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A Long Way Home

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A heartbreaking and inspiring World War 2 novel based on a true story of survival, courage, and the search for belonging.

January 1945. As Auschwitz falls, Rachael Kisch joins the death march toward Dachau, freezing, starving, and clinging to one desperate to find her brother Hannes. When she is forced to work in a Nazi print shop forging false identities for escaping officers, she risks her life again to sabotage their plans and save others.

Liberation brings new struggles. The war may be over, but returning home to the Netherlands means facing famine, loss, and a nation that has forgotten its Jews. Yet through grief and resilience, Rachael refuses to surrender her will to live or her determination to remember.

From Auschwitz to Dachau to Amsterdam, A Long Way Home is the unforgettable conclusion to the Rachael Kisch Trilogy. Perfect for readers of The Nightingale , My Daughter's Keeper , and The Frozen River.

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2026

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33 people want to read

About the author

Mark deMeza

4 books14 followers

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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Grandma Susan.
354 reviews239 followers
January 5, 2026
I struggled with the first part of this book and didn’t think I would continue. I’m certainly glad I did. I even plan to read more by this new to me author. My favorite time period besides Biblical is WWII. Though I’ve read countless of books during this time frame, I still learned quite a bit. I loved the character of Rachel. Her grit and perseverance are remarkable. This novel was well researched and paced perfectly. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
Profile Image for Andrew.
720 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2026
In the third book of the Rachael Kisch Trilogy we find the Russians approaching Auschwitz, and Rachael along with thousands of other prisoners being taken on a deathly forced March from Poland all the way to Dachau in Germany. A march that thousands would not live to see the end of, although Rachael feels an element of hope in the march as she hopes it will take her to her brother who she thinks is in Dachau, if still alive. Despite their dying days the Nazis in the book show no end to their depravity and inhumanity in the ways they treated the Jews and other prisoners, if anything it seems to heighten these.

As with any books covering this theme the book is far from easy to read but it is so important that these books are read so that the millions of lives brought to a merciless early end are not forgotten. The inhuman treatment of fellow humans just beggars belief and if we see current world events it seems to go on and on even in today’s world and this is the depressive element when reading these books. We do not seem to be learning from history and seem to be repeating mistakes.

What I loved most about this book is the way that it not only covers the march and their time in the new camp, but also the rescue by American forces and the impact it had on them, as well as the impact it had on prisoners after they were ‘freed’ from the concentration camps. Whilst they may have been out of the concentration camp their suffering went on both psychologically and in real terms, especially in the way they were treated for example by society and by people who had taken over their houses.

I felt the end of the book was superbly written and there is much too we can learn from these events. It was made even more meaningful by the reference to the author’s linked family, who all were killed in 1942 and 1943.

This book can be read as a standalone but is much better read following the other books in the trilogy. I do highly recommend the whole trilogy which was very well written overall.
Profile Image for Marcia Crabtree.
303 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 13, 2026
“A Long Way Home” is the last book in Mark DeMeza’s enthralling Rachael Kisch Trilogy and the second one I have had the pleasure to read, having been given an advanced reader’s digital copy by NetGalley. Although this book, like its predecessor, can be read on its own, it was nice to have read “The Heroine of Auschwitz” prior. Mr. DeMeza does a nice job in the first few chapters reacquainting the reader with, or introducing new readers to, Auschwitz’s heroine Rachael, and reminding returning readers of Rachael’s beloved Ludwig and his nemesis SS officer Moll. Shortly thereafter, Rachael’s good friend from Auschwitz, Zuzana, becomes integral to the third book, as does Rachael’s search for her young brother Hannes. My review of this book is completely voluntary.

This aspect of Rachael’s story details the horrors imposed upon the prisoners forced to leave the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp network in the last days of World War II as the Allies were within reach of liberating it and endure grueling days of travel during the dead of winter in inhumane conditions by train and on foot to reach even further unimaginable conditions awaiting them at the Dachau network of concentration camps. Of approximately 56,000 prisoners who endured this experience, it’s estimated that 15,000 died en route, and while the main camp at Dachau was meant to hold 6,000 prisoners, there were well over five times as many by the time it was liberated on April 29, 1945. Between January and April 29, over 7,000 prisoners died from illness and starvation and another 2,000 died soon after liberation.

