The Munich Affair

by James Patterson, David Ellis

A suspenseful thriller from the world's #1 bestselling author, James Patterson, that spans a century—set in motion by the murder of Adolf Hitler's young lover by his own hand.

A determined detective, Thomas Bauer, obsessively pursues Hitler—putting Bauer’s Jewish wife and children in grave danger.

A courageous journalist, Fritz Gerlich, writes story after story detailing the murder—making Gerlich a target for Hitler’s Gestapo.

An American professor, Eleanor Robbins, picks up the trail of evidence from present-day Neo-Nazis guarding the Führer’s long-held secrets to the death.

"The Munich Affair is a master class in tension and a perfect historical thriller.” —Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls

“This World War II-era thriller feels startlingly modern and essential. As you watch a detective, a journalist, a resistance leader, and a professor race to solve past crimes, the boundaries of time quickly give way to pure suspense.” —Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Nazi Conspiracy

“Much more than a historical murder mystery, this lively and engaging story—from two masters at the top of their game—reminds us that 'those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' You need to read this one and never forget.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling authortterson gets it right.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, World War II, Historical, Mystery Thriller

509 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2026

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Darla]

Four "Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction" stars for this historical thriller based on historical events.

A riveting read!

After Hitler's half-niece Geli dies in his Munich apartment, speculation is rampant. Suicide? Or something more scandalous?

Here's what I liked about this new title from James Patterson and David Ellis:

📛 THOMAS BAUER is an up an coming detective inspector. His spidey senses are tingling from the first. He suspects foul play on Hitler's part and has also heard rumblings of a plan for Jewish "evacuation" which would imperial his wife Amalie, their children, and her extended family. His pursuit of justice makes for a compelling read.

🗞FRITZ GERLICH is a devout Catholic and determined journalist. When he teams up with Bauer, they find themselves in imminent danger from the Nazi establishment. Will they be successful in taking down the Fuhrer?

🕵ELEANOR ROBBINS is a present day history professor. She has come to Munich to solve the mystery which has lasted through the decades since the end of the war. A mysterious sixth envelope seems to be the key. Will she survive her interviews with descendants of key players from the war?

🧐This thrilling saga lends a new facet to the face of the war. As Bauer, Gerlich, and others pursue the truth we see how the actions of one man so grossly affected a country and the world. It is uncomfortable to be that close to such an evil regime.

Happy Publication Week to this new page turner. I had to do some googling after finishing the book and found many articles about the initial event. Fritz Gerlich was also a real journalist on the hunt for the truth about Hitler. Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Available as of September 21, 2026.

[Howard Davis]

I found this novel to be a very interesting and frightening book —- not only due to the subject matter of Hitler’s rise to prominence in the early 1930s but also to the parallels in this country as to what is happening today with the brutality of ICE agents, the unjust and illegal detention of immigrants and the attacks on free press. The book is well written and forces the reader to muddle through to the conclusion. It would be great if this book were to be required reading by our educators in order for our younger generation to be aware of exactly what could happen if dictatorship was permitted to run rampant. I thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

Rated 5 stars

[Rachael]

Thank you to James Patterson’s team for providing me with an advance reader copy of The Munich Affair in exchange for an honest review.

Set in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power, The Munich Affair follows three interconnected storylines. Detective Inspector Thomas Bauer investigates the suspicious death of Hitler’s niece and rumored lover, convinced there’s more to the case than officials are willing to admit. Journalist Fritz Gerlich risks everything to expose the truth behind Hitler’s growing regime, while decades later historian Eleanor Robbins searches for clues surrounding a mysterious item once hidden in Hitler’s personal safe. Together, their stories create a gripping historical thriller filled with mystery, espionage, and political intrigue.

The Munich Affair is the perfect blend of historical fiction and high-stakes thriller, making it an ideal read for anyone who enjoys espionage, mystery, and political intrigue.

The writing is cinematic and vividly descriptive. Patterson and Ellis capture the atmosphere of pre-war Germany with remarkable precision, while painting a chilling portrait of Hitler’s charisma, manipulation, desperation, and growing power. One of the most unsettling aspects of the novel is watching ordinary people become desensitized to the slow, incremental changes surrounding them. In hindsight, knowing the atrocities soon to unfold, makes witnessing this progression much more haunting.

Detective Inspector Thomas is the star of this novel. He’s honorable, calculated, and always seems to be two steps ahead. Bauer follows his instincts even when those around him would rather look the other way, and as he gradually recognizes the danger Hitler poses, he becomes one of the few people willing to confront the truth before it’s too late.

I also loved Fritz Gerlich, the determined journalist willing to risk everything to uncover the truth despite relentless intimidation from Hitler’s inner circle. His storyline highlights the extraordinary courage required to pursue the truth in the face of authoritarianism.

The addition of historian Eleanor Robbins, searching for long-lost documents and the mystery surrounding a secret item hidden in Hitler’s safe, gives the novel another compelling layer.

What surprised me most was how cleverly this story is constructed. It feels like the perfect blend of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, a James Bond-style mission, and a historical thriller. The twists, covert operations, and heists had my stomach in knots.

The prose is unexpectedly poetic at times, and combined with the intricate plotting, makes for a very engaging read.

If I have one criticism, it’s that some scenes toward the end leaned a bit more into sensational thriller territory than I would have liked, but overall it made for a highly entertaining read.

[Laura]

The Munich Affair is a historical fiction novel centered around Hitler’s rise and the people who risked everything in an attempt to stop it. While there are definitely some thrilling moments, I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a suspense or thriller—after all, we already know how history ends.

What I really appreciated were the characters. The authors did a great job developing their personalities and, especially, capturing the genuine fear and uncertainty of the time. You could really feel the weight of what was happening around them.

That said, the pacing felt a little slow for me, and there were times when it felt more like I was sitting in a history class than reading a novel for fun. Still, I learned quite a bit about this period in history, and ultimately, I’m glad I stuck with it.

