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Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin #2
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS
While war raged in Europe, the battle for America’s soul was already underway.
Blending fact and fiction, MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS follows real-life friends Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin as they confront powerful enemies threatening the United States from within.
It’s 1940. Europe is in flames. Germany occupies much of the continent, and the Blitz rains terror on London. Fritz Duquesne, a German spy straight from the history books, plots to kidnap Einstein and steal America’s nuclear secrets. Enraged by Chaplin’s mockery in The Great Dictator, Adolf Hitler dispatches an SS assassin to silence the man who ridiculed him.
The story features Charles Lindbergh, Lena Horne, and J. Robert Oppenheimer—along with a dangerous German spy on a mission of her own. As Nazi agents and FBI operatives close in, all roads lead Einstein and Chaplin to a deadly showdown aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief as it races from Chicago to Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is the second novel in the Einstein–Chaplin Series. The first entry, MIDNIGHT BURNING, was named Historical Thriller of the Year by Best Thrillers Book Review and one of Bookreporter’s Favorite Books of 2025. The novels stand alone and may be read in any order.
Blending fact and fiction, MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS follows real-life friends Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin as they confront powerful enemies threatening the United States from within.
It’s 1940. Europe is in flames. Germany occupies much of the continent, and the Blitz rains terror on London. Fritz Duquesne, a German spy straight from the history books, plots to kidnap Einstein and steal America’s nuclear secrets. Enraged by Chaplin’s mockery in The Great Dictator, Adolf Hitler dispatches an SS assassin to silence the man who ridiculed him.
The story features Charles Lindbergh, Lena Horne, and J. Robert Oppenheimer—along with a dangerous German spy on a mission of her own. As Nazi agents and FBI operatives close in, all roads lead Einstein and Chaplin to a deadly showdown aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief as it races from Chicago to Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is the second novel in the Einstein–Chaplin Series. The first entry, MIDNIGHT BURNING, was named Historical Thriller of the Year by Best Thrillers Book Review and one of Bookreporter’s Favorite Books of 2025. The novels stand alone and may be read in any order.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Paul Levine
83 books562 followersMIDNIGHT PATRIOTS
Germany wants Einstein alive. Chaplin dead. Spies, assassins, a femme fatale board the Super Chief. Destination: danger.
It's 1940. Europe is in flames. Germany occupies much of the continent, and the Blitz rains terror on London. Fritz Duquesne, a German spy straight from the history books, plots to kidnap Einstein and steal America's nuclear secrets. Enraged by Chaplin's mockery in The Great Dictator, Adolf Hitler dispatches an SS assassin to silence the man who ridiculed him. The story features Charles Lindbergh, Lena Horne, and J. Robert Oppenheimer—along with a beautiful German spy on a mission of her own. As Nazi agents and FBI operatives close in, all roads lead Einstein and Chaplin to a deadly showdown aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief as it races from Chicago to Los Angeles.
ORDER FROM AMAZON HERE
MIDNIGHT BURNING
Award-winning author Paul Levine weaves historical figures into a gripping, true-to-life plot to overthrow the U.S. government in this sizzling historical thriller.
Named "Historical Thriller of the Year" by Best Thrillers Book Review and one of the "Favorite Books of 2025" by Bookreporter.
“Ingeniously pairs real-life friends Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin on a roller coaster ride to save America from a fascist threat within its borders.” – Jacqueline Winspear, author of the Maisie Dobbs series.
It's 1937 and clouds of war gather over Europe, and American fascists march at home. While the FBI chases suspected communists, Nazi agents plot an armed insurrection. When the world’s two most famous men–Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin–uncover the scheme, which includes the assassination of Hollywood’s biggest stars, they fight back with nothing but their ingenuity, raw courage, and the fierce resolve of Georgia Ann Robinson, LAPD’s first Black female officer.
Levine—praised by The New York Times for his “realistic, gritty, and fun” novels—delivers a breathtaking thriller laced with humor and a larger-than-life cast, including Charles Lindbergh, Douglas Fairbanks, William Randolph Hearst, and Joseph Goebbels.
"This could be Levine's masterpiece." - Lee Goldberg, New York Times #1 Bestselling Author
ORDER FROM AMAZON HERE.
ORDER FROM BARNES & NOBLE HERE.
ORDER FROM BOOKSHOP HERE.
**********************************************;
Jake Lassiter tackles high school football and becomes the most hated man in Miami in EARLY GRAVE, Paul Levine's sizzling legal thriller.
Named PenCraft "Book of the Year" and the third best legal thriller of the 21st Century by Best Thrillers Book Review.
