American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate

by Eric Lichtblau

A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice | From the Pulitzer-winning author of the New York Times bestseller The Nazis Next Door

A deeply reported exploration of the violent resurgence of hatred and white supremacy through the lens of Orange County, California—“ground zero” for racial extremism—and the story of one brutal murder there that revealed the deep roots of violent bigotry as a bellwether for the country.
 
One night in early 2018, while he was home from college, an Ivy League student named Blaze Bernstein snuck out of his parents’ house in Orange County. Waiting for him in a car outside was an old high-school Sam Woodward, someone who Blaze mostly remembered as a brooding, bigoted loner. But that night, after months of flirtatious messaging, Sam had succeeded in coaxing Blaze—a gay, Jewish sophomore at UPenn—out for a rendezvous. No one would ever see him alive again.

In American Reich, veteran investigative journalist Eric Lichtblau uses the story of Blaze’s life and death to shine a light on the epidemic of hate in Southern California and, increasingly, the nation as a whole. Orange County has long been a bastion of the carved out of farmland as a haven for wealthy whites fleeing the diversifying metropolis to the north, it was the birthplace of the far-right John Birch Society, a hub for neo-Nazi recruitment, and a powerful springboard for race-baiting Republican politicians including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. But in the years leading up to Blaze’s disappearance, Orange County was like the country as a whole, it was rapidly diversifying, to the outrage of many of its white residents. No one was more opposed to the changes than America’s resurgent neo-Nazi groups, one of which had recently gained a new Sam Woodward.

Revealing how Orange County has exported racial hatred to the rest of the country and the world, American Reich weaves this tragic tale together with stories from across the nation, showing what this haunted place and the colliding paths of two of its residents reveal about America's fractured soul and our hope for healing.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, History, Politics, Audiobook, Crime, Race

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2026

About the author

American journalist

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember back in the day, when we'd watch Indiana Jones and it was a fait accompli that the Nazis would get their comeuppance and we'd all be so happy that they did? I miss simpler times.

Instead of then, we are here now. Eric Lichtblau gives us a tour through this uneasy time with his book, American Reich. Ostensibly, the book is about a specific murder in Orange County, CA. This crime was perpetrated by Sam Woodward who killed former classmate Blaze Bernstein for being gay. However, this case takes up very little page count. Mostly, Lichtblau tells the story of the exponential explosion of hate crimes in the U.S. over the past twenty or so years. To his credit, the author does tie many of these directly to Orange County and it is riveting overall, but not always. To his discredit, Lichtblau gives way too much time and attention to Donald Trump.

Now before anyone throws a hateful comment my way (which would be very ironic), I don't care if you think Donald Trump has anything to do with the rise in hate crimes. My objection is not with his inclusion in the book, but rather how much time Lichtblau spends laying everything at his feet. He is meticulous in documenting many things Trump has said. However, I kept wanting him to get back to the actual case this book is about or at least Orange County specifically. Admittedly, I am just sick of seeing his name shoehorned in a lot of books lately. To be clear, though, Lichtblau does not shove him in here unnecessarily. There are valid reasons, if not a requirement, to bring him up in this narrative. I just object to how much attention he gets overall at the cost of other avenues of investigation.

As an example, Lichtblau mentions how there is a worrying amount of Neo-Nazism in the military. As a former servicemember, I wanted a bit more on where and how much. My own experience did not align with his reporting (which of course means next to nothing, as my own experience is completely anecdotal), which made me want the author to dig in and show as much research and attention as he did with Trump.

In the end, while I have that one major issue with the text, I overall enjoyed the book. Lichtblau didn't win a Pulitzer by accident and his research is top-notch when he shows you the goods. Shining a light on this aspect of our current climate is vital, and this book is worth your time.

(This book was provided as a review copy by Little, Brown and Company.)

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published January 6, 2026 (I see what you did there.)

5 stars

A look at the rise of white supremacy (as well as other types of hate) after 2015, specifically in Orange County, California, and set in the frame of the 2018 case of two former high school classmates. Blaze Bernstein, a gay, Jewish student at Penn, snuck out of his Orange County home to meet with Sam Woodward, a loner from his high school who had been messaging him flirtatiously. Blaze was never seen alive again.