Overall: a slower-paced historical fiction read with well-developed characters and plenty of historical detail.

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill]

AHHH!!! Thank you @littlebrown for my gorgeous gifted copy!!! 🫶🥰 THIS book blew me away!! I went through every emotion while reading it. Pub day is 9/21/26!! Seriously… get this on your list!!

If you would have told me that I would be reading a book with Hitler in it… well I would have said.. no. Yet the second I heard @jamespattersonbooks and @david_ellis_author had a new book coming out.. welll that changed very quickly. What a phenomenal collaboration!! Listen to this…

You are about to get a look into Hitler’s first murder…. It’s probably not what you expected… it’s his 23 year old lover… his half niece.😳 …That is just the start of this HF thriller..Interested yet? Oh just you wait.

Obviously this time in history was absolutely horrifying. I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to read it. Not only did I read it… I could not put it down. I flew through this in 2 days. I cried… shouted and was absolutely devastated.

This book was so special because not only did it have a fantastic premise… the characters drew me in. Especially a group of men that fought back…. for many many years. We lived alongside them in this book and got to know them very well.

OH my heart. I honestly will never forget this book. It broke my heart but it was action packed… suspenseful and an absolutely amazing story. Hands down 5 stars ⭐️

[Bam cooks the books]

A look at how Hitler came to power and how often he might have been stopped if things had just gone a bit differently. At the beginning of this novel, Hitler murders his half-niece, Geli Raubal, in a fit of jealous rage, and his supporters in various positions of power are able to cover it up by claiming she committed suicide with Hitler's gun. If you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it.

Detective Inspector Thomas Bauer who comes to the scene of the crime suspects it was murder but is ordered off the case by his boss. Bauer becomes involved with others, like the journalist Fritz Gerlich, who are determined to spread the truth of what Hitler is planning and put a stop to it. When that doesn't work, he plots to take matters into his own hands.

I learned several news things about what went on with Hitler and his minions and found that quite fascinating. Real and fictional characters are woven together into this suspense story and it reads quickly, as most Patterson books do. I only wish the authors had added notes and bios of the historic characters at the end of the book--not so much the Nazis but the people who fought against them.

Many thanks to the authors and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new historic thriller via NetGalley.

[Kelli Daugherty]

I want to start by saying I am a huge fan of David Ellis and James Patterson. I have loved everything I’ve ever read by David Ellis and of course James Patterson is a storytelling genius. That said, this book just didn’t do it for me. I was pretty disappointed. I know it’s meant to be a fictionalized account of Hitler’s rise to power in Nazi Germany. It just seemed so unbelievable. Less historical fiction and read more like fan fiction. I just wasn’t impressed with the story and I think Patterson and Ellis should stick with the thrillers they do so well. It took me so long to finish this book and I normally could finish in just a couple days. This was a miss for me.

Thank you to the authors, NetGalley, and Little Brown and Company for the advance reader copy. This is my honest review.

Publication date September 21, 2026. 2.5⭐️

[Joan]

This book is a masterpiece but I do have one quibble. It is not always easy to figure out in this fact-based historical thriller just what is fiction and what is factual and what is probable but unproven.

So I Googled "how much is factual in James Patterson's book The Munich Affair?" and got a lot of good info from the AI Overview. The suicide vs. murder of Geli Raubel is theory but unproven. The relationship between Raubel and her half-uncle Hitler is probable as he was known to favor young girls including those related to him. His own parents were of a similar familial relationship. Journalist Fritz Gerlich was a real person and his story as told in the book is largely factual.

Thomas Bauer, the detective, and Eleanor Robbins, the current day researcher, were fictional and created to provide a setting/backdrop to relate the story. The climax involving Hitler's death was fictional. The facts seem to support that he committed suicide by shooting after convincing his new wife Eva Braun to swallow a cyanide pill.

I wish there had been a page at the end of the book explaining all this.

I will say that all things considered I had thought I knew quite a bit about WWII and the Holocaust and the details about Hitler but I learned SO much more in reading this book. If you are like me you will also come away with chills about many similarities between 1931 Germany and 2026 America. So fact and fiction all told there is a valuable lesson to be learned from this book. We must not repeat the horrors of the past. We must know the history to learn from it. So this book is a must read.

[Ink_Drinker]

This was a dark, suspenseful, and fascinating story that kept me wanting to know what would happen next.

The story moves between the past and present, with the historical storyline focusing on journalist Fritz Gerlich and detective Thomas Bauer. When Geli Raubal, Hitler’s niece, is found dead from a gunshot wound, her death is ruled a suicide, but Thomas immediately questions whether that’s really what happened. Fritz, already an outspoken opponent of Hitler, also refuses to let the questions surrounding her death go unanswered.

I really liked the characters and how the authors captured the fear and uncertainty of a time when Hitler’s power was growing. Their determination to uncover the truth, despite the danger surrounding them, added so much tension to the story.

I also found myself going down a few rabbit holes researching the real history behind the story, which is always a bonus for me with historical fiction.

If you enjoy historical fiction mixed with a murder mystery, The Munich Affair is definitely worth adding to your list.

[Dr. Alan Albarran]

James Patterson is without doubt one of the most prolific authors of our time. But I have only read a few of his novels over the years. The premise of The Munich Affair sounded very appealing to me, and I'm glad I read the book. It is a book that you can't put down easily.

This work of historical fiction picks up in pre-WWII Munich. Adolf Hitler is rising in power, and his plans for conquest and the elimination of the Jewish people are not yet public knowledge. A Munich detective, Thomas Bauer, sees the real Hitler--a despot with demonic aspirations. Bauer is called to investigate the mysterious death of Hitler's beautiful niece Geli, who is found shot and immediately called a suicide by Hitler's protective Nazis. But Bauer is convinced Hitler killed his niece, and sets out to find out why even though it puts his life and his family in danger.