"An extraordinary hero stars in a legal tale as believable as it is riveting." - Kirkus Reviews
"Levine scores with this complex and witty legal thriller. This winner works even for those new to the series." - Publishers Weekly (★starred review★)
When his godson suffers a catastrophic injury in a high school football game, lawyer Jake Lassiter sues to abolish the sport and becomes Public Enemy Number One. The former NFL linebacker also battles CTE, the fatal brain disease caused by repetitive head injuries. His personal life, too, hits a rocky patch. He's in couple's therapy with fiancée Dr. Melissa Gold and vows to live long enough to fix his relationship and achieve justice for his godson.
Germany wants Einstein alive. Chaplin dead. Spies, assassins, a femme fatale board the Super Chief. Destination: danger.
It's 1940. Europe is in flames. Germany occupies much of the continent, and the Blitz rains terror on London. Fritz Duquesne, a German spy straight from the history books, plots to kidnap Einstein and steal America's nuclear secrets. Enraged by Chaplin's mockery in The Great Dictator, Adolf Hitler dispatches an SS assassin to silence the man who ridiculed him. The story features Charles Lindbergh, Lena Horne, and J. Robert Oppenheimer—along with a beautiful German spy on a mission of her own. As Nazi agents and FBI operatives close in, all roads lead Einstein and Chaplin to a deadly showdown aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief as it races from Chicago to Los Angeles.
ORDER FROM AMAZON HERE
MIDNIGHT BURNING
Award-winning author Paul Levine weaves historical figures into a gripping, true-to-life plot to overthrow the U.S. government in this sizzling historical thriller.
Named "Historical Thriller of the Year" by Best Thrillers Book Review and one of the "Favorite Books of 2025" by Bookreporter.
“Ingeniously pairs real-life friends Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin on a roller coaster ride to save America from a fascist threat within its borders.” – Jacqueline Winspear, author of the Maisie Dobbs series.
It's 1937 and clouds of war gather over Europe, and American fascists march at home. While the FBI chases suspected communists, Nazi agents plot an armed insurrection. When the world’s two most famous men–Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin–uncover the scheme, which includes the assassination of Hollywood’s biggest stars, they fight back with nothing but their ingenuity, raw courage, and the fierce resolve of Georgia Ann Robinson, LAPD’s first Black female officer.
Levine—praised by The New York Times for his “realistic, gritty, and fun” novels—delivers a breathtaking thriller laced with humor and a larger-than-life cast, including Charles Lindbergh, Douglas Fairbanks, William Randolph Hearst, and Joseph Goebbels.
"This could be Levine's masterpiece." - Lee Goldberg, New York Times #1 Bestselling Author
ORDER FROM AMAZON HERE.
ORDER FROM BARNES & NOBLE HERE.
ORDER FROM BOOKSHOP HERE.
**********************************************;
Jake Lassiter tackles high school football and becomes the most hated man in Miami in EARLY GRAVE, Paul Levine's sizzling legal thriller.
Named PenCraft "Book of the Year" and the third best legal thriller of the 21st Century by Best Thrillers Book Review.
"An extraordinary hero stars in a legal tale as believable as it is riveting." - Kirkus Reviews
"Levine scores with this complex and witty legal thriller. This winner works even for those new to the series." - Publishers Weekly (★starred review★)
When his godson suffers a catastrophic injury in a high school football game, lawyer Jake Lassiter sues to abolish the sport and becomes Public Enemy Number One. The former NFL linebacker also battles CTE, the fatal brain disease caused by repetitive head injuries. His personal life, too, hits a rocky patch. He's in couple's therapy with fiancée Dr. Melissa Gold and vows to live long enough to fix his relationship and achieve justice for his godson.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Midnight Patriots” by Paul Levine is a fast-paced historical thriller that blends fact and fiction. With Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin positioned at the centre of a story involving spies, assassins, and a high-stakes journey across America, the novel establishes a strong sense of momentum from the outset. What unfolds is an expansive and intricately constructed narrative that draws together multiple perspectives and historical figures, creating a story that is both ambitious and richly textured.
With Europe at war and Hitler’s influence spreading across the continent, the novel follows Einstein and Chaplin as they become entangled in a web of intrigue involving Nazi agents, FBI surveillance, and organised crime. With Germany seeking access to nuclear research and intent on silencing outspoken critics such as Chaplin, the narrative moves across a range of settings as tensions steadily escalate.
Levine’s use of real historical figures lends the novel an immediate sense of authenticity. The inclusion of Einstein, Chaplin, J. Edgar Hoover, and others firmly anchors the story in its historical moment, while the wider context—America’s internal divisions, the rise of fascist sympathies, and the early development of atomic science—adds depth and relevance. I was particularly struck by how effectively the novel captures the uncertainty of this period, when the direction of global events remained unresolved.
