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Flowers from Berlin #2
Return to Berlin: A Spy Story
'Return to Berlin' is the long-awaited sequel to Noel Hynd’s classic million-selling espionage novel, 'Flowers From Berlin'.
It is early 1943 and the United States has been at war for more than a year. William Cochrane, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who was the central character in 'Flowers From Berlin', has enlisted in the United States Army. He has the commission of a major and is at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, training for combat. Suddenly his military orders are countermanded by Washington. He is ordered to report immediately to General William Donovan the Office of Strategic Services in New York City.
At OSS headquarters Cochrane, recently married, receives an assignment more perilous than combat. He is recruited into the fledgling wartime spy agency and assigned to travel to Europe. He is to make his way to Switzerland to meet with Alan Dulles, the Director of the OSS in Switzerland. There, if Cochrane is lucky enough to arrive, he will receive the second part of his orders: an espionage assignment. Under an assumed identity, Cochrane will make a heart-pounding return visit to Berlin, where he lived for a while in the 1930s. There is an assignment vital to the battle against Nazi Germany that only he, with his prior knowledge of people and places in Germany, can complete if he eludes capture by the ever-vigilant Gestapo. Or, with the odds heavily against his success in this assignment, will the assignment cost him his life?
Rich in accurate historical detail, heavily evocative of the terrifying era, 'Return To Berlin' is a fast-moving action-packed thriller that will be one of the top American spy novels of Fall 2019.
"Noel Hynd is a few notches above the Ludlums and Clancys of the world." - Booklist
Raves for 'Flowers From Berlin' :
"This espionage thriller follows FBI agent William Cochrane's efforts to stop a Nazi spy from assassinating FDR. Toss in a love affair with a British Secret Service operative and you have the makings of a page-turner. Complex in characterization, crisp in dialogue, and thorough in its background" - Library Journal
"First rate!" - The Cleveland Plain-Dealer
"A Chiller!" - Los Angeles Times
"A Super spy novel!" The Savannah News-Presse
It is early 1943 and the United States has been at war for more than a year. William Cochrane, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who was the central character in 'Flowers From Berlin', has enlisted in the United States Army. He has the commission of a major and is at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, training for combat. Suddenly his military orders are countermanded by Washington. He is ordered to report immediately to General William Donovan the Office of Strategic Services in New York City.
At OSS headquarters Cochrane, recently married, receives an assignment more perilous than combat. He is recruited into the fledgling wartime spy agency and assigned to travel to Europe. He is to make his way to Switzerland to meet with Alan Dulles, the Director of the OSS in Switzerland. There, if Cochrane is lucky enough to arrive, he will receive the second part of his orders: an espionage assignment. Under an assumed identity, Cochrane will make a heart-pounding return visit to Berlin, where he lived for a while in the 1930s. There is an assignment vital to the battle against Nazi Germany that only he, with his prior knowledge of people and places in Germany, can complete if he eludes capture by the ever-vigilant Gestapo. Or, with the odds heavily against his success in this assignment, will the assignment cost him his life?
Rich in accurate historical detail, heavily evocative of the terrifying era, 'Return To Berlin' is a fast-moving action-packed thriller that will be one of the top American spy novels of Fall 2019.
"Noel Hynd is a few notches above the Ludlums and Clancys of the world." - Booklist
Raves for 'Flowers From Berlin' :
"This espionage thriller follows FBI agent William Cochrane's efforts to stop a Nazi spy from assassinating FDR. Toss in a love affair with a British Secret Service operative and you have the makings of a page-turner. Complex in characterization, crisp in dialogue, and thorough in its background" - Library Journal
"First rate!" - The Cleveland Plain-Dealer
"A Chiller!" - Los Angeles Times
"A Super spy novel!" The Savannah News-Presse
537 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2019
765 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Noel Hynd
62 books218 followers I've been a published novelist for longer than I care to admit, since 1976. I'm frequently asked, however, how I first got published. It's an interesting story and involved both Robert Ludlum and James Baldwin, even though neither of them knew it --- or me --- at the time.
My first agent, a wonderful thorughly perofessional gentleman named Robert Lantz was representing Mr. Baldwin at the time. This was around 1975. Balwin, while a brilliant writer, had had some nasty dealings with the head of Dell Publishing. Dell held Jimmy's contract at the time and he could not legally write for anyone else until he gave Dell a book that was due to them. Nonetheless, he refused to deliver a manuscript to Dell and went to Paris to sit things out.
The book was due to The Dial Press, which Dell owned. Baldwin was widely quoted as saying....and I'm cleaning up the quote here, "that he was no longer picking cotton on Dell's planatation."
The book was due to The Dial Press. The editor in chief of The Dial Press was a stellar editor who was making a name for himself and a fair bit of money for the company publishing thriller-author Robert Ludlum. A best seller every year will do that for an editor. Anyway, Baldwin fled New York for Paris. The editor followed, the asignment being to get him to come happily back to Dial. As soon as the editor arrived, Baldwin fled to Algeria. Or maybe Tunisia. It hardly mattered because Baldwin was furious and simply wouldn 't do a book for Dell/Dial. The editor returned to NY without his quarry. Things were at a standstill.
That's where I entered the story, unpublished at age 27 and knowing enough to keep my mouth shut while these things went down. I had given 124 pages of a first novel to Mr. Lantz ten days eariler. Miraculously, his reader liked it and then HE liked it. It was in the same genre that Ludlum wrote in and which the editor at Dial excelled at editing and marketing.
My agent and the editor ran into each other one afternoon in July of 1974 in one of those swank Manhattan places where people used to have three martinis for lunch. The agent asked how things had gone in Europe. The editor told him, knowing full well that the agent already knew. The next steps would be lawyers, Baldwin dragged into US Courts, major authors boycotting Doubleday/Dell, Dial, maybe some civil rights demonstrations and.......but no so fast.
Mr. Lantz offered Dial the first look at a new adventure/espionage novelist (me). IF Dial wanted me after reading my 124 pages, he could sign me, but only IF Baldwin was released from his obligations at Doubleday. I