Bauer is aided by journalist Fritz Gerlich, who also does not accept the Nazi propaganda and wants to show Hitler for the monster he is behind the image. Bauer and Gerlich plot to kill Hitler, which is another sub-plot in the Munich Affair.

The story is picked up years later by Professor Eleanor Robbins, a researcher who learns about Thomas Bauer and is hoping to find the true story of what happened in Munich decades ago.

The book is a page turner, and the realism of the atrocities committed on the Jews are dealt with at several points in the novel.

A good read if you like WWII historical fiction. My thanks to the folks at Little Brown and Company who offered my a free review of this new book. I also thank the authors and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC in exchange for an objective review.

[Maine Colonial]

I should start by saying that I read a lot of Nazi-era fiction and non-fiction, and I don’t read James Patterson books. I thought the premise of the book sounded interesting, and picked it for that reason. While the story moves along at a good pace, the writing is at an elementary level, the true parts of the history are at a less-than-Wikipedia level of sophistication, and there are a lot of material events that never happened. What annoyed me, though, is a plot twist that is not just contrary to the history—but panders to the conspiracy-minded.

If you want an airport/beach read and you don’t care about historical accuracy, then this might work for you, but if you want to read a well-written thriller about the Nazi era and an anti-Nazi cop, and one that is historically accurate where it counts, you’d do far better to read any book in the late Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series.

[Debbie]

For me, this is one of the most terrifying books that Patterson has ever written. He and co-author David Ellis roll out a story that is a gut punch that hits very close to home. Their dual timeline, dual protagonist historical novel outlines the rise of Adolf Hitler, and his destructive proclivities. In doing so, it is impossible not to notice a hauntingly similar chain of events that has occurred in this country under the guise of democracy. I have no idea how much of this novel may/may not be based on fact, however the parallels are unmistakable.

The story opens with the murder of Hitler’s half-niece Angela (Geli) Raubal (daughter of his half-sister Angela) and his probable role in it. The authors use meticulous detail in the portrayal of one of history’s most reviled characters – details of actions that are readily identifiable in historical records. They breathe life into Hitler and his fellow co-conspirators, liars and sycophants, the roles they played in coverups, his rise to power, and the eventual downfall of post WWI Germany.

The second timeline is set in the present day as history Professor Eleanor Robbins of Chicago receives a request to meet with Francis Linderman, who claims to have letters, notes and newspaper articles from 1930s Germany which directly link Hitler to the death of his half-niece. Before they can meet, Linderman mysteriously commits suicide. Feeling that there are a few holes in the dead man’s research and hoping to publish a book, Eleanor makes a trip to Europe. Soon the hunter becomes the hunted.

Patterson’s signature short chapters ending with cliff hangers, propel the two stories forward, making it impossible to put the book down. The novel is written in detail, yet with a simplicity that makes history come to life. I could feel the damp, sense the fog, smell the stench of bodies crammed together on trains to “relocation” camps. Hitler’s deranged behavior, his cultivation of “yes” men, and his disdain for the well-educated are echoed today. Throughout the book, I was chillingly reminded of the following quote, by George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This book is haunting.

Thank you to @Netgalley, @Little, Brown and Company, and the authors, @JamesPatterson and @DavidEllis or the opportunity to review this ARC. Opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller]

James Patterson, the world’s #1 bestselling author, has brought us hundreds of memorable thrillers, as well as works of historical fiction and nonfiction. His latest release, which he wrote with David Ellis, is no exception and may be his most impactful novel yet.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR delves into the murders that Adolf Hitler may have committed in the wake of World War I and before his rise to power that would bring about World War II. It follows three individuals who are involved in the investigation behind the mysterious death of Geli Raubal, Hitler’s half-niece and much younger lover, who may have been killed by his own hand. This also may not have been the only vile act that he can be blamed for prior to the Holocaust.

You may wonder how Hitler was allowed to take charge of Germany and ultimately be responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people if he already was a murderer. The answer is found in these pages as those investigating him face unbelievable opposition. Reading this novel is akin to watching a movie that ends in tragedy (I’m thinking Titanic or United 93), where the story and characters are so compelling that you almost forget it is not going to end well. Still, Patterson and Ellis shed light on a piece of history that is rarely talked about, which makes for a truly enlightening and fascinating read from start to finish.

Hitler had several depraved proclivities, a few of which have been well documented, but the possessiveness he had with Geli --- in addition to the unsavory acts he forced her to perform --- caused a divide between them that eventually brought about her death. Hitler’s circle makes it look like a suicide, but Detective Thomas Bauer feels otherwise and is determined to see that justice is served. To do so, he knows that he must team up with journalist Fritz Gerlich, who is eager to report the truth about Hitler and bring him down before he can permanently corrupt Germany.

In the modern-day storyline, which takes a firm backseat to the events leading up to WWII and beyond, Eleanor Robbins is an American professor who is in Europe to follow up on physical evidence that finally will uncover the circumstances behind Geli’s murder. However, Neo-Nazis are still quite loyal to the Führer and will stop at nothing to prevent her from defiling the memory of their long-departed leader.

Bauer and Gerlich are met with much resistance that threatens not only them but their families as well. Hitler and his inner circle have endowed the Nazi Party with endless power to do what they want, and they basically run every level of government and law enforcement. The fact that Geli was pregnant when she was murdered is never made public and can be added to the immense list of atrocities committed at his behest.