The narrative moves between multiple plotlines—espionage, political investigation, personal relationships, and criminal activity—each contributing to a broader picture of a society under pressure. While this structural complexity occasionally requires careful attention, it also reflects the interconnected nature of the forces at work. As the story progresses, these strands are drawn together with increasing clarity, particularly in the latter stages, where the narrative gains a stronger sense of cohesion and momentum.
The interplay between historical fact and fictional invention is central to the novel’s appeal. While certain elements take creative liberties, they remain grounded in a convincingly realised historical framework. This blending of fact and imagination allows Levine to explore not only what happened, but what might have been, without losing sight of the period’s underlying realities.
Levine’s writing is energetic and frequently infused with wit, especially in the exchanges between Einstein and Chaplin. These moments of humour and insight provide a welcome contrast to the darker themes of espionage and political tension, adding warmth and humanity to the narrative.
As the novel builds towards its conclusion, the action shifts aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief, where the tension becomes more immediate and contained. The confined setting heightens the stakes, bringing the competing interests of spies, agents, and civilians into closer proximity.
I found “Midnight Patriots” to be an ambitious and engaging novel that offers a vivid and thought-provoking exploration of a pivotal historical moment. While its layered structure may occasionally demand closer attention, its scope, originality, and thematic depth make it a rewarding and memorable read.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
With Europe at war and Hitler’s influence spreading across the continent, the novel follows Einstein and Chaplin as they become entangled in a web of intrigue involving Nazi agents, FBI surveillance, and organised crime. With Germany seeking access to nuclear research and intent on silencing outspoken critics such as Chaplin, the narrative moves across a range of settings as tensions steadily escalate.
Levine’s use of real historical figures lends the novel an immediate sense of authenticity. The inclusion of Einstein, Chaplin, J. Edgar Hoover, and others firmly anchors the story in its historical moment, while the wider context—America’s internal divisions, the rise of fascist sympathies, and the early development of atomic science—adds depth and relevance. I was particularly struck by how effectively the novel captures the uncertainty of this period, when the direction of global events remained unresolved.
The narrative moves between multiple plotlines—espionage, political investigation, personal relationships, and criminal activity—each contributing to a broader picture of a society under pressure. While this structural complexity occasionally requires careful attention, it also reflects the interconnected nature of the forces at work. As the story progresses, these strands are drawn together with increasing clarity, particularly in the latter stages, where the narrative gains a stronger sense of cohesion and momentum.
The interplay between historical fact and fictional invention is central to the novel’s appeal. While certain elements take creative liberties, they remain grounded in a convincingly realised historical framework. This blending of fact and imagination allows Levine to explore not only what happened, but what might have been, without losing sight of the period’s underlying realities.
Levine’s writing is energetic and frequently infused with wit, especially in the exchanges between Einstein and Chaplin. These moments of humour and insight provide a welcome contrast to the darker themes of espionage and political tension, adding warmth and humanity to the narrative.
As the novel builds towards its conclusion, the action shifts aboard the Santa Fe Super Chief, where the tension becomes more immediate and contained. The confined setting heightens the stakes, bringing the competing interests of spies, agents, and civilians into closer proximity.
I found “Midnight Patriots” to be an ambitious and engaging novel that offers a vivid and thought-provoking exploration of a pivotal historical moment. While its layered structure may occasionally demand closer attention, its scope, originality, and thematic depth make it a rewarding and memorable read.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
June 21, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Herald Square for this advance ARC in return for an honest review.
Midnight Patriots is the second installment of the Albert Einstein - Charlie Chaplin "Thrillers." Like the first installment, author Paul Levine throws in several well known real life characters to try to bring to life the otherwise lifeless plot.
Midnight Patriots focuses on Einstein's involvement, or lack thereof, with respect to the creation of the atomic bomb. As a sworn pacificist, he tried to limit his role to writing letters to FDR to encourage such a weapon, but wants no part of it himself. As such he turns to Robert Oppenheimer, whom he is touring the country with and debating about less dangerous ideas and more theoretical concepts like black holes. Given his background, J Edgar Hoover assigns 2 FBI Agents to ensure that Einstein doesn't help out the commies, whom he sees as a bigger threat than Hitler and the Nazis.
Meanwhile Chaplin has released the Great Dictator, to much fanfare in the US, but not so well received in Germany. A Nazi plot emerges to pacify the Fuhrer and eliminate Chaplin who mocked him in the film. When American Fascists, like the German American Bund and Silver Shirts (prominently discussed in the first book ), begin to threaten Chaplin, Bugsy Siegel gets newlywed Mickey Cohen to keep an eye on Chaplin, and ultimately Einstein, his traveling companion.
Fritz Duquesne, an aging Nazi Spy, begins to follow our intrepid heroes and hatches a plot to kidnap Einstein. The SS catches wind, and sends a sniper to tag along and "kill two birds with one stone." Fritz realizing he may be the second bird, takes matters into his own hands and foils the initial assassination attempt.
