Conspiracy

The Plot to Kill Hitler #1

by Andy Marino

Based on the real-life scheme to take down one of history's greatest monsters, this heart-pounding trilogy puts two courageous kids at the center of the plot to kill Adolf Hitler.

Berlin, November 1943. With bombing raids commencing, the city is blanketed by explosions. Siblings Gerta and Max Hoffmann live a surprisingly carefree childhood amid the raids. Berlin is a city going about its business, even as it's attacked almost nightly.

But one night, the air raid sirens wail, and the Hoffmanns' neighborhood is hit. A mortally wounded man comes to their door, begging to be let in. He asks for Karl Hoffmann, their father. Gerta and Max watch as Karl tries in vain to save the man's life.

Before he dies, the stranger gives their father a bloodstained packet of documents, along with a message: "For the sake of humanity, the Führer must die. Finish it, Karl!"

Based on real events, this is the story of two children swept up in a fight for the soul of Germany—and the world.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, World War II

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2020

About the author

Andy Marino was born in upstate New York, spent half his life in New York City, and now lives in the Hudson Valley. He is the author of seven novels for young readers, most recently THE PLOT TO KILL HITLER trilogy.

THE SEVEN VISITATIONS OF SYDNEY BURGESS is his first novel for adults.

Reviews

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 3 out of 5]

The place: WWII's Berlin, Germany. The mission: to kill the mastermind behind the Nazi regime — Adolf Hitler.

✏️ Review ✏️

Featuring a plot full of spies, secrets, traitors, and espionage, Conspiracy delivers a very intriguing WWII historical adventure. Conspiracy's characters and writing aren't necessarily spectacular, but I still found this story to be quite interesting and enjoyable.

"'For the sake of humanity,' [the man] said in an astonishingly clear voice, 'the Füher must die.'...
[Max's] heart was pounding so hard he thought that the whole neighborhood would be able to hear it. He glanced at his sister. Gerta didn't have to say a word — Max knew they were wondering the same thing.
The Füher must die...
Was their father plotting to kill Adolf Hitler?"

What makes this story even more intriguing is the fact that's it's based on true historical events. So, if your looking for a short but enjoyable WWII read, then Conspiracy will definitely deliver an appealing storyline. Well, I gotta go read book two — Execution — and I don't want to make my review longer than the book itself.... :⁠-⁠)

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The intrigue of the plot — secret missions, conspiracies and the like.
• The loose historical basis of the story.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• Some of the overly-detailed descriptions of violent/morbid aspects (this didn't bother me, but I thought it was a bit too overdone for MG book).

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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓

— Would I recommend this book? Yes*

— To whom? To those who enjoy intriguing middle grade WWII historical fiction featuring spies, conspiracies, and secret missions.

*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 2/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

• Five uses of God's name in vain; one use of "d*mn(ed)"; and one use of "bastard" as an insult.

— ⚔️ Violence: 1/5

• A few mildly graphic descriptions about circumstances and methods of death.

• Some mildly vivid descriptions of injuries (mentions blood).

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

• Some younger readers may find this story's violence to be disturbing; I thought that some aspects might have been a bit too descriptive for a MG book. So please keep this in mind before recommending Conspiracy to young readers.

• The MMC thinks that "witchcraft" or "sorcery" could be a possible reason why another character knows so much about the MMC's family.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

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[Ms. B · Rating 5 out of 5]

With short chapters, this World War II thriller for tweens kept me turning the pages. Due to the exploits of their parents, siblings Max and Gerta find themselves working against the Nazis and Hitler in 1943 Berlin. Not knowing who they can trust, they are sent on secret and dangerous missions to assist in a plot to kill Hitler. Will the plot be successful? And who's really working for the Nazis? Could there be a double agent in their midst?
Along with tweens who cannot get enough World War II stories, tweens who enjoyed Lauren Tarshis's I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 will want to read this.

[Karly Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for young readers interested in World War 2. I had so many of my students recommend it to me, and it was a really fun read!

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written historical fiction with well developed characters and a story line that captures what Berlin was like as the tide of war turned against the Nazis and the plot to kill Hitler intensified.

[DaughterOfPoseidon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect-amazing-out-of-this-world book. Starting off with a little...never mind. And ending off in something that was not really expected. I really loved this book, and can’t wait to buy/read the next one!

[Mary Williams-Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful WWII read for middle grade readers.

[Libby Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a good book that isn't too long.

[Erik R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read in quarter four was called THE PLOT TO KILL HITLER by Andy Marino. 6.0 book level. The book is about Max and Gerta Hoffmann joining in on their parents' secret organization to help on the plot to kill hitler. They sneak around at night and write secret messages in chalk on the brink of a destroyed building where spies are supposed to receive the message later that night. The first attempt failed but they are planning a second attempt.