Lichtblau examines the conservative/Republican political history of Orange County (which is slowly changing) and how the emergence of Donald Trump has caused an increase in hate crimes against essentially every minority group; they have nearly doubled their n a decade and three out of every four offenders is a white male.

This was incredibly depressing, but so important. It’s impossible to deny the numbers, the things that Trump is on record as saying and the statements of young, white, Christian, straight men who cite Trump as their reason for committing their crimes. Anyone who thought that the fact that we, as a country, elected Barack Obama President meant that we had crossed over into some post-racial wonderland needs only to look to what has happened since to understand the precipice on which this country exists. Recommended.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. A terrifying yet realistic look into how dangerous this country has become when it comes to hatred and bigotry. This is not simply a true crime book about Blase Bernstein’s tragic end, this is a book that is giving us all a long hard look at the state of the country and how unacceptable it is that hatred has become so normalized. I was really proud of the author for the research done and how well everything was explained. This book will touch you in your core. A must read for every American.

[Ten Cats Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

DNF @ p115

The research is impeccable but I just couldn't finish this book. It's dark and scary.

Thank you to Eric Lichtblau, Little, Brown and Co., and NetGalley for an accessible digital copy of AMERICAN REICH. All views are mine.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of interesting stuff in this book but the book is too long and too broad. The book feels unmoored trying to cover way too much ground -- but also feels an obligation to return to the main murder. I think this one needed a much more exacting editorial eye.

[Nevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was by far the most difficult book that I have read in a long while. Not because of the way it was written but because of its subject matter.

It was written really well and researched throughly.

We all know America has a long history of racism, xenophobia and sexism however this book explains how after the election of Trump, those dark forces united and came out of their hiding places. The Neo Nazi’s empowered to openly speak about how much they hate all kinds of minorities, religious groups that aren’t Christian.

What’s so sad is these hate groups target lonely, frustrated, lost white Christian kids, mostly young men to be groomed by them to act violently against Jews, Muslims, Asians, Blacks, Latin Americans, LGBT Communities etc etc… list is long.😞

Over all an eye opening read. Now I need something really trashy and mindless to get over this difficult subject matter 😉

Happy Reading 🍷

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book uses a hate crime committed in Orange County, CA, to then zoom out and illustrate the rise of overt white supremacy in the USA as a whole. In 2018, Blaze Bernstein, who was Jewish and gay, was murdered by a former classmate who was raised to be homophobic and subsequently joined hate groups on the Internet and in person.

I was unaware that Orange County is one of the most bigoted counties in the country, and the multiple stories relayed from this county were horrifying. As well, the author (and the dangerous young men he profiles) draw a direct link from Trump’s rhetoric since 2015 to the subsequent rise in white supremacist groups and hate crimes. There are no answers here as to how to fix things, but it’s clear that hateful, violent rhetoric leads to real harm and lost lives. A depressing but necessary read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am short on words for this writing. It is powerful, brutal, but necessary reading if you care for others!

[Erik B.K.K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just not my cup of tea. Reading about loser American neo nazis just grinds my gears. They really never have blue eyes and blonde hair huh. I don't believe in races, but Americans yapping about racial purity truly are the biggest mutts on earth.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t give a lot of five-star ratings. For me, five stars means a book really sticks with me, one I keep thinking about and want other people to read. American Reich absolutely fits that.

This is not an easy or uplifting book. It’s honestly pretty scary. Lichtblau tells the story of the murder of Blaze Bernstein in Orange County, and it’s horrific on its own, but what makes it even more disturbing is how clearly he shows the real presence of neo-Nazi groups and the radicalization of young white men—right here in suburban America.

As someone who lives in Orange County, this book really shook me. These things weren’t happening “somewhere else.” They were happening in parks, neighborhoods, and streets close to home, to people who don’t look like me. It forced me to think hard about my own white privilege and how easy it is not to notice these dangers if they don’t directly affect you.

The book is well researched and clearly written, and it has a strong emotional pull without feeling over the top. Lichtblau also doesn’t shy away from making connections between the rise in hate groups and Trump-era politics. MAGA supporters won’t like that, but he makes a compelling case that’s hard to completely dismiss.

This is a tough read, but an important one. It stayed with me long after I finished it, and I’ll definitely be recommending it to others.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW for this book: hate, racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, violence, Trump.