All of these "characters" converge on The Super Chief, often called the "Train of the Stars," from Chicago to LA. While on the train, Chaplin debates Charles Lindberg over his "America First" party and platform and finds out that he has a German spy for a mistress, and possibly a child out of wedlock.
All of these players are stuck on the train for several days and plots are hatched to kidnap Einstein before the train reaches its destination.
Although some of the historical references were fun, this "thriller" falls flat like Midnight Burning, Levine's first attempt. An easy read, and at times intriguing, but I think he does better with his Legal thrillers than the historical novels, especially involving these 2 unlikely heroes.
#MidnightPatriots #NetGalley
Midnight Patriots is the second installment of the Albert Einstein - Charlie Chaplin "Thrillers." Like the first installment, author Paul Levine throws in several well known real life characters to try to bring to life the otherwise lifeless plot.
Midnight Patriots focuses on Einstein's involvement, or lack thereof, with respect to the creation of the atomic bomb. As a sworn pacificist, he tried to limit his role to writing letters to FDR to encourage such a weapon, but wants no part of it himself. As such he turns to Robert Oppenheimer, whom he is touring the country with and debating about less dangerous ideas and more theoretical concepts like black holes. Given his background, J Edgar Hoover assigns 2 FBI Agents to ensure that Einstein doesn't help out the commies, whom he sees as a bigger threat than Hitler and the Nazis.
Meanwhile Chaplin has released the Great Dictator, to much fanfare in the US, but not so well received in Germany. A Nazi plot emerges to pacify the Fuhrer and eliminate Chaplin who mocked him in the film. When American Fascists, like the German American Bund and Silver Shirts (prominently discussed in the first book ), begin to threaten Chaplin, Bugsy Siegel gets newlywed Mickey Cohen to keep an eye on Chaplin, and ultimately Einstein, his traveling companion.
Fritz Duquesne, an aging Nazi Spy, begins to follow our intrepid heroes and hatches a plot to kidnap Einstein. The SS catches wind, and sends a sniper to tag along and "kill two birds with one stone." Fritz realizing he may be the second bird, takes matters into his own hands and foils the initial assassination attempt.
All of these "characters" converge on The Super Chief, often called the "Train of the Stars," from Chicago to LA. While on the train, Chaplin debates Charles Lindberg over his "America First" party and platform and finds out that he has a German spy for a mistress, and possibly a child out of wedlock.
All of these players are stuck on the train for several days and plots are hatched to kidnap Einstein before the train reaches its destination.
Although some of the historical references were fun, this "thriller" falls flat like Midnight Burning, Levine's first attempt. An easy read, and at times intriguing, but I think he does better with his Legal thrillers than the historical novels, especially involving these 2 unlikely heroes.
#MidnightPatriots #NetGalley
June 21, 2026
Edgar Allan Poe Award–nominated author Paul Levine, who is best known for his legal thrillers featuring linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter, returns with MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS. This second installment in his new hit series follows MIDNIGHT BURNING, which BestThrillers.com named the “Best Historical Thriller of 2025.”
Levine impressively integrates Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, spymaster Fritz Duquesne, and mobsters Mickey Cohen and Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, who earned his moniker by being “crazy as a bedbug,” into fact-based fiction. Millionaire Bugsy easily could afford a paltry dollar for a meal at Hollywood's Brown Derby. A million bucks in 1940 equals about $23 million today.
In November 1940, “America’s ill-preparedness for the all-but-inevitable war with Germany…a war for the survival of civilization” is evident to all except Franklin Roosevelt, who had won an unprecedented third term, and Charles Lindbergh, eight years after his son’s kidnapping. Chaplin’s five-time Oscar-nominated 1940 film, The Great Dictator, lampoons the “Philistine Führer,” who wants assassins to annihilate the filmmaker and kidnap Einstein for his nuclear physics knowledge.
Despite becoming a U.S. citizen and taking the oath of allegiance, the FBI director equated Einstein’s pacifism to communism by saying, “Mouthing a few words doesn’t change decades of his anti-nationalism and pro-pacifist rhetoric,” yet he condemned British-born Chaplin for not mouthing those words after beginning his Los Angeles film career in 1913. In September 1952, Chaplin was denied reentry to the States during the McCarthy era’s Red Scare, following the 1940 Smith Act. According to this book, but more accurately attributed to the son of Alexandre Dumas, Einstein quips, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
The Santa Fe flagship passenger train Super Chief, America’s version of the Orient Express, ferries the titular characters, assassins, FBI infiltrators, Third Reich spies, celebrities and de rigueur femme fatale to a shoot-’em-up at the last stop before Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is a treasure trove of forgotten Americana from nearly a century ago. It is beneficial to read Levine’s eight-page Afterword first, which provides an excellent synopsis of fictional and true-life characters. The book takes readers on a metaphoric switchback railway ride through treacherous political terrain with the right amount of cotton-candy wit to assuage harsh realities.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
Levine impressively integrates Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, spymaster Fritz Duquesne, and mobsters Mickey Cohen and Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, who earned his moniker by being “crazy as a bedbug,” into fact-based fiction. Millionaire Bugsy easily could afford a paltry dollar for a meal at Hollywood's Brown Derby. A million bucks in 1940 equals about $23 million today.