In a plot that rivals that of the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds, Bauer and his colleagues are prepared to see things through to the very end, resulting in a monumental showdown inside the bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a wild ride across familiar territory, but it feels brand-new in the hands of Patterson and Ellis. The fact that the book is being released at a time when antisemitic feelings seem to be on the rise globally makes the reading experience extra chilling, but also important and necessary for all of us to absorb and understand. I do not know if the authors’ intention was to remind us that history often repeats itself, but it certainly was a message I took away from this intense work.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Becs' reads Australia]

The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis
Physical copy 📖 and audiobook 🎧
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


This was a fast paced historical fiction/ suspense/psychological thriller/crime mystery. It has an amazing cast of characters and great character development. "A young woman is found dead in Adolf Hitler's apartment. The official verdict is suicide, but Detective Thomas Bauer knows its murder".

I genuinely felt the terror of what it would have been like trying to stop Hitler and expose his crimes and the danger it would cause to one's family and colleagues. "The truth can change history".

This book drifts from past to present, it was easy to follow and I enjoyed the classic James Patterson short chapters. I was hooked and intruiged. I loved the ending and epilogue. Highly recommend

"In 1931, in Munich, Germany, Adolf Hitler murders his beautiful twenty-three-year-old lover—and half-niece—Geli Raubal.

So begins the most suspenseful novel in years.

A determined detective, Thomas Bauer, obsessively pursues Hitler—putting Bauer’s Jewish wife and children in grave danger.

A courageous journalist, Fritz Gerlich, writes story after story detailing the murder—making Gerlich a target for Hitler’s Gestapo.

An American professor, Eleanor Robbins, picks up the trail of evidence from present-day Neo-Nazis guarding the Führer’s long-held secrets to the death.

The suspense builds to a shocking ending inside the bunker below the Reich Chancellery."

#aussiebookreviewer #aussiebookreviews #aussiebookstagram #aussiecrimelover #aussiebookbloger

[Laurie]

The Munich Affair by James Patterson is a dual time line story about Hitler that was previously unknown to me. As the novel begins we are introduced to Hitler's young niece Geli, who we come to assume is his lover. What transpires between Hitler and Geli is Detective Thomas Bauer 's mission to unravel. Did Hitler murder Geli or was it suicide? The depth of corruption in young Nazi Germany is a force no one can survive; But Bauer is determined, at any cost, to bring justice to the man who he believes killed this young woman and is destroying Germany. His quest takes him to the end on WWII with a shocking conclusion.
The second time line of The Munich Affair takes place in the present day. We meet American professor, Eleanor Robbins, who is trying to prove what happened on the fateful night Geli died. This is a race to the end with suspense and intrigue along the way. I loved this part of the story and wish Patterson had developed it more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and publishers for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Munich Affair.

[Nathaniel Brockmann]

Dear James and David,

This book was so well done! I’m truly amazed on this historical aspects implemented throughout the book! I feel like I learned so much about Hitler and his rise to power!

Book of the year?? Perhaps

Highly recommend for readers who love historical fiction and thrillers!

Love,

Nathaniel

[Novel Consumer]

I really wanted to like this more. However, the whole plot was soft. I get it, he could never have risen in power had he been held responsible for his niece’s death… but 500 pages worth?

[Judy Collins]

Intro
When two absolute titans of the thriller genre collide, the result is nothing short of literary lightning bolts. James Patterson and David Ellis have delivered a historic, heart-pounding masterpiece inThe Munich Affair. Spanning an entire century, this high-octane historical thriller weaves historical gravity with contemporary urgency, reminding us that some secrets are too terrifying to ever stay buried.

The Hook
A modern-day historical discovery picks up a bloody, century-old trail left behind by the absolute darkest regime in human history.

Elevator Pitch
The narrative moves seamlessly across timelines, starting with a historical detective obsessively hunting a dark secret in 1930s Germany. A century later, an American professor uncovers a modern conspiracy protected by a dangerous web of present-day extremists who will kill to keep those long-held secrets hidden.

Setting
The tense, paranoid atmosphere of 1930s Germany contrasted with the high-stakes, shadow-filled world of modern academia and dangerous underground networks.

Vibe
High-stakes, sweeping, meticulously researched, and relentlessly intense.

Genre
Historical Thriller / Suspense

Themes
~The cyclical nature of history
~The dangerous cost of uncovering hidden truths
~Generational trauma and legacy
~Obsessive justice against absolute power

Standout Characters
~Thomas Bauer: A determined 1930s detective whose obsessive pursuit of the truth puts his own family in grave danger.
~Eleanor Robbins: A brilliant American professor in the present day who unwittingly inherits a lethal trail of historical evidence.
~Fritz Gerlich, a courageous journalist,writes story after story detailing the murder―making Gerlich a target for Hitler’s Gestapo.

Author Writing Standout
The pacing between the past and present is seamless. Patterson's characteristic short, high-tension chapters effectively blend with Ellis's intricate legal and historical plotting.

Takeaway
Those who cannot remember the past are irrevocably condemned to repeat it.

Title Significance
"The Munich Affair" anchors the historical epicenter where the initial deception occurred, while linking it to the modern-day international conspiracy trying to preserve it.

Metaphor
The century-spanning puzzle acts as a metaphor for an unhealed historical wound—buried out of sight but still actively poisoning the modern world.

Why You Should Read
You must read this for its cinematic scope, impeccable pacing, and the unforgettable way it anchors a modern thriller inside real, terrifying historical echoes.

My Thoughts
This book is a flawless masterpiece. The narrative tension is dialed up to a solid ten right from the start, and it never lets up. Watching the pieces of the historical mystery slide perfectly into the modern-day investigation was an absolute joy for two powerhouse storytellers.

Verdict 5/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"A Flawless, High-Stakes 5-Star Historical Masterpiece! High-stakes, sweeping, meticulously researched, and relentlessly intense. "

Recs or Read-Alikes
If you want to experience the absolute peak of high-stakes historical and modern conspiracy suspense, these foundational thrillers are essential:
~The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
~Look Closer by David Ellis
~The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill by Brad Meltzer

Special thanks to Little Brown & Company, #JamesPattersonStreetTeam and NetGalley for sharing an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Set 21, 2026
Sept 2026 Must-Read Books
Sept Newsletter

[Vito]

“The Munich Affair” by James Patterson and David Ellis is more of a historical mystery than a typical fast-paced Patterson thriller.