Just as in “The Heroine of Auschwitz” Mr. DeMeza’s writing in “A Long Way Home” is superb! The prose is propulsive and compelling; Rachael’s heart wrenching story is captivating from its first page to its last. There literally is never a dull moment to be found between the covers of this book, and Mr. DeMeza never shies away from describing the barbarity and depravity of the Nazi killing machine and the attitudes of the people who carried out the atrocities, from glee to utter indifference.
1,820 reviews35 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 11, 2026
A Long Way Home by Mark deMeza is the last in the phenomenal Rachael Kisch trilogy, one of the most memorable and moving series I have ever read. Based on the true story of the author's family members who were murdered by the Nazis during World War II, the story is full of tragedy, anguish, unspeakable despair and hopelessness. Yet the resilience of of survivors is incomprehensible.

Rachael Kisch has survived death many times during the war, including extreme camp conditions, cattle train horrors, agonizing death marches and murder all around her. As she had experience in printing, she was forced to create fake ID cards for officers shortly before liberation. Dachau is plays a big role in the story and was the template for subsequent concentration camps. Extermination camp Auschwitz finally falls in 1945 and the remaining prisoners were forced on death marches during the winter with no food or water. Though surrounded by snow, scooping it up resulted in certain death. However, a few used their spoons surreptitiously to gather precious snow from the person ahead of them. Rachael did everything she could to help her ill friend. When American liberators reached Aushwitz, they could not grasp what they were seeing. Photographers and journalists documented in a state of shock. "Walking dead" shuffled, hardly the eagerness liberators expected.

Rachael and others were taken to the American Red Cross followed by a transit house before returning to Amsterdam which, after the war, was still a terrible place for Jews.

The author makes it clear that testimonies and witnesses were absolutely critical to bring some (comparatively few) torturers and killers to justice. I am grateful that stories like this are written and kept alive for this and subsequent generations. The afterword and author's afterword are fascinating and heartbreaking with personal poignancy.

This powerful book is beyond words. Every reader ought to read it and reflect.
2,827 reviews57 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 10, 2026
A Long Way home is the amazing conclusion the The Rachel Kisch Trilogy. The series was filled with details, including graphic descriptions of the horrors that Rachel and those around her experienced. World War Two was a very challenging time for the Jewish community. I was excited for A Long Way Home when they would all be free.

The story details Rachel's journey on the March from Auchwitz to Dachau. The author's details had me believing I was there. The smells, the torture, the illness, the lack of sanitation, the gun shots and the loss of life tore at my soul. I can't remember reading another Historcal Fiction story recently that had me transported to the horrors that when I closed the book the concept remained. I was given a miniscule glimpse of what the prisoners must have experienced their whole lives even when they were supposed to be free.

I realized that at the end of the war they were not free. The Allies may have stepped on the grounds of the extermination and concentration camps but the Jewish people and other prisoners were not free. The were controlled my hunger and disease. They were not free. They were soon controlled by the demands for order as the allies sending them home. They were not free. They returned to a town they didn't not recognize and left to stand in long lines. They were not free. They went home to the place they grew up in, only to find someone else lived in their home. They were not free to enter their home. It was up to previously interned to prove ownership, that took time, with no shelter to call home. They were free.

Read The Rachael Kisch Trilogy. Obsorb The Rachael Kisch Trilogy. Remember The Rachael Kisch Trilogy. Never forget The Rachael Kisch Trilogy and so many stories like it. It cannot be repeated.
Profile Image for Stephanie Dana.
61 reviews
January 11, 2026
A Long Way Home is a powerful and emotional conclusion to the Rachael Kisch Trilogy by Mark deMeza. While the novel portrays the brutal realities of World War II, what stood out most to me was Rachael’s resilience and determination to survive when everything around her was designed to strip her of hope.

Set in the aftermath of Auschwitz’s liberation, the story follows Rachael as she is forced onto the death march to Dachau as the Allies advance. Despite her physical weakness and emotional trauma, Rachael’s inner strength never fades. Her will to live, her hope, and her refusal to lose her humanity are what truly drive this story.