In November 1940, “America’s ill-preparedness for the all-but-inevitable war with Germany…a war for the survival of civilization” is evident to all except Franklin Roosevelt, who had won an unprecedented third term, and Charles Lindbergh, eight years after his son’s kidnapping. Chaplin’s five-time Oscar-nominated 1940 film, The Great Dictator, lampoons the “Philistine Führer,” who wants assassins to annihilate the filmmaker and kidnap Einstein for his nuclear physics knowledge.
Despite becoming a U.S. citizen and taking the oath of allegiance, the FBI director equated Einstein’s pacifism to communism by saying, “Mouthing a few words doesn’t change decades of his anti-nationalism and pro-pacifist rhetoric,” yet he condemned British-born Chaplin for not mouthing those words after beginning his Los Angeles film career in 1913. In September 1952, Chaplin was denied reentry to the States during the McCarthy era’s Red Scare, following the 1940 Smith Act. According to this book, but more accurately attributed to the son of Alexandre Dumas, Einstein quips, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
The Santa Fe flagship passenger train Super Chief, America’s version of the Orient Express, ferries the titular characters, assassins, FBI infiltrators, Third Reich spies, celebrities and de rigueur femme fatale to a shoot-’em-up at the last stop before Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is a treasure trove of forgotten Americana from nearly a century ago. It is beneficial to read Levine’s eight-page Afterword first, which provides an excellent synopsis of fictional and true-life characters. The book takes readers on a metaphoric switchback railway ride through treacherous political terrain with the right amount of cotton-candy wit to assuage harsh realities.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
June 21, 2026
Edgar Allan Poe Award–nominated author Paul Levine, who is best known for his legal thrillers featuring linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter, returns with MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS. This second installment in his new hit series follows MIDNIGHT BURNING, which BestThrillers.com named the “Best Historical Thriller of 2025.”
Levine impressively integrates Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, spymaster Fritz Duquesne, and mobsters Mickey Cohen and Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, who earned his moniker by being “crazy as a bedbug,” into fact-based fiction. Millionaire Bugsy easily could afford a paltry dollar for a meal at Hollywood's Brown Derby. A million bucks in 1940 equals about $23 million today.
In November 1940, “America’s ill-preparedness for the all-but-inevitable war with Germany…a war for the survival of civilization” is evident to all except Franklin Roosevelt, who had won an unprecedented third term, and Charles Lindbergh, eight years after his son’s kidnapping. Chaplin’s five-time Oscar-nominated 1940 film, The Great Dictator, lampoons the “Philistine Führer,” who wants assassins to annihilate the filmmaker and kidnap Einstein for his nuclear physics knowledge.
Despite becoming a U.S. citizen and taking the oath of allegiance, the FBI director equated Einstein’s pacifism to communism by saying, “Mouthing a few words doesn’t change decades of his anti-nationalism and pro-pacifist rhetoric,” yet he condemned British-born Chaplin for not mouthing those words after beginning his Los Angeles film career in 1913. In September 1952, Chaplin was denied reentry to the States during the McCarthy era’s Red Scare, following the 1940 Smith Act. According to this book, but more accurately attributed to the son of Alexandre Dumas, Einstein quips, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
The Santa Fe flagship passenger train Super Chief, America’s version of the Orient Express, ferries the titular characters, assassins, FBI infiltrators, Third Reich spies, celebrities and de rigueur femme fatale to a shoot-’em-up at the last stop before Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is a treasure trove of forgotten Americana from nearly a century ago. It is beneficial to read Levine’s eight-page Afterword first, which provides an excellent synopsis of fictional and true-life characters. The book takes readers on a metaphoric switchback railway ride through treacherous political terrain with the right amount of cotton-candy wit to assuage harsh realities.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
Levine impressively integrates Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, spymaster Fritz Duquesne, and mobsters Mickey Cohen and Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, who earned his moniker by being “crazy as a bedbug,” into fact-based fiction. Millionaire Bugsy easily could afford a paltry dollar for a meal at Hollywood's Brown Derby. A million bucks in 1940 equals about $23 million today.