This review is based on an ARC received from NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

While this book deals with a lot of very public issues, the act of tying all of these tragedies to one place and using one tragedy as the catalyst for the larger discussion makes this more of a propulsive story, rather than simply an academic or purely journalistic discussion of hate and white supremacy in America.

And while there will certainly be complaints from the MAGA and Trump supporters in America, this book tells an incontrovertible tale about Donald Trump's complicity, if not direct responsibility for much of the increased violence associated with hate. While hate has always existed, it has been increasingly normalized and welcomed by this administration and that man. There is an enormous amount of information here to convince even the most fence sitting person that Trump and Trumpism (along with social media) are harming America and giving comfort to the most violent and hateful amongst us.

[Kate Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

White supremacists, Nazis, and the rest of Trump’s supporters are all SUCH LOSERS.

[MM Suarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It’s hard to believe there’s that much hate."

This book centers on the murder of Blaze Bernstein (RIP), a gay, Jewish young man, committed by a former classmate Sam Woodward, a neo-Nazi in Orange County California, which unbeknownst to me is a hot bed of white supremacist hate. The book goes into some details about this case and many other hate crimes commited around the country, most of them connected in some way to the various hate groups that have gained lots of traction since the 2016 election. The author argues that our country is seeing a nationwide rise in bigotry, violence and white supremacy that hasn't been seen since the days of the Civil Rights Movement, often instigated by the current President's venomous racial and ethnic rhetoric.
This is not an easy book to read and it doesn't offer any answers, but is is informative, well written and well worth the reading time.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to read, but easy to read- well put together and truly disheartening the America we’re living in. This will be a startling work to look back on in future history.

[Kaur K · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But the bulk of the victims remain anonymous and faceless, except perhaps for the color of their skin; just statistics on a grim chart growing longer by the day."
This book uses the brutal murder of Blaze Bernstein who was stabbed 28 times by neo-Nazi Sam Woodward to analyze the alarming rise of white supremacist extremism and neo-nazis in the United States over the last decade and how the hatred converts into violence.

[Hallie Puckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

a glorious horrible suffering of reality we live in buy oddly made me feel not crazy

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the current state of affairs in the US today, this book was always going to be a tough read [and it very much was ] and I do not think I was totally prepared for all that is contained in this book. The title [I feel ] is misleading; the author does write about the crime mentioned in the title, but he barely stays there and instead does a deep dive into the world of hate and neo-nazism, both in Orange Country and in the US as a whole, who perpetuates it, and how it affects everyone today and THAT makes it an excruciatingly difficult book to read [even more than I had anticipated ]. I had to take huge breaks reading this [all whilst watching what was happening in Minnesota and elsewhere, which is the very epitome of hate being perpetrated by the current administration **] and at several points, was not sure I would be able to finish it [I was able to, but I was left...conflicted ].

Deeply unsettling and filled with imagery that will shock and horrify you [** as well as W A Y too much about DJT and all of his hate-filled rhetoric; he is not the cause of the hate, he has just allowed what has always been simmering to be let fully lose with little to no consequences. I understand needing to mention him, because he IS a huge part of the problem today as he continues to stoke hate and division, I am just not sure he needed to be such a huge part of this story ], it will absolutely make you think, and will also stay with you for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Lichtblau, and Little, Brown, and Company for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The research that was done for this book is amazing and so in depth. This is an amazing book about how white hate groups have become more emboldened and larger in numbers over the past 10 years or so. It is a very depressing and upsetting read, but one that people need to read. When you question how so many people allowed for Nazi Germany to become a thing, this is how.

[Michelle Skelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d give American Reich 4.25 stars, stronger than a typical four, but not without a few limitations.

Eric Lichtblau’s investigative style makes this a solid read. The book is layered, detailed, and incredibly thorough, weaving together individual cases, broader movements, and historical context in a way that keeps the narrative engaging while still grounded in evidence.

His ability to connect people, ideology, and networks without losing the human element is especially effective.

The Blaze Bernstein case is deeply moving. It is emotionally difficult to read at times, that humanity is what gives the book its weight. I found myself especially drawn to the sections connecting extremist networks to real-world locations, particularly Denver, where I had some prior familiarity through local reporting and A.C. Thompson & Jeremy Jojola's investigative work.