The story moves between the present day and 1930s Germany, where police detective Thomas Bauer investigates the suspicious death of Adolf Hitler’s niece, Geli Raubal. When powerful Nazi supporters quickly declare it a suicide, Bauer becomes determined to uncover what really happened.

The murder investigation was the strongest part of the book for me. Bauer is an easy character to root for, especially as his search for the truth puts both him and his wife in danger. The authors also do a convincing job of showing how intimidation, propaganda, and corruption helped Hitler gain power… sounds familiar. I also wondered if Geli was a real person (she is!) and what happened to her (somewhat a mystery IRL). Thanks to Patterson and Ellis for the extra sleuthing I did after finishing this one.

It’s a great read overall, but at times, the book felt longer than necessary. I also had to mentally prepare myself for the later sections dealing with the war and Nazi atrocities. I alluded to this a moment ago, but I was saddened by the reality of current America looks very similar to 1930s Germany, particularly in the attempts to silence journalists and discredit those who challenge people in power. Still, the short chapters kept the story moving, and the mix of real history and fiction held my attention. It was a compelling and worthwhile read, despite the subject matter. I’m going to take from reading anything that mentions Hitler so much, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC.

[Jessica Wilczynski]

In 1931 Adolf Hitler murders his niece and works to cover it up. He and his “team” work to make it look like a suicide but two men do not believe it. One being detective Thomas Bauer who is told the case is closed but he does not stop investigating even though it puts him and his family in danger. The second being Fritz Gerlich who is a journalist who refuses to publish lies and he soon becomes a target as well. Then in present day a professor Eleanor Robbins picks up the case and evidence. What would have happened if Hitler would have been held responsible for the death before his reign of terror?

The audio was fabulous! This story absolutely drew me in instantly and I could not stop reading. It really gets you thinking how one choice by corrupt people set in motion his reign of terror!

[Alicia Matheny]

This book absolutely captures you right from the beginning. A book by James Patterson and David Ellis - two powerhouse authors is one you won’t want to miss. While the book was difficult to read at points at all the devastation Hitler caused, it was also captivating to watch Bauer and his team fight back in anyway possible. It was great to see so many strong characters in this novel capturing they will not stand for evil and stand for what they know is right. I enjoyed the dual timelines from Bauer and Professor Robbin’s as well as multiple POV’s from the past timeline. This is much more than a historical fiction novel while capturing many thrilling elements and edge of your seat what is going to happen next. Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and James Patterson and David Ellis for an ARC of The Munich Affairs!

[Autumn]

don’t usually read historical fiction, but I picked up The Munich Affair because I enjoy James Patterson and David Ellis. The subject matter - Hitler and the events leading up to WWII was difficult but the story was engaging and well written. It was a good read and I’m glad I stepped outside my usual genre.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

[The Bookish Elf]

In September 1931 a young woman is found shot dead in a locked bedroom on Prinzregentenplatz, and the Munich detective who catches the case does something unremarkable: he treats it as a homicide. He measures the room. He notes that the pistol is on the floor rather than in her hand, that a suitcase sits half closed on the bed. Everything after that is the story of how much machinery a country will spend to make one policeman stop counting. The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis is at its best in that first hundred pages, and never quite gets back there.

The Case That Should Have Ended It

Kriminalinspektor Thomas Bauer is a Great War veteran, the son of a quarryman, married to a Jewish schoolteacher named Amalie and father to two small children he sings badly to each night before bed. He is no crusader when the book opens, just a competent investigator handed a death in the home of a rising politician, who discovers within a day that his own chief, the Justice Ministry, the party's press office and a helpful priest have all reached the same conclusion ahead of the evidence.

The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis is very good on the texture of that obstruction. A body released for burial across the border before an autopsy can be completed. A witness who was in the building and is suddenly on holiday. A file that thins each time it crosses a desk. A colleague barely out of his teens who is offered a promotion for the contents of Bauer's notebook and takes it. There is no conspiracy meeting here, just a long sequence of people choosing the easier paperwork, which is exactly how the historical record of Geli Raubal's death reads.

Bauer's ally is Fritz Gerlich, a Catholic journalist running a small Munich paper called Der Gerade Weg, who has been telling his wife Sophie for a year that he will be among the first men hanged if the National Socialists take power, and keeps publishing anyway. Their partnership drives the most satisfying set piece here: a burglary of a safe inside party headquarters that costs them almost everything.

Where The Munich Affair Stops Being a Detective Novel

The second half of the 1930s strand converts Bauer from a policeman into a partisan. Demoted to patrolman and washing pots on the night shift at Hitler's favourite restaurant purely to be in the building, he recruits nine other veterans into a group they half-jokingly call the Ten Patriots, and later works almost entirely alongside Erich von der Haas, a tiny, wry former signals officer out of the Abwehr who is both Jewish and gay, and the best character here by a wide margin.

What follows is twelve years of attempts that fail, most drawn from history. A rifle on a library roof above the Berlin book burning, aimed at a man who does not attend. Two suitcases from Paris at Nuremberg station with the Gestapo beside them. A bomb inside a pillar at the Bürgerbräukeller in November 1939, defeated by fog and a rescheduled train. A hole four square centimetres wide cut in a wire fence at the Berghof, a night up a spruce tree, and a wild animal at exactly the wrong moment. The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis runs these as a serial of near misses, and the effect is unusual: the reader learns to expect failure, and the tension shifts from will it work to what will it cost him.

The cost is the marriage and the children. Amalie's letters reach a safe house in Potsdam with the children reduced to initials, reporting violin lessons and a growing interest in baseball, and Bauer keeps one photograph in a shirt pocket for years. Her only instruction to him, on a hill above Salzburg, is not to say goodbye.

