmoil that could be unleashed on solving the crime. The inspector and his assistants doggedly follow the leads even while being pitted against extremely powerful, resourceful and ruthless adversaries who are more than determined to attain their nefarious designs against all odds.
Klein’s narrative is fast-paced and he has the talent to keep the action going without a drop in the tempo of the narrative. Large parts of the book feel as though they are a part of a fast-paced thriller movie. In my opinion, the novel is ideal for a movie adaptation. Brian Klein has over the years been associated with top-class television shows such as Top Gear. I can bet on the fact that this book would end up being adapted for television or the big screen.
Klein’s debut novel makes it apparent that he is exceedingly adept at weaving together disparate plotlines thereby conjuring up a vivid narrative spanning three continents and over a timeline of about 70 years. It all begins in Hitler’s bunker in Berlin during the final days of the Third Reich in 1945 where he and his new bride, Eva Braun was supposed to have committed suicide to escape the Allied Forces. Klein spins an unlikely narrative wherein Hitler, Eva Braun and Hitler’s private secretary Martin Bormann flee across the Atlantic to Argentina under false identities after simulating their deaths. Bormann thereafter proves to be ingenious enough to hatch an audacious plan to perpetuate the Fourth Reich thereby attempting world dominance.
The timeline then moves to 2012, when in Buenos Aries, Argentina a bank heist takes place that is set to create ripples across the world. One of the bank lockers that gets looted happens to hold incriminating documents and memorabilia associated with Hitler’s Third Reich and which could disprove the theory of the purported suicide of the Fuhrer and his bride in Berlin in 1945.
The plot then moves on to the election for the President of the United States in which Richard Franklin and his son John Franklin are heavily invested in. Explosive revelations regarding the Hitler memorabilia are likely to unhinge John Franklin’s hugely successful Presidential campaign and the duo of father and son are hell-bent to avoid anything that will prevent them from attaining what they want so desperately – John Franklin being anointed as the President of the United States.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas of the Buenos Aries Police Department sets out to solve the bank heist that had taken place in Buenos Aires. During the investigation, Vargas realises the gravity of the case and the potential geopolitical turmoil that could be unleashed on solving the crime. The inspector and his assistants doggedly follow the leads even while being pitted against extremely powerful, resourceful and ruthless adversaries who are more than determined to attain their nefarious designs against all odds.
Klein’s narrative is fast-paced and he has the talent to keep the action going without a drop in the tempo of the narrative. Large parts of the book feel as though they are a part of a fast-paced thriller movie. In my opinion, the novel is ideal for a movie adaptation. Brian Klein has over the years been associated with top-class television shows such as Top Gear. I can bet on the fact that this book would end up being adapted for television or the big screen.
July 18, 2021
My thanks to Safia at Midas PR for the blogtour invite, and Level Best Publishers for the gifted review copy of 'The Counterfeit Candidate' which is out in paperback from 8th July!
This is not my usual genre of choice, political thrillers, but I am trying to branch out this year and embrace the things I don't normally read, so I jumped at the chance to look into the debut book from Brian Klein.
The novel is made of very short chapters which go back and forth between 1945 and 2012, 2 pivotal points on the global scale as the race for presidential candidacy takes on a whole new mean based on what is thought to have happened in Hitler's bunker.
The conspiracy theory has run amok in the age of the internet where anyone with a laptop and access to Photoshop can deep fake news, make things seem real which really couldn't be, and, the reverse is true, the more outlandish the theory,the less likely it is to require substantiation.
This one tackles the idea, widely held as plausible, that Hitler and Eva Braun committed committed suicide alongside his dog , Blondie. However, what if the only actual casualty was the dog? What if this was an elaborate plan, begun when the war was turning against the Germans, to spirit them away on the spoils of Nazi treasure to Buenos Aires?
And then, totally out of nowhere, three bank robbers using a well worn trope from Holmesian times onwards, dig a tunnel under a unoccupied 'closed for refurbishment' cafe into a bank vault. And steal as many safe deposit boxes as they possibly can. Including, proof that Hitler never died.
The race is now on to get this information back as the contents of the locker are owned by one Richard Franklin, whose son, John, is running for President with followers viewing him as the new JFK.
It is tense, fast paced and well researched, you would never guess that the writer created this in lockdown, it has a sense of validity as if he travelled to and absorbed each of the city's nuances during it's inception.