In November 1940, “America’s ill-preparedness for the all-but-inevitable war with Germany…a war for the survival of civilization” is evident to all except Franklin Roosevelt, who had won an unprecedented third term, and Charles Lindbergh, eight years after his son’s kidnapping. Chaplin’s five-time Oscar-nominated 1940 film, The Great Dictator, lampoons the “Philistine Führer,” who wants assassins to annihilate the filmmaker and kidnap Einstein for his nuclear physics knowledge.
Despite becoming a U.S. citizen and taking the oath of allegiance, the FBI director equated Einstein’s pacifism to communism by saying, “Mouthing a few words doesn’t change decades of his anti-nationalism and pro-pacifist rhetoric,” yet he condemned British-born Chaplin for not mouthing those words after beginning his Los Angeles film career in 1913. In September 1952, Chaplin was denied reentry to the States during the McCarthy era’s Red Scare, following the 1940 Smith Act. According to this book, but more accurately attributed to the son of Alexandre Dumas, Einstein quips, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
The Santa Fe flagship passenger train Super Chief, America’s version of the Orient Express, ferries the titular characters, assassins, FBI infiltrators, Third Reich spies, celebrities and de rigueur femme fatale to a shoot-’em-up at the last stop before Los Angeles.
MIDNIGHT PATRIOTS is a treasure trove of forgotten Americana from nearly a century ago. It is beneficial to read Levine’s eight-page Afterword first, which provides an excellent synopsis of fictional and true-life characters. The book takes readers on a metaphoric switchback railway ride through treacherous political terrain with the right amount of cotton-candy wit to assuage harsh realities.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Read his full review on Rosepoint Publishing.
Pre-WW II the United States was in turmoil. Lend Lease was providing England with tons of equipment and munitions to thwart the threat that Adolph Hitler posed.
Einstein had become a citizen six years earlier and loved his new country. Chaplin stirred the pot with a parody of Hitler as the little dictator. Hitler was incensed and sent hit squads to kill Chaplin and kidnap Einstein to bring him back to Germany to force him to work on their nuclear bomb.
Dr. Oppenheimer is working with the United States to help us win the nuclear arms race. Einstein resists any involvement in this madness and, turns out, is a real skirt chaser, as is Chaplin. Their exploits are legendary!
Edgar Hoover is portrayed as a megalomaniac who is very distrustful of President Roosevelt. The F.B.I. meanwhile is tasked with protecting Einstein while trying to kill Chaplin.
This book is fun to read and casts a whole new light on the nuclear arms race and the participants. I found the characters a shock in the way they might actually have been as opposed to the way we’ve always thought of them. Surprise, surprise! Characters in a way you’ve never envisioned them with a satisfying conclusion. 5 stars – CE Williams
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this ebook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Pre-WW II the United States was in turmoil. Lend Lease was providing England with tons of equipment and munitions to thwart the threat that Adolph Hitler posed.
Einstein had become a citizen six years earlier and loved his new country. Chaplin stirred the pot with a parody of Hitler as the little dictator. Hitler was incensed and sent hit squads to kill Chaplin and kidnap Einstein to bring him back to Germany to force him to work on their nuclear bomb.
Dr. Oppenheimer is working with the United States to help us win the nuclear arms race. Einstein resists any involvement in this madness and, turns out, is a real skirt chaser, as is Chaplin. Their exploits are legendary!
Edgar Hoover is portrayed as a megalomaniac who is very distrustful of President Roosevelt. The F.B.I. meanwhile is tasked with protecting Einstein while trying to kill Chaplin.
This book is fun to read and casts a whole new light on the nuclear arms race and the participants. I found the characters a shock in the way they might actually have been as opposed to the way we’ve always thought of them. Surprise, surprise! Characters in a way you’ve never envisioned them with a satisfying conclusion. 5 stars – CE Williams
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this ebook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the second book in the Chaplin–Einstein series, built around several real-life characters sometime around WWII. While I enjoyed the first book quite a bit, largely for its novelty, this one didn’t land the same way for me.
With the earlier book, I found myself constantly looking up the historical figures and events, which added to the experience. Here, that curiosity just wasn’t there. Part of that is probably on me rather than the book. Historical fiction isn’t really my preferred genre, so the setting didn’t engage me as much this time. The writing itself, however, is still top class.
What I did miss was pace. I tend to prefer fast-paced thrillers, and here that element was almost non-existent. The story moves steadily, but without the urgency or tension I usually look for.
Some of the conversation also felt too clever for me to fully understand.
Overall, this is a well-written, well-researched novel that will likely appeal to readers who enjoy historically grounded stories. It just didn’t match my reading preferences, and I’m not particularly eager to pick up the next book in the series.