The main idea of this book is to show how the Hoffmann family was chipping in to the plot to kill one of the worst men in history. In the beginning, Max and Gerta had no idea that their parents were involved in this group. Or the fact that the group even existed. They only found out when a spy dressed as a soldier came to their door bleeding out in the middle of an air raid. Max and Gerta then proceeded to beg their parents to let them help and the parents said ok. One day after school, Max and Gerta went with their parents to a house owned by Frau Becker, The leader of this attack and the leader of the secret group. After Max almost gets caught by an SS officer, His parents wouldn’t let him and his sister keep doing this, saying it’s too dangerous. Gerta eventually made their parents switch their decision and now they are doing 4 different messages in 4 different days. At the end, they are going with the nazis, their house is getting searched.


I think the book was interesting and is definitely based on some true facts. I would recommend this book to anyone 6th grade and up. I liked the book because it’s about kids my age helping to end WW2, but they don’t succeed and and get took by the Nazis. I think it’s sad but I also think it’s cool they were helping to stop this massive war. The book wasn’t that hard to read, pretty straight to the point. I don’t think it was confusing but maybe other people will. My favorite part was when they changed their parents' mind on them helping with secret messages at night. I couldn’t connect very well with the book, but I haven’t had to help a secret organization try and defeat one of the biggest armies in the world.

[Laura West · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it’s because it’s an elementary-age book, maybe because it’s not my favorite author, maybe because I just finished another WWII book, but I didn’t like this one. It wasn’t terrible, but I pushed myself through it and finished it. It’s the first in a series, but I won’t be reading the rest of the series.

The plot was based on true events and people: Operation Valkyrie, Claus von Stauffenberg, Russian princess Marie Vassiltchikov, RAF bombings, and the “fashion show.” But the main characters were so shallow. Max Hoffmann, the boy, liked medieval figurines and used to be afraid of the make-believe troll in the basement. Gerta Hoffmann, his sister, liked adventures and pushing her limits. That’s about all I know about the characters besides their literal actions in the story. I don’t know why they were plotting against Hitler and the Nazis other than that they were bad.

This story was entirely plot-driven (and on rare occasions that can make a good book), but usually readers want to sympathize with and understand the characters. I need a character-driven plot. And this was not it.

I don’t recommend this to older readers, but younger readers may enjoy it. The horrors of the war are concealed enough for young readers to imagine as most of the story is told from a little boy’s perspective.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was always fascinated by World War II and there is always something new being discovered or unearthed about that time in history. This historical fiction book shows how Operation Valkyrie was created. The author does explain in the end the true historical facts that happened in Operation Valkyrie and the real members of the group. It deals with the Hoffman family (fictitious characters), who are Germans and their bravery for standing up for what is right. The true bravery goes to their son, Max, and daughter, Gerta, who volunteer to provide fake identification papers to the Jewish families. I was a bit confused in the beginning because I wasn't sure which side the Hoffman family was on. I knew they were in Germany but wasn't sure if they were Jewish of Nazis at first. I did like the author's visual perspective of the bomb raids and the German words the author added in the context of certain paragraphs. I think I enjoyed it because it was a different perspective of World War II and how even some Germans were against Hitler's ways. I did know about Operation Valkyrie because I had watched the movie they had made in 2008 starring Tom Cruise. I look forward to reading the next chapter of Operation Valkyrie: Execution. This is a great book for children who do not enjoy textbooks and instead want to learn history in a form of a story. I was more than happy to dive into this book.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was working at a Scholastic book fair and saw these books. They caught my attention and I picked them up for myself. I have to say that I was quiet surprised when I started reading. This book captured my attention immediately and I didn't want to put it down.

The plot was very well thought out and planned. I love how the kids get involved in the conspiracy and don't give up even though some things could be scary for them. They were such troopers and determined to carry out their jobs. The way that the family had to hide during the air raids was heart breaking. I can't imagine living like that and not really knowing how things were going to end from one night to the next.

This is a very good Middle school book that I believe many tweens and some advanced elementary aged kids will enjoy. This does give them some History as well and lets them know what people had to go through during that time. I can't wait to read the next one!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Berlin in November 1943, Berlin is getting mercilessly bombed by the Allies. After one harrowing episode, the Hoffmann family comes up out of their air raid shelter to find an injured man at their front door. He's dying but before he does, he hands a packet to the father and says, "For the sake of humanity, the Fuhrer must die. Finish it, Karl!" The kids, Gerta and Max are shocked but their parents don't seem to be. Their parents admit that they're members of an underground resistance group with the goal of assassinating Hitler. This group believes it's the only way to stop the war and save what is left of Germany.

While the characters are fictional, many of the events described in the book are based on real events including plots to kill Hitler. Very exciting story but a warning to readers, it's very realistic and people die. For that reason, I recommend it for ages 12 and up. This is the first in a trilogy. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Michelle]

My 10-YO reluctant reader really enjoyed this until the moment I mentioned that Hitler committed suicide in 1945... he still listened to the very good audio book, albeit cowed.

This isn't great literature, but it IS great at taking a kid into history of what life must have been like for the Germans in WWII. I'd never really thought about how there must have been people who disagreed with Hitler, and what challenges they faced if they spoke out against the regime. There is a predictable pace and a predicable ending... but it was a fun ride, never the less.