The story is very cinematic and reads like a made for tv movie expanded into a book format, so I think it is fair to say that it could one day be viewed on television. Again, I have to say that this book is not my usual read, and maybe I am not as switched onto the genre as others who are would be. I think overall it is a decent read which will keep you going through the night as you wonder if Franklin's team will get to the right robber's hiding place or whether the police will.
The story shows its hand pretty early on, so the element of surprise is lost to some extent and I didn't really care for the scenes of Hitler and Braun setting up home in Buenos Aires, I think the reader could have put this together without those passages. However, it is a decent story which explores the long term consequences of the 'What if?' conspiracy theory is taken to a , to me, very plausible conclusion.
This is not my usual genre of choice, political thrillers, but I am trying to branch out this year and embrace the things I don't normally read, so I jumped at the chance to look into the debut book from Brian Klein.
The novel is made of very short chapters which go back and forth between 1945 and 2012, 2 pivotal points on the global scale as the race for presidential candidacy takes on a whole new mean based on what is thought to have happened in Hitler's bunker.
The conspiracy theory has run amok in the age of the internet where anyone with a laptop and access to Photoshop can deep fake news, make things seem real which really couldn't be, and, the reverse is true, the more outlandish the theory,the less likely it is to require substantiation.
This one tackles the idea, widely held as plausible, that Hitler and Eva Braun committed committed suicide alongside his dog , Blondie. However, what if the only actual casualty was the dog? What if this was an elaborate plan, begun when the war was turning against the Germans, to spirit them away on the spoils of Nazi treasure to Buenos Aires?
And then, totally out of nowhere, three bank robbers using a well worn trope from Holmesian times onwards, dig a tunnel under a unoccupied 'closed for refurbishment' cafe into a bank vault. And steal as many safe deposit boxes as they possibly can. Including, proof that Hitler never died.
The race is now on to get this information back as the contents of the locker are owned by one Richard Franklin, whose son, John, is running for President with followers viewing him as the new JFK.
It is tense, fast paced and well researched, you would never guess that the writer created this in lockdown, it has a sense of validity as if he travelled to and absorbed each of the city's nuances during it's inception.
The story is very cinematic and reads like a made for tv movie expanded into a book format, so I think it is fair to say that it could one day be viewed on television. Again, I have to say that this book is not my usual read, and maybe I am not as switched onto the genre as others who are would be. I think overall it is a decent read which will keep you going through the night as you wonder if Franklin's team will get to the right robber's hiding place or whether the police will.
The story shows its hand pretty early on, so the element of surprise is lost to some extent and I didn't really care for the scenes of Hitler and Braun setting up home in Buenos Aires, I think the reader could have put this together without those passages. However, it is a decent story which explores the long term consequences of the 'What if?' conspiracy theory is taken to a , to me, very plausible conclusion.
October 24, 2021
I like the idea of the author Brian Klein reading biographies of Hitler and thinking: that's not a man who would have committed suicide - then imagining what else might have happened. And of Klein sitting with this story for years until the pandemic gave him time to write it.
And it's a good story, no doubt about it. Martin Bormann enables Hitler and Eva Braun's escape to Argentina. There, Bormann plots for Hitler's son to move to California, get rich on pharmaceuticals, and then for his grandson to run for the US presidency. Good job the women kept giving birth to male babies. What will happen as president remains hazy. (I'm guessing it was set in 2012 to avoid any potential lawsuits of parallels with Donald Trump had it been set in 2016.)
The fly in the ointment is a briefcase revealing the truth has been stolen in a bank raid in Buenos Aires. In comes police detective Vargas who conveniently has a good friend Hembury who's a cop in San Francisco.
It's well told, pacy, good dialogue. The ending leaves us with the intriguing possibility of sequels.
So why only two stars?
Firstly, it feels derivative. The Boys from Brazil covered similar ground of Hitler's children surviving in a far more sinister and intriguing way.
Secondly, the writing style. I'm not saying it's poor. Far from it. But someone, somewhere should have asked Klein to pause and read a few books, go on a course or two about the craft of writing. Maybe start with Stephen King's On Writing which would help with the over use of adjectives and adverbs - actions being done 'neatly', or 'gently' etc. which all contribute to a tendency to tell rather than show.
- Work on the occasional clumsy sentence: "concentrated dose of diluted cocaine."
"Bormann noted that the Führer’s daily cocaine intake almost doubled overnight."
- Check use of cliches: "cut through him like a knife." "Hit pay dirt."
- The headhopping:
Some of the changes of points of view would have been solved if the publisher had added breaks between paragraphs.