Where James Patterson and David Ellis Give Ground
The inner circle is exposition with a temper. Göring, Goebbels and Himmler explain policy to each other in finished paragraphs, defining racial categories grandparent by grandparent for the reader's benefit, while Hitler reddens, pounds furniture and demands to know what they are calling it. Efficient, never once alive, and a great deal of the middle of the book.
The present-day strand is scaffolding. Professor Eleanor Robbins of the University of Chicago is a likeable narrator, deliberately hopeless at surveillance and aware of it. But her chapters mostly restate what the historical ones have shown, float a theory, then receive something from a stranger.
The shock material does work the prose should be doing. Two invented sequences involving Hitler's sexual coercion are rendered in close detail, including an extended one that serves as the climax. The intent is plainly to indict rather than titillate, and the effect is still a novel reaching for its most graphic pages exactly where The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis needs to land an argument.
Part Five sprints. The decade-long friendship between Bauer and von der Haas, the richest thing here, becomes montage so the plot can reach a Berlin bunker on schedule.
The chapter hooks are metronomic. After a hundred and twenty chapters ending on a cliff, you feel the next one coming.
What The Munich Affair Is Actually About

Underneath the manhunt this is a book about paperwork. Its most valuable stretch is not an assassination attempt but a run of chapters in which a democracy comes apart in legal instalments, each dated and numbered: seven constitutional articles suspended by decree after a fire; four thousand arrests before daybreak; an enabling law passed with a quorum nobody dares count; a boycott announced for a single day as a warning; a civil-service statute that removes a schoolteacher of eleven years from her classroom between first and second period.

The finest thread in The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis belongs to Bauer's father-in-law, Selig Geiger, a wealthy Jewish department-store owner who has met antisemitism his entire life, has learned to absorb it, and cannot see why this time should be different. Hitler, he tells Bauer, is a blowhard who will come and go like the rest; the difference between them is that he handles it and Bauer obsesses. He is not written as a fool. He is a man whose survival strategy has worked for fifty years, and the novel takes his argument seriously before taking it apart.

Content Notes

The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis is an unsparing book. Sexual coercion and the sexual abuse of a minor, described rather than implied; a murder depicted twice, once at length; camp conditions, forced labour and an execution staged with musical accompaniment; the deportation and gassing of a family, a child among them; a man beaten in police custody and publicly degraded; antisemitic violence throughout; a suicide attempt; period racial slurs and Nazi racial pseudoscience on the page; a child's death from illness.

What Stays With You

The runway, the bunker and the reel of film are what the marketing will sell, and they are not what lasts. What lasts is an early scene in which a detective stands in a bedroom with a tape measure and a notebook, doing his job properly, in a city that has already settled on the answer.

The Munich Affair by James Patterson and David Ellis is two books stapled together: a first-rate procedural about institutional cowardice, and a competent thriller that keeps interrupting it with men in rooms announcing their plans. The first is worth your time even at this length, and it leaves a question the villains never get asked. Not how did he get away with it. How many ordinary people, each doing slightly less than the job required, does getting away with it take.

[Ray Palen]

4 1/2 Stars

The worlds #1 bestselling author, James Patterson, has brought us hundreds of terrific and memorable thrillers as well as works of historical fiction and non-fiction. His latest release, co-written with David Ellis, may be the most controversial of his entire career.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a historical mystery/thriller that dives into the alleged murders that may have been committed by the infamous Adolf Hitler in the wake of World War I and prior to his rise to power that would bring about World War II. The novel follows a handful of characters, both in beginning in 1931 as well as one in the present day, that are dealing with the investigation behind the mysterious death of Geli Raubal, Hitler’s niece and much younger lover, who may have been murdered by his own hand. This also may not have been only time that Hitler was responsible for such a vile act.

You may wonder how Hitler was still allowed to rise to power and ultimately be responsible for the death of millions of innocent people, including the Jewish Holocaust as part of the Nazi final solution, during his reign if he was a murderer? The answer to that is found in these pages as the small group investigating him face unbelievable resistance that threatens the lives of their families and themselves. Reading this novel is akin to watching a film that ends in tragedy --- say a Titanic or United 93 --- where the story and characters are so compelling you almost forget that it is not going to end well. Still, Patterson and Ellis shed a light on a piece of history that is rarely talked about and makes for an intense and suspenseful read from start to finish.

Hitler had several depraved proclivities, a few of which have been well documented, but the possessiveness he had with Geli --- in addition to the unsavory acts he forces her to perform --- caused a divide between them that eventually brought about her death. Hitler’s circle makes it look like a suicide, but the local Detective on the case, Thomas Bauer, feels otherwise and is determined to see that justice is served. To do so, he knows he must team up with the local journalist, Fritz Gerlich, who is eager to report the truth about Herr Hitler and bring him down before he can rise to further power and permanently corrupt Germany.

In the modern-day storyline, which takes a firm backseat in this novel to the intense events leading up to WWII and beyond, an American Professor named Eleanor Robbins is in Europe and determined to follow-up on physical evidence that will finally uncover the truth about Hitler and the murder of Geli. However, modern-day Neo-Nazis are still quite loyal the Fuhrer and will stop at nothing to prevent this American woman from defiling the memory of their long-departed leader.

Bauer and Gerlich each are met with much resistance that not only threatens them but also their families. Hitler and his inner circle have endowed the Nazi Party with endless power to do what they want, and they basically run every level of government and law enforcement. The fact that Geli was pregnant when she was murdered is never made public and can just be added to the immense list of atrocities committed at the behest of the Fuhrer.