With the earlier book, I found myself constantly looking up the historical figures and events, which added to the experience. Here, that curiosity just wasn’t there. Part of that is probably on me rather than the book. Historical fiction isn’t really my preferred genre, so the setting didn’t engage me as much this time. The writing itself, however, is still top class.
What I did miss was pace. I tend to prefer fast-paced thrillers, and here that element was almost non-existent. The story moves steadily, but without the urgency or tension I usually look for.
Some of the conversation also felt too clever for me to fully understand.
Overall, this is a well-written, well-researched novel that will likely appeal to readers who enjoy historically grounded stories. It just didn’t match my reading preferences, and I’m not particularly eager to pick up the next book in the series.
July 9, 2026
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝟯𝟬𝘀?
Paul Levine answers that question with an extraordinary cast and a thrilling adventure.
Einstein. Charlie Chaplin. FDR. H.G. Wells. Cary Grant. Marlene Dietrich. Spies. Gangsters. Bugattis and Phantoms.
I'm no history buff, so instead of trying to separate fact from fiction, I found myself constantly wondering, “Wait... was that person real?” That became part of the fun.
The audiobook was outstanding. Malcolm Hillgartner gave every character a distinct voice, and his Einstein was unforgettable. I never expected to finish a novel thinking, “𝗘𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹.”
The first half hooked me with its humour, atmosphere, and larger-than-life personalities. The final act brought everything together beautifully, delivering a thrilling finale.
The epilogue neatly explains where history ends and fiction begins, making the blend of fact and imagination even more satisfying.
Thank you to Paul Levine, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
Paul Levine answers that question with an extraordinary cast and a thrilling adventure.
Einstein. Charlie Chaplin. FDR. H.G. Wells. Cary Grant. Marlene Dietrich. Spies. Gangsters. Bugattis and Phantoms.
I'm no history buff, so instead of trying to separate fact from fiction, I found myself constantly wondering, “Wait... was that person real?” That became part of the fun.
The audiobook was outstanding. Malcolm Hillgartner gave every character a distinct voice, and his Einstein was unforgettable. I never expected to finish a novel thinking, “𝗘𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹.”
The first half hooked me with its humour, atmosphere, and larger-than-life personalities. The final act brought everything together beautifully, delivering a thrilling finale.
The epilogue neatly explains where history ends and fiction begins, making the blend of fact and imagination even more satisfying.
Thank you to Paul Levine, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
March 13, 2026
I’ve really been enjoying this series and it didn’t disappoint. The series follows the unlikely friendship between Golden Age Hollywood’s Charlie Chaplin and mathematician Albert Einstein.
In isolationist United States with the rise of Nazi Germany, Chaplin comes out with his movie “The Great Dictator” creating enemies in Germany. On top of this, Albert Einstein’s pacifist beliefs make him an impossible recruit for the United States’ desire to develop an atomic bomb. The story weaves together historical figures, the threat of Nazi Germany and 1930s world events, all with the fun of following these characters.
At times the story seemed a little slow, but I enjoyed the reparte between Chaplin and Einstein and their unlikely friendship. The inclusion of other historical figures such as Lindbergh and Oppenheimer really brought the story to light. I also loved that the story was told from the perspective of several characters. Overall, an enjoyable read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #HeraldSquare for an ARC
In isolationist United States with the rise of Nazi Germany, Chaplin comes out with his movie “The Great Dictator” creating enemies in Germany. On top of this, Albert Einstein’s pacifist beliefs make him an impossible recruit for the United States’ desire to develop an atomic bomb. The story weaves together historical figures, the threat of Nazi Germany and 1930s world events, all with the fun of following these characters.
At times the story seemed a little slow, but I enjoyed the reparte between Chaplin and Einstein and their unlikely friendship. The inclusion of other historical figures such as Lindbergh and Oppenheimer really brought the story to light. I also loved that the story was told from the perspective of several characters. Overall, an enjoyable read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #HeraldSquare for an ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is always fun reading a novel by Paul Levine —- especially one with characters such as Chaplin, Einstein, Hearst, Lindberg, Oppenheimer and others of note. Since the novel is centered in the period just before the United States enters World War II, a significant portion takes place on an exciting cross country rail trip wherein the major characters are dealing with creating the atomic bomb before their German counterparts, uncovering German spies, foiling a kidnapping attempt, etc. Despite the seriousness of several plot points, there is a tremendous amount of humor in the writing and respect in the manner in which Negroes are depicted. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.
June 17, 2026
I did not expect to like this mystery as much as I did. Midnight Patriots is the second book in the Chaplin-Einstein series. I didn’t find it a hindrance not having read the first book In the series. This historical fiction mystery was quirky, engaging, and humorous. The book was very entertaining with a pretty balanced pace of the storyline and action. The Afterword section gave great insight into who all the characters you encounter int the book were and their place in history. This was my first novel by Paul Levine but I will be sure to pick up the first book in this series. 4/5
Thank you, Paul Levine and Herald Square for providing the eARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Thank you, Paul Levine and Herald Square for providing the eARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Herald Square, the author and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review.