- There seem to be occasional factual errors: suggestion that Treblinka was opened in late 30s, when it wasn't started until 1942 (although, is the character lying?). Wasn't Hitler vegetarian? (maybe that's a myth).
I know all this is very picky, and this book is a real achievement for a debut novel. But it's my review, and my star rating, so I'm standing by it.
Quite Interesting fact: amongst Martin Bormann's children was his eldest son, also named Martin, who became a well-known theologian and toured Germany, speaking about the horrors of the Third Reich.
And it's a good story, no doubt about it. Martin Bormann enables Hitler and Eva Braun's escape to Argentina. There, Bormann plots for Hitler's son to move to California, get rich on pharmaceuticals, and then for his grandson to run for the US presidency. Good job the women kept giving birth to male babies. What will happen as president remains hazy. (I'm guessing it was set in 2012 to avoid any potential lawsuits of parallels with Donald Trump had it been set in 2016.)
The fly in the ointment is a briefcase revealing the truth has been stolen in a bank raid in Buenos Aires. In comes police detective Vargas who conveniently has a good friend Hembury who's a cop in San Francisco.
It's well told, pacy, good dialogue. The ending leaves us with the intriguing possibility of sequels.
So why only two stars?
Firstly, it feels derivative. The Boys from Brazil covered similar ground of Hitler's children surviving in a far more sinister and intriguing way.
Secondly, the writing style. I'm not saying it's poor. Far from it. But someone, somewhere should have asked Klein to pause and read a few books, go on a course or two about the craft of writing. Maybe start with Stephen King's On Writing which would help with the over use of adjectives and adverbs - actions being done 'neatly', or 'gently' etc. which all contribute to a tendency to tell rather than show.
- Work on the occasional clumsy sentence: "concentrated dose of diluted cocaine."
"Bormann noted that the Führer’s daily cocaine intake almost doubled overnight."
- Check use of cliches: "cut through him like a knife." "Hit pay dirt."
- The headhopping:
"Vargas put his office phone on speaker, enabling Torres to listen in. Then he switched on the recording device for the upcoming call. It was midday in San Francisco and Richard Franklin was sitting at his desk going through the latest polls, which showed his son’s position looking almost unstoppable."
Some of the changes of points of view would have been solved if the publisher had added breaks between paragraphs.
- There seem to be occasional factual errors: suggestion that Treblinka was opened in late 30s, when it wasn't started until 1942 (although, is the character lying?). Wasn't Hitler vegetarian? (maybe that's a myth).
I know all this is very picky, and this book is a real achievement for a debut novel. But it's my review, and my star rating, so I'm standing by it.
Quite Interesting fact: amongst Martin Bormann's children was his eldest son, also named Martin, who became a well-known theologian and toured Germany, speaking about the horrors of the Third Reich.
March 24, 2026
Din cronica apărută cu ocazia blog tourului din cadrul Crime Club prilejuit de apariția în limba română a acestui roman:
„Thrillerul conspiraționist și ficțiunea istorică alternativă (sau istorie contrafactuală sau ucronie) formează împreună unul dintre cei mai fertili și mai fascinanți hibrizi ai literaturii de gen. De la Dosarul Odessa al lui Frederick Forsyth și până la Patria lui Robert Harris, autorii care s-au aventurat pe acest teritoriu au exploatat o anxietate profundă a conștiinței colective: ce s-ar fi întâmplat dacă răul nu ar fi fost cu adevărat înfrânt? Dacă ar fi continuat să prospere, să se propage și să acționeze prin intermediul unor pioni, pentru a lovi când va fi pregătit cu adevărat, încă o dată? Aceste romane nu sunt simple exerciții de imaginație speculativă; ele sunt, în esența lor, meditații despre fragilitatea civilizației, despre cât de subțire este granița dintre democrație și tiranie și despre cât de tenace poate supraviețui ideologia criminal-totalitară în structurile invizibile ale puterii.
Ficțiunea contrafactuală care pornește de la Al Doilea Război Mondial are deopotrivă un avantaj și un risc semnificativ: subiectul este atât de încărcat emoțional și moral, încât orice autor care îl abordează riscă fie să alunece în exploatare, chiar exagerare, fie să producă o operă cu adevărat tulburătoare. Brian Klein, regizor de televiziune premiat cu Emmy și BAFTA, cunoscut publicului larg pentru emisiunea Top Gear și colaborările cu BBC, Sky și Netflix, a ales cu romanul său de debut, Falsul candidat (2021), primul volum al Trilogiei Reichului, să pășească pe acest teren minat. Rezultatul este, în linii mari, un thriller inteligent și cu un ritm susținut, care pune o întrebare aparent fantezistă – ce s-ar fi întâmplat dacă Hitler nu ar fi murit în buncărul din Berlin în aprilie 1945? – și îi urmărește consecințele până în prezentul anului 2012.