That overlap made the material feel even more immediate and real.

Lichtblau makes compelling connections and raises important concerns, though at times the emphasis on certain contemporary figures (spoiler not spoiler, it's Donald J. Trump) felt a bit appropriate but a bit narrow given the complexity of the issue.

I also found myself wanting more exploration of the psychological and social dynamics behind why these ideologies resonate beyond extreme cases.

Still, this is a powerful, well-written book that is both informative and unsettling in the best way. It’s not easy subject matter, but it’s handled with care, depth, and clarity.

[vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly dark stuff and not for people who can’t stomach a whole book of hateful people & actions, but it’s well-written and successfully tracks the reignition of this movement since 2016. I thought this would focus more on the one case/murder in the subtitle, but the case doesn’t come up until maybe 40-50% of the way and is only an example of the larger movement this book is attempting to handle. So many mass murders or attempts connect back to domestic terrorism and white supremacists. This book is for people who’ve read Will Sommer’s Trust the Plan or Andrew Marantz’s Antisocial and want more. I had to take a break 50% of the way through to read a fluffier book, but I’m glad I read it.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scariest, most depressing book I've ever read. Very well-researched and well-written... but terrifying and bleak as heck. When all this hate and backwards thinking is laid out in front of you like this, it's hard to feel any hope for the world. It's so hard to understand how anyone can hate other people this much, but it's important for us to know that it's happening and even getting worse. I just wish this book had focused more on how to turn this kind of thinking around, rather than throwing hate crime after hate crime at us with barely a chance to catch our breath.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing the ARC for review consideration.

[Heidi]

Frightening is an understatement. It boggles my mind that we collectively seem to be forgetting that Nazi’s were the bad guys. This book describes the rise of neo-Nazi’s and other hate groups in the United States while focusing primarily on the murder of a Jewish gay man in Orange County by a follower of this ideology. The book gets a bit off-course in a few places keeping it from a higher rating but is well-worth reading.

[Wendy K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was well-written and impressively researched. Lichtblau does an excellent job shining a light on the underground world of right-wing reactionary extremist white nationalism, and on the hate crimes perpetrated by neo-Nazis in the U.S. over the past several decades. Reading it was a strange experience for me, because I watched almost all of the events described in the book unfold in real time.

Unfortunately, in the final three pages Lichtblau attempts to frame post-October 7 hate violence as an extension of neo-Nazi extremism, and it’s a clear display of cognitive dissonance. The discussion is cursory, omits one of the most heinous recent hate crimes (the murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky), and fails to grapple with the reality that antisemitic hatred has more than one ideological source (or even to acknowledge a broader “horseshoe” problem.) Three pages at the end simply does not do justice, and the book would have been stronger without that section. That said, this was solid and an important read, & I recommend it.

[Esperanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult listen because of the deep hatred from the groups this book was discussing. I thought this book had a lot of interesting information and statistics about hate crimes (against many different groups (rising in the US). He did lose me in the very last part of his epilogue though.

[Thomas]

This book was so depressing and made me miserable.

[Book Buying With Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected, extremely fucked up. But super interesting.

[Madison ✨ (mad.lyreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines white supremacy almost exclusively in Southern California, with the throughline being about the murder of Blaze Bernstein. All of the information in this book was incredibly well researched, and very informative, but I struggled with the focus of the book. It jumped around a bit, and I didn't feel like there was enough about Sam Woodward (the man who killed Blaze) to make that the main storyline. I feel like this could have been restructured to make a bit more sense for the reader, but overall still a very good (and terrifying) read.

Thank you to LIttle, Brown and Company and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret Martin]

Important subject, but kind of a mess. I made it to 2 out of the audiobook’s 11 hours before giving up.

[Anthony Ratcliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s all too fucking much.

[David Rebula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes. Orange County, California. ...California. One of the most conservative places in America. Wild the amount of Neo-Nazi hate coming out of there; as well as for the rest of the country. It is oddly weird how so much hate and violence and negative psychological emotions stem from people holding MAGA signs. But there is one more interesting dilemma happening. The Far-Right is the land of Stephen Miller. That group is extremely antisemitic. And Trump world is the most Pro-Israel party in the history of Isreal. That is going to clash sooner rather than later and I'm here for it