One aspect I found especially compelling was the focus on life after liberation. This book does not end when the camps are freed. Instead, it explores the lasting trauma survivors carried with them and the immense struggle of trying to rebuild a life after unimaginable loss. Rachael’s journey shows that survival is not just about staying alive, but about learning how to live again.

Mark deMeza’s research is evident throughout, and the story refuses to let the reader remain emotionally detached. This novel is a reminder that behind every statistic was a real person with a story worth remembering.

Heartbreaking yet hopeful, A Long Way Home is a story of resilience, survival, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to read this DRC. All my thoughts are honest and my own.
Profile Image for Joyce Cacioppo stein.
70 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2026
A Long Way Home by Mark deMeza is the third book in the Rachael Kisch trilogy. As the war is coming to an end, we find the US and Russians coming very close to liberating the German camps. We find the Nazis scrambling to hide the atrocities they have committed by moving or exterminating those being held captive.

Rachael and her family, being Jewish, were captured and sent from the Netherlands to camps in Poland and elsewhere. Rachael was in Auchwitz and is forced to march to Dachau as the Nazis try to avoid their capture. She had been separated from her brother Hannes early on and believes he is in Dachau. She is a very strong and determined women and was in hopes of locating her brother when she arrives there.

The book goes into great detail of the harsh and inhuman treatment of the prisoners in the camps. It also goes into detail about their treatment when being moved from Auchwitz to Dachau, and the march they are forced to take as the liberators come very close. At times it is very distressing to read the descriptions of what they endured. I also found it interesting to read about their further endurance at the hands of the US once liberated. There are many books written about treatment of prisoners during WWII but not much about what happens to them afterward.

I felt that the book was well written and provided a good deal of information about the aftermath of captivity. I have not read the first 2 books but did not feel it was a hindrance reading this one first. Thank you Net Galley and The Book Whisperer for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
1,711 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 20, 2025
"A Long Way Home" is the final book in the "Rachael Kisch Trilogy" by Mark deMeza. This book is WWII historical fiction, somewhat based on Mr. deMeza's own family history. This book follows Rachael during 1945 - the final year in WWII. Things are rough for both the Germans (many seem to see the handwriting on the wall) but, more importantly, for those in the concentration camps. Mr. deMeza, I think, handled the horrors in the camps in a very humane, yet accurate, manner. There are horrors explained, but they're not gratuitously described. What I liked a lot in this story was the history after the war ended - life didn't just "go back to normal" for those in the camps - they were now displaced people, back in society, but not quite "back" in society. I thought that section was described very well. What I wasn't as much a fan about was some of the historical (or historical-based) people's sections - I got a number of the SS people confused, especially in the middle and while I think it gave the overall story balance, at times it felt detracting from Rachael's story, which I found more interesting. However, this book nicely finished the trilogy, so this book was a satisfying ending. I wish to thank the author and publisher for the advanced eARC, made available from NetGalley.
Profile Image for Su Thor.
159 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 29, 2025
What a story! I have followed this series from the beginning of the "Rachael Kisch Trilogy" by Mark deMeza. You can read them out of order, they are free standing. This book takes the reader on a journey of emotional ups and downs. Even if the reader is familiar with the whole story of the Holocaust, Mark guides the reader through the novel tastefully and accurately. Thank you for that. It is a story of hardships, endurance and resilience. Rachel risks everything to make sure that those responsible are brought to justice - her sacrifice is inspiring.
When I began reading it was difficult, once again, to put the book down. As the reader, I felt that I was there living through this journey too. The story is fast paced and slow paced, just as the journey would have been. The characters are real and their situation believable and strong. I am so glad to have shared this journey and I am sure that everyone who takes the time to read this will feel the same. Thank you for writing this story. I look forward to reading more of your stories.
I have enjoyed this series and would fully recommend that you read this trilogy. Thank you Mark deMeza for writing this awesome book, Thank you to Book Whisperer and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Profile Image for Nenope.
32 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 29, 2025
I wasn't aware that this is the 3rd book in a series (I tend not to look up ARC books to avoid bias), so I went into reading without any context or background knowledge.
What a book....It is most definitely not for cosy afternoons and for times when you are not emotionally strong and steady. As someone else said it in a review, I too had to stop sometimes just to clear my head and process the book.
Most books I've read about the Holocaust usually cut the story when the narrator / main character dies or at the liberation, I don't think I've ever read a book that discussed life of the survivora after they returned home.
And honestly, what kind of life you can have after the horrors of a concentration camp? Is there anything that you can salvage of your original self? Is there a way to piece together any kind of normalcy? This story is heartbreaking, it makes you think very hard about the fragility of life, about the resilience that these people did not chose but having no other choice, their survival depended on it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is strong enough to endure it but be prepared you will need recovery after reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
Profile Image for Sally.
Author 23 books140 followers
December 25, 2025
This book was intense! It’s short enough that I could have finished it in a day, but I had to take a bit of a brain break because it was so heavy. It’s the third in a series but it’s not necessary to have the backstory to be honest, it works well as a self contained story. (I’ve read book two but still haven’t read book one!)