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Romanul a fost comparat cu Dosarul Odessa al lui Frederick Forsyth și cu Băieții din Brazilia al lui Ira Levin, deși se diferențiază de acestea prin amestecul specific de proceduri polițienești și ficțiune alternativă, amintind mai degrabă de Patria lui Robert Harris. Comparațiile sunt îndreptățite în privința atmosferei, nu neapărat și în privința profunzimii. Klein nu atinge forța literară a lui Harris sau rigoarea documentară a lui Forsyth, dar nici nu aspiră la același tip de roman: el scrie o ficțiune de divertisment inteligent, cu o miză morală reală, nu o capodoperă de literatură de gen.
„-Ține minte, John, tu ești candidatul unificator. Jucăm pe termen lung aici, deocamdată, oferi totul tuturor. Continuă să repeți același mesaj. Goebbels a fost un maestru al politicii și el a creat regula de aur: „Dacă spui o minciună suficient de mare și o tot repeți, oamenii vor ajunge în cele din urmă să o creadă.”
Mai multe: https://t.ly/QExXS
„Thrillerul conspiraționist și ficțiunea istorică alternativă (sau istorie contrafactuală sau ucronie) formează împreună unul dintre cei mai fertili și mai fascinanți hibrizi ai literaturii de gen. De la Dosarul Odessa al lui Frederick Forsyth și până la Patria lui Robert Harris, autorii care s-au aventurat pe acest teritoriu au exploatat o anxietate profundă a conștiinței colective: ce s-ar fi întâmplat dacă răul nu ar fi fost cu adevărat înfrânt? Dacă ar fi continuat să prospere, să se propage și să acționeze prin intermediul unor pioni, pentru a lovi când va fi pregătit cu adevărat, încă o dată? Aceste romane nu sunt simple exerciții de imaginație speculativă; ele sunt, în esența lor, meditații despre fragilitatea civilizației, despre cât de subțire este granița dintre democrație și tiranie și despre cât de tenace poate supraviețui ideologia criminal-totalitară în structurile invizibile ale puterii.
Ficțiunea contrafactuală care pornește de la Al Doilea Război Mondial are deopotrivă un avantaj și un risc semnificativ: subiectul este atât de încărcat emoțional și moral, încât orice autor care îl abordează riscă fie să alunece în exploatare, chiar exagerare, fie să producă o operă cu adevărat tulburătoare. Brian Klein, regizor de televiziune premiat cu Emmy și BAFTA, cunoscut publicului larg pentru emisiunea Top Gear și colaborările cu BBC, Sky și Netflix, a ales cu romanul său de debut, Falsul candidat (2021), primul volum al Trilogiei Reichului, să pășească pe acest teren minat. Rezultatul este, în linii mari, un thriller inteligent și cu un ritm susținut, care pune o întrebare aparent fantezistă – ce s-ar fi întâmplat dacă Hitler nu ar fi murit în buncărul din Berlin în aprilie 1945? – și îi urmărește consecințele până în prezentul anului 2012.
.
.
.
Romanul a fost comparat cu Dosarul Odessa al lui Frederick Forsyth și cu Băieții din Brazilia al lui Ira Levin, deși se diferențiază de acestea prin amestecul specific de proceduri polițienești și ficțiune alternativă, amintind mai degrabă de Patria lui Robert Harris. Comparațiile sunt îndreptățite în privința atmosferei, nu neapărat și în privința profunzimii. Klein nu atinge forța literară a lui Harris sau rigoarea documentară a lui Forsyth, dar nici nu aspiră la același tip de roman: el scrie o ficțiune de divertisment inteligent, cu o miză morală reală, nu o capodoperă de literatură de gen.
„-Ține minte, John, tu ești candidatul unificator. Jucăm pe termen lung aici, deocamdată, oferi totul tuturor. Continuă să repeți același mesaj. Goebbels a fost un maestru al politicii și el a creat regula de aur: „Dacă spui o minciună suficient de mare și o tot repeți, oamenii vor ajunge în cele din urmă să o creadă.”
Mai multe: https://t.ly/QExXS
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