Goodnight from Berlin

A Call to War #3

by Elaine Hume Peake, Don Keith

A gripping tale of moral courage in the shadow of victory—where the end of war begins history’s most perilous reckoning.

With Hitler's suicide marking the end of the Third Reich and chaos consuming a shattered Germany, Captain Edward Hume continues to lead his bomb disposal squad—The Kaboom Boys—through the deadly aftermath of victory. What began as a coal miner's son seeking adventure far from Pennsylvania has become a mission to save lives in a world still bristling with unexploded ordnance and Nazi "werewolf" fighters who refuse to surrender.

Their work grows deadlier each day—while other soldiers celebrate, Hume's men face booby traps and ticking bombs left behind by a crumbling Reich.

Then comes the mission that will define them Hume is ordered to escort Dr. Ernst Alwin, an evil but brilliant Nazi scientist, now a prisoner, who spent the war designing weapons specifically to kill Allied bomb disposal experts, across war-torn Europe to America.

Racing through a landscape of devastation with the very man who tried to kill soldiers like him, Hume confronts impossible choices. His best friend faces accusations of treason at Dachau. The Nuremberg Trials demand his testimony about the horrors he's witnessed. And somewhere in the chaos, an Army nurse from Normandy waits for his return—if he survives the gauntlet ahead.

With the weight of history and the promise of peace hanging in the balance, Edward and his men discover that sometimes the most perilous battles come after the war is won.

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Praise for A Call to War

"Highly recommended." —Library Journal, Starred Review

“Beautifully conceived and thoughtfully executed…” —Charles Gomez, author of Eye of the Storm and Cuban Son Rising

“…a trip back in time to World War II told through the eyes of a brave, decent, and determined soldier…” —Sandy Kenyon, award-winning entertainment correspondent

“These unforgettable men of The Greatest Generation are portrayed with remarkable depth and humanity…” —Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books, cofounder of the Miami Book Fair and The Mazur Kaplan Production Company

“One of the most fascinating accounts of bravery in World War II.” —Tim Gray, The World War II Foundation

“Chock full of real life events, the book will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout…” —Catherine K. Hurd, multi-award winning writer and playwright

“…should be on your reading list today.” —Darcy Bonfils, multi-award winning television news executive producer

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Elaine Hume Peake was born on Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland, the site of the first United States Army Bomb Disposal testing and training base. Here her father, Captain Edward Hume learned the fundamentals of BD and became part of the first American army ordnance squads of World War II, setting the stage for the origins of the historical drama series, “The Kaboom Boys”.

Elaine studied journalism/mass communications at Towson State University leading her to a multi-year career in television news. She received multiple journalism awards including Emmys and the George Foster Peabody Award for her 9/11 coverage.

In 2019, Elaine completed “The Kaboom Boys” as a feature-length screenplay when, during the pandemic via LinkedIn, she was introduced to 96-year-old French woman Michelle Desrues who knew her father during the summer of 1944. Hearing stories of her as a precociously brave nineteen-year-old, Michelle inspired Elaine to write how Michelle befriended Edward and two other U. S. Army captains. During hot summer days Captain Hume and his squad handled multiple bombs and deadly devices throughout Normandy while at night the foursome, along with her extended family, enjoyed memorable dinners. Elaine developed a close multi-year friendship with Michelle who died in her 100th year in early January 2024 yet she has lived on as the character Hélène LeRiche in the A CALL TO WAR series of novels.

Elaine lives in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee with her husband Christopher where she writes and has been enjoying life with their precious golden retriever Lucia.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Denise]

The ‘A Call to War’ series follows a group of bomb disposal soldiers - The Kaboom Boys - during World War II. This third installment highlights the final few months of the war and its aftermath. The major fighting in Europe may be over but the danger from unexploded ordnance isn’t. The Kaboom Boys are still tasked with saving lives by diffusing those bombs and their Captain, Edward Hume, is ordered to escort the Nazi scientist who has spent the war designing bombs to kill Allied bomb disposal soldiers to the United States. This installment gives closure to the war for the soldiers we’ve followed throughout the series, but the end offers a teaser that Edward Hume’s mission is not yet done. This series gives a unique, compelling and interesting look back at World War II from the perspective of those bomb disposal soldiers.

[Jean Shipman]

Have you ever wondered what happens when a war ends and victory is declared? Who clears the remaining unexploded bombs, booby traps, and other deadly remnants? Goodnight from Berlin offers a compelling look at the soldiers who continued to risk—and sometimes lose—their lives for their country long after the bombing becomes silenced.

As the author of One Tragic June, I have a personal connection to World War II. Through family letters and stories, I learned how the war profoundly affected my mother’s family through the loss of her brother on D-Day. Yet, until reading Goodnight from Berlin, I had never really stopped to consider what happened after that historic day. Someone had to deal with the countless dud bombs, booby traps, ammunition, and other dangerous weapons of war.

This book provides a fascinating window into post-war cleanup efforts through the experiences of a U.S. Army team specially trained to handle these deadly situations. Affectionately called the “Kaboom Boys,” these soldiers faced one dangerous assignment after another.
The characters quickly capture your heart, and you find yourself rooting for them as they confront each new threat. Their courage is remarkable, but so is their ability to face unimaginable danger with humor, loyalty, and intense camaraderie. The emotional impact of their experiences is equally powerful. One captain carries the guilt of losing members of his team, a burden that follows him into his dreams and later into visits with the families of those who didn’t return.

The book also vividly portrays the patriotism and loyalty felt by many soldiers, as well as the deep hatred directed toward Hitler, the Nazis, and those who participated in the development and use of devastating chemical and physical weapons.

Readers interested in the technology and weaponry of World War II will find much to appreciate as well. The book provides fascinating details about the different types of bombs and explosives while keeping the focus firmly on the men tasked with neutralizing them.

Goodnight from Berlin is the third book in the A Call to War series. After reading this installment, I am eager to read the first two books.

[Denice Langley]

The final book in the Kaboom Boys series. Set during the final months of WWII, these young men were responsible for clearing the sites left by the Axis troops. The many hazards of clearing bombs and ordinance were critical to saving the infrastructure and personnel left when the German troops surrendered. These books are fiction but at their heart is a true to life squadron of young men who risked their lives on a daily basis. The books are detailed and accurate to the era. If you love reading historical fiction, especially WWII, these books are a must for your TBR.

[Texas]

A CALL TO WAR Series:
Source: Severn River Publishing.
GOODNIGHT FROM BERLIN, #3 - While I missed the first book The Kaboom Boys, this book made up for it. Interesting. Intriguing. Intense. An interesting variety of characters. 4*

THE BLACKSMITH OF DACHAU, #2 - An interesting and intriguing story set in Dachau bei Munich im Bayern, during WWII. A variety of interesting characters along with historical events made for an immersing read. 4*

[Dick Montgomery]

The final chapter in the Kaboom boys series is different but a great read. Not only is unexploded ordnance still in abundance, but the Captain is task with taking the man back to America who spent a good deal of his work trying to kill him.

[Dan]

Good stand alone novel and Great at bringing the storyline to a logical conclusion, as well as bringing together all of the loose ends for the longtime series reader

[Deanna]

This wasn’t for me.

[Rick Hyman]

Slowed a little when the war was over but picked up at the end