The first part is basically a day by day account of the match from Auschwitz to Dachau, and then when we reach the camp it’s a very detailed account of the finale few weeks. I liked how we saw both the prisoners’ and the guards’ sides, and especially seeing the guards scrambling to cover their tracks and get themselves false IDs for the future, and how the prisoners work quietly to thwart this. And it’s also very interesting to see what happened to everyone immediately after liberation and how “going home” isn’t really that straightforward.
1,917 reviews32 followers
January 16, 2026
This is book 3 in the Rachael Kisch Trilogy and can be read as a standalone like I have but if you want more of Rachael’s story then I suggest reading the first two books first. It is set in 1945, it is all about the Death March where the Jews did not know where they were being led and what would happen to them. In such awful conditions it makes you appreciate what you have. I did feel very sad for them all and it was also sad to read the statistics that are covered at the end of this very powerful read. You just cannot ever imagine what these poor people went through. It is such an emotional and heavy read that I had to read it in chunks. It was a lot to take in. It follows Rachael and we see where her journey goes and I was really hoping as she is such a strong woman that she would survive. A good story with a powerful ending.
Profile Image for Christine.
1,451 reviews43 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 16, 2025
This novel tells an interesting story, not so much written about. Indeed, set at the very end of the Second World War, the focus is put on what happens to "displaced persons", that is people who have survived concentration camps. The reader gets a powerful insight of their striving towards their freedom. This was not straight forward: first, more camps with medical assistance, food... Then, their long journey home while constantly seeking for family members (did they survive?). When they do get home, other questions arise: what happened to their house, where are they going to live, as well as how do they deal with their ferocious past?
A great read based on real facts.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
309 reviews17 followers
January 8, 2026

Having read many books with a holocaust theme, I found this book only mildly interesting. There was nothing new in the depiction of the rides in boxcars, treatment by guards, life in barracks, starvation, etc. Of course, the book had a happy ending since the timeline was in 1945 as the war was coming to an end. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the conclusion of Mr. DeMeza’s trilogy in exchange for an hour review.
959 reviews9 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 28, 2025
My thanks to Net Galley, Book Whisperer, and the personal invitation I received to review this arc.

This is the continuation of the journey of Rachel Kisch from Auschwitz to Dachau to find het brother Hannes.

Excellent and well written. Held my interest. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Kellie.
79 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 31, 2025
Wow, the final book of Rachael Kisch and everything that she has had to endure during WWII is just beyond heart wrenching. This book was really good. I stayed up way too late to make sure I could finish this book. The author did a fantastic job with this book series.
53 reviews
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January 12, 2026
What a heartwrenching story. A family trying to stay together during the way. I had read alot about the war in Germany, hut not much about Amsterdam. It's a fascinating story. A must read on your list!
326 reviews18 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 3, 2026
4⭐️

Emotional and heartfelt, and smartly written
Author 8 books22 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 12, 2026
A heartwarming and emotional journey from Auschwitz to Amsterdam and a young woman trying to rebuild her life.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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