In a plot that rivals that of the Quentin Taratino film Inglorious Bastards, Bauer and his colleagues are prepared to see things to the very end. This will bring us inside the bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery for a highly tense showdown where the possibility of justice may finally be served. THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a wild ride across familiar territory that Paterson and Ellis make feel brand new, in addition to reading like a piece of ‘new fiction’ or real events depicted in fictional style. The fact that this novel is being released at a time where antisemitic feelings seem to be on the rise globally makes this reading experience extra chilling and ironic, but also important and necessary for us all to absorb and appreciate. I do not know if the authors’ intention was to remind reader that history often repeats itself, but it was certainly a message I took away from this intense work.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Carole Barker]

A detective and a reporter in 1930's Munich pursue a killer...

...a killer they believe to be Adolf Hitler.

A beautiful young woman is found dead, and the death is quickly ruled to be a suicide. But is it? The young woman is Geli Raubal, the half niece of Adolf Hitler (at the time a rising and powerful politician, leader of NSDAP) with whom she lived and on whose arm she was frequently seen in public. Salacious rumors that their relationship went beyond that of uncle and niece swirl but are tamped down. There are two people who do not believe that Geli took her own life, Detective Inspector Thomas Bauer and journalist Fritz Gerlich, who are initially investigating the case independently from one another. Each faces increasing pressure to drop their inquiries, but neither can do so in good conscience. As Hitler's rise to power continues Bauer and Gerlich are both targeted with harassment and threats....Bauer is particularly vulnerable, being married to a Jewish woman....and ultimately join forces to get the truth about the man who is about to seize absolute control of Germany to the general public. Many decades later, American professor Eleanor Robbins is contacted by a stranger, a German man who has materials he believes should be published and that given her reputation and expertise Eleanor is the person to do so. He sends her the items in his possession, but kills himself before they can meet. Eleanor travels to Germany to do further research, hoping to fill in gaps in the narrative, and discovers there are people who do not want the information (which includes details about Bauer's and Gerlich's investigations and more)to come out...people who are willing to do anything to keep the past buried. What really happened to Geli, and what was the true nature of her relationship with her half uncle? What was discovered during Bauer's and Gerlich's investigations that has people ready to threaten and even kill people in the present day? And what will happen to those who dare to ask questions, both in the past and the present?
The Munich Affair is a historical thriller that unfolds over two timelines and is based upon the real death of Geli Raubai. Many of the characters, including the journalist Fritz Gerlich, are real historical figures, although authors James Patterson and David Ellis have used their powers of imagination to weave a complex plot that includes a murder, a cover-up, political expediencies and two men dedicated to finding out the truth regardless of the cost. I had never heard of Geli before this book, but her life, connection to Hitler and death (officially a suicide but long suspected to be otherwise) are quite real, The premise is fascinating....what if Hitler really did kill his niece, and what might have happened if he had been accused and convicted of the killing and thus prevented from continuing his path to control of Germany? What would happen to those who are more interested in the truth than in following the expedient narrative? As is often the case with Mr. Patterson's work, the chapters are short and the pace is quick. I found myself less interested in the contemporary timeline, Eleanor didn't seem fully developed and apart from being the lens through which the reader would ultimately discover how the earlier events ended I didn't feel that it added much to the overall story. That said, it was still a highly enjoyable read full of action and daring deeds. Readers of the two authors as well as fans of Steve Berry, Robert Harris and Joseph Kanon should give this tale a spin. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Bookreporter.com Historical Fiction]

James Patterson, the world’s #1 bestselling author, has brought us hundreds of memorable thrillers, as well as works of historical fiction and nonfiction. His latest release, which he wrote with David Ellis, is no exception and may be his most impactful novel yet.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR delves into the murders that Adolf Hitler may have committed in the wake of World War I and before his rise to power that would bring about World War II. It follows three individuals who are involved in the investigation behind the mysterious death of Geli Raubal, Hitler’s half-niece and much younger lover, who may have been killed by his own hand. This also may not have been the only vile act that he can be blamed for prior to the Holocaust.

You may wonder how Hitler was allowed to take charge of Germany and ultimately be responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people if he already was a murderer. The answer is found in these pages as those investigating him face unbelievable opposition. Reading this novel is akin to watching a movie that ends in tragedy (I’m thinking Titanic or United 93), where the story and characters are so compelling that you almost forget it is not going to end well. Still, Patterson and Ellis shed light on a piece of history that is rarely talked about, which makes for a truly enlightening and fascinating read from start to finish.

Hitler had several depraved proclivities, a few of which have been well documented, but the possessiveness he had with Geli --- in addition to the unsavory acts he forced her to perform --- caused a divide between them that eventually brought about her death. Hitler’s circle makes it look like a suicide, but Detective Thomas Bauer feels otherwise and is determined to see that justice is served. To do so, he knows that he must team up with journalist Fritz Gerlich, who is eager to report the truth about Hitler and bring him down before he can permanently corrupt Germany.

In the modern-day storyline, which takes a firm backseat to the events leading up to WWII and beyond, Eleanor Robbins is an American professor who is in Europe to follow up on physical evidence that finally will uncover the circumstances behind Geli’s murder. However, Neo-Nazis are still quite loyal to the Führer and will stop at nothing to prevent her from defiling the memory of their long-departed leader.

Bauer and Gerlich are met with much resistance that threatens not only them but their families as well. Hitler and his inner circle have endowed the Nazi Party with endless power to do what they want, and they basically run every level of government and law enforcement. The fact that Geli was pregnant when she was murdered is never made public and can be added to the immense list of atrocities committed at his behest.

In a plot that rivals that of the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds, Bauer and his colleagues are prepared to see things through to the very end, resulting in a monumental showdown inside the bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a wild ride across familiar territory, but it feels brand-new in the hands of Patterson and Ellis. The fact that the book is being released at a time when antisemitic feelings seem to be on the rise globally makes the reading experience extra chilling, but also important and necessary for all of us to absorb and understand. I do not know if the authors’ intention was to remind us that history often repeats itself, but it certainly was a message I took away from this intense work.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Derek Ingram]

(3.25*) The Munich Affair is a story with a promising premise: the detective sent to investigate the tragic death of Adolf Hitler’s half-niece Geli Raubal in 1931 – who, despite the familial relations and a 19-year age gap, was an object of sexual obsession for the future leader of Germany – does not buy that it was a suicide, and begins an investigation to bring Hitler to justice. Unfortunately, the upper echelon of the police department is in the pocket of the increasingly popular National Socialist Party and Thomas Bauer, the lead detective in the case, finds himself swiftly demoted to a patrol cop for poking around too hard.