I really tried to get into this book - the reviews were all glowing - but I really couldn't get to grips with it. I didn't like the prose, the plot or the characters. I usually love historical fiction but this just didn't do anything for me at all. I imagine if you loved the first in the series of these Einstein-Chaplin books, then you will relish this second instalment - as for me I will be giving them a wide berth.
#MidnightPatriots #NetGalley
I really tried to get into this book - the reviews were all glowing - but I really couldn't get to grips with it. I didn't like the prose, the plot or the characters. I usually love historical fiction but this just didn't do anything for me at all. I imagine if you loved the first in the series of these Einstein-Chaplin books, then you will relish this second instalment - as for me I will be giving them a wide berth.
#MidnightPatriots #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My first by the author and definitely not my last! Loved the pairing of Chaplin and Einstein, the brilliant interweaving of historical fact and fiction, and the glorious wit and humor. Recommended!
July 1, 2026
another great Paul Levine novel
5 stars! Read it in 2 nights. Couldn’t put it down. Read the first Einstein and Chaplin book by Paul Levine.
5 stars! Read it in 2 nights. Couldn’t put it down. Read the first Einstein and Chaplin book by Paul Levine.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Midnight Patriots by Paul Levine is an imaginative, fast-paced historical thriller that blends documented fact with high-stakes fiction. Set in 1940 against the backdrop of a fractured America, this novel delivers a clever, paranoia-fueled ride that keeps you guessing at every turn. 🚂
The charm of this story is the partnership of Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin. Levine captures their real-life friendship beautifully, pitting their contrasting personalities and skill sets against lethal adversaries. Einstein’s brilliance counterbalances Chaplin’s wit making them an entertaining duo. The narrative is packed with cameos from historical figures like J. Robert Oppenheimer, Charles Lindbergh, and Lena Horne, making the reading experience feel grounded in history. The story’s twists and turns keep you engaged from start to finish. 🗺️🔍
Levine builds tension by trapping all the major characters together on the Santa Fe Super Chief streamliner racing from Chicago to Los Angeles. The locked-room atmosphere naturally accelerates the tension. The story confronts the issues of the 1940s including the threat of pre-war fascism. If you love a character-driven mystery that makes history feel alive, put this series on your radar immediately! 📖✨
A massive thank you to @heraldsquare and @netgalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Midnight Patriots is out now!
The charm of this story is the partnership of Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin. Levine captures their real-life friendship beautifully, pitting their contrasting personalities and skill sets against lethal adversaries. Einstein’s brilliance counterbalances Chaplin’s wit making them an entertaining duo. The narrative is packed with cameos from historical figures like J. Robert Oppenheimer, Charles Lindbergh, and Lena Horne, making the reading experience feel grounded in history. The story’s twists and turns keep you engaged from start to finish. 🗺️🔍
Levine builds tension by trapping all the major characters together on the Santa Fe Super Chief streamliner racing from Chicago to Los Angeles. The locked-room atmosphere naturally accelerates the tension. The story confronts the issues of the 1940s including the threat of pre-war fascism. If you love a character-driven mystery that makes history feel alive, put this series on your radar immediately! 📖✨
A massive thank you to @heraldsquare and @netgalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Midnight Patriots is out now!
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June 18, 2026During the past decade, an increasing number of books – fact and fiction – have been published that offer information about the Nazi movement in the United States during the 1930s and early 1940s. Several discuss how Germany hoped these groups would sabotage the American military industry in preparation for a Nazi takeover of the U.S. government. The books also include lists of those their agents hoped to assassinate, many of whom were Jewish and, at least in California, part of the motion picture industry. Two recent works discuss this time period: “Hollywood vs. Nazis: How the Movie Studios Took on Nazis Infiltrating Los Angeles” (Citadel Press) is Michael Benson’s second nonfiction work focusing on Nazi activity in the U.S. (The Reporter review of his first work, “Gangsters vs. Nazis” can be found at www.thereportergroup.org/book-reviews....) “Midnight Patriots: An Einstein Chaplain Thriller” by Paul Levine (Herald Square Publishing) is the author’s second novel featuring real-life characters who sought to stop the Nazis. (The Reporter review of Levine’s first novel in the series can be found at www.thereportergroup.org/book-reviews....) What prompted me to review these works together is that they both contain fictional and nonfictional elements: Benson notes that he created some of the dialogue in his book, along with adjusting the chronology to make the work easier to read. Levine includes a section at the end of this work explaining which characters and events are real, and which are from the author’s imagination.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/feat...
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/feat...
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