Recommended as teriary content for kids learning about WWII for its humanizing of "the other side" of the war and for kids who like historical fiction.

It's about the same reading level or a little higher than the "I Survived" series.

[Leanore Just · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know how I ever liked this book??? I was also a middle schooler though, so it could make sense. This book is so unrealistic to me (after reading many more better books about WWII) and it's just boring. I mean they are plotting to kill Hitler but I felt absolutely no fear or suspense for the characters. I mean like half of them died in the end and I just blinked and was like ok? I honestly just didn't care and will only finish this series because I'm running out of physical books to read by the pool.

PS - Albert is my guy (even though there's no way he killed 3 Gestapo officers on his own)

[Kacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up during WWII made Max and Greta wise beyond their years as well as making them grow up very quickly. Having a father who is a physician, opened their eyes to the pains, casualties and sacrifices of war. The storyline was very intriguing and leaves one guessing until the very end. The story combines fiction with real historical figures and events, which makes it all the more exciting! The Conspiracy is a great read for anyone interested in the WWII era! Thanks to Edelweiss + for the digital copy of this book.

[Whitney Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, my 10-yr-old son used his own money and bought this for me at the Scholastic book fair because he knows I like psychological thriller/mystery/murder genres and he thought a conspiracy to commit murder was right up my alley.

For the above reason alone, this book can do no wrong!

But honestly, it was a well-written youth/young adult book, with enough historical references and interesting plot lines to keep the attention of adult readers, too.

P.S. - He bought me the second book of the series, too. I’ll obviously be reading it soon and I’m telling you now it already gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slim yet engrossing novel about Operation Valkyrie with a middle grade perspective. Author Marino reimagines this true element of the Resistance movement...a plot to kill Hitler. By including two teenage children into the highly secretive Becker Circle, Max and Greta play a large roll in trying to stop the Nazis and protect their Jewish neighbors. The worry about always being caught keeps the book moving very quickly and readers will like Max's honest admission of fear and doubt while he completes his missions.

Grades 6 and up.

[Christine Barth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little hard for me to keep track of on audio, but it was a compelling account of some of the resistance within Germany during WWII. There were some gruesome descriptions, which didn't seem to bother my middle grade student but were a bit much for myself. Depends on the kid, but just a caution that the violence is certainly on screen for this one. Not sure if I'll continue the series, but might check out others by this author.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting middle grade book from the perspective of German children during WWII. At times I was poking myself to read it, but I think that was more because it's a low level book for me personally. Story line was fun (well...as fun as WWII can be...).

Will definitely be picking up the next two in the series!

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. It's a fine middle grades book about World War II resistance but the story did not capture me much. My students are always looking for WWII stories so I will recommend it but they usually like something grittier than this. Alfred, however, does provide the kind of gruesome details they will enjoy.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was better than I expected. I like WW2 historical fiction and was excited to read this book. The first few chapters were slow, and I thought I wouldn't like it, but after the pace started picking up, I enjoyed the book. I love the main characters, and their sibling banter is so cute :). I am hooked and can't wait to read the following 2 books in the trilogy.

[Amy Torcaso · Rating 4 out of 5]

My middle school students like reading about WW II for their book reports. This is a common read for them and I have never read the series before. I enjoyed this first book in a 3 book series. Leaves great cliffhanger for the next one which I will start tonight. Love the plotline with adults and children plotting against Hitler.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son got this book at a book fair. He got it and the series because he thought I’d like it. He’s awesome, BUT ANYWAY, it definitely keeps you wondering. I thought for sure I had the spy figured out. Did not! It’s a good one! And, although the characters are fictitious, a lot of the history is based in fact, and it’s definitely a good read for kids to learn about WW2 Berlin.

[AMY · Rating 1 out of 5]

177 pgs. This book was just ok. I read approx. 18 pgs./2 chapters. The reading level seems more like the Middle School level. It is kind of hard to follow the plot in this one. I gave up. Skip this one at the elementary level.

[Mam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book was written for middle school readers, it was a very interesting piece of fiction about a real, but unfortunately failed, plot to kill Hitler before he could continue to ravage the world. Good, quick read.

[Mari Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical fiction story about a real life group who plotted to kill Hitler. This is part of a trilogy but it felt truncated. All three books are short any I wish they had just been published as one book.

Recommended for grades 6 and up.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some graphic violence, so would recommend this for mature teens. This story is full of adventure, intrigue, courage and strength on the part of the resistance fighting against the mental depravity of the nazis.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during WWII, Max and Greta join along with their parents, a group that is trying to find away to kill Hitler. They realize that someone amongst them is a spy and must find out who it is.

Some violence and graphic nature.

[Mickela Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this at Goodwill and thought I would give it a try. YA reading but very detailed and well written. I am a big fan of WWII reads and this one was quit good. Now I am waiting on the 2 follow up books for this. I will watch for Andy Marino books going forward.

[Myles · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pretty good read! I enjoyed it! I just wouldnt pick up the next book in the series right away I would wait a little its definitely a book that you need to read at the right time sort of thing!