Like any great police procedural this does not deter Bauer, who continues to doggedly pursue the case every spare moment he has. The massive demotion in the post-Versailles treaty/mid-Great Depression German economy, combined with the rise of anti-semitic rhetoric and policies that demand Bauer’s Jewish wife resign from her job ultimately force Bauer to take a second job washing dishes on a night shift. His wife, children, in-laws, are all in imminent danger for being Jewish. He, himself, is in danger for working on a full-blown resistance plot that stemmed from his initial involvement in the Geli Raubal case. His allies – newspaper men, immigrants, fellow conspirators – are disappearing left and right. Yet Bauer soldiers on.

And this is where the book loses me for a while. Patterson and Ellis came up with a fantastic premise to open the book, and I think they knew exactly how they wanted to end it – another inventive insertion in the margins of history – but they need to get from 1941 to 1945 with very thin plot meat left on the bone and aren’t can’t seem to decide if they want to just jump to the end, or fully commit to filling that portion of the book with more story. And they end up kind of middling. Jumping from action point to action point that involve the two remaining characters, some of them invented, but most of them inspired by real efforts of the anti-Nazi resitstance. While it’s ultimately pretty cool to get to those instances in history, the lack of build-up makes them feel unearned.

If this was done for economy of pages, there is an element of this story that you could completely remove and not lose any efficacy whatsoever: the jumps to modern day. There is a story line that involves a professor who travels to modern day Munich to uncover the truth of what happened in the principle story I have described so far. Because the book opens with a first person account of what happened, the reader already knows what had occurred beyond a shadow of a doubt. The professor is dodging a shadowy cabal of people determined to keep the past buried, which adds an element of excitement when you’re visiting the present, but the only element of suspense is whether or not she’ll be able to survive and corroborate the story the reader already knows to be true for public consumption. The best chapters in the modern jumps could be described as “mildly entertaining”.

The 1945 ending? Pure pulpy goodness. Inglorious Basterds level of invention (compliment) and the same unflinching willingness to bend history to the point of breaking for the benefit of the audience. Takes place in the eye of the storm, near the Tiergarten in Berlin, as both the Red Army and allied forces are converging.

Overall, I think there’s a version of this book that is an instant classic in the genre and it was frustrating to me that it didn’t deliver on the promise. It’s still a good read for anyone who loves WWII fiction, and will undoubtedly live on the NY Times Best-Seller list this winter, but instead of reaching the zeitgeist dominating heights that something like Stephen King’s 11/22/63 achieved in the same arena, it will simply be an enjoyable way to pass a cross-country flight.

Thank you Little, Brown, and Company for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Mandy K]

The Munich Affair 3⭐️

Full disclosure: I’m not usually drawn to historical fiction, but after receiving an ARC widget from Little, Brown and Company I couldn’t resist trying this one out. The writing was great (as usual with James Patterson collabs with my favorite authors). The words painted such a perfect picture that I could picture the characters’ mannerisms and gestures before they were even fully described. It all just flowed so naturally.

The storyline spans through all of Adolf’s rise and fall, plus a present day storyline. The Munich Affair starts by focusing on the death of Adolf’s half niece, the “real” events and what the public was told to believe. While everyone is scared to stand up to Hitler, an investigator and journalist fight for truth and justice.

I felt the book was too long and flew through years too fast, all at the same time. I wish I had more time to connect with some of the characters. Bauer vs Hitler gave me Wile E. Coyote vs roadrunner vibes at times as Bauer and von der Haas attempted to take Hitler down. The present day chapters were few and far between. I appreciated the closure they ultimately brought, but again, just didn’t feel connected to the characters and would often completely forget the secondary storyline existed.

[Jackie Sunday]

This is a fast-paced story that follows the terrifying leadership of Adolph Hitler demanding ultimate power from 1931 to 1945. No one could ever be this cold-blooded -- one would hope.

It’s a thriller about tracking down someone who violated the law. Hitler was in love with his 17-year-old niece, Geli. There was a 19-year age difference. When she said she was leaving him, he was outraged and committed a crime that wasn’t easy to solve. The book followed the life of Detective Inspector Thomas Bauer.

It also extends into the present with Professor Eleanor Robbins from Chicago going to Munich to research evidence of the crime. She was going to meet Monica Bauer, Thomas Bauer’s great-granddaughter. Was it possible that the truth involving Hitler could be revealed?

This is another book that digs deep into the horrors of WWII, particularly with the heart-wrenching acts upon the Jews. It well written and researched with short chapters. However, it’s dark and not easy to read with terrifying thoughts of corruption and criminal acts upon the people. It’s emotionally difficult to digest even after reading many others.

The book includes parts about Hitler’s Henchmen by his side. One person told Hitler that if you say something enough times, no matter how ridiculous, people will start to believe it. They covered for him and managed to get the police chief to do the same.

Yet, we read it to understand how this happened and hope that others will do the same so that it can’t be repeated with the full extent. It’s touches on not only Hitler but also those that helped him become powerful with a plan in place. It’s strongly recommended.

My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this ARC with the expected release date of September 21, 2026. The thoughts I share are my own.

[Lori]

Much of the story is based on uncorroborated rumors/speculations. The meeting between Bauer and Hitler in his office is too farcical. Over 500 pages to rewrite history. Patterson should, either write true fiction or true non-fiction (The Idaho Murders) but not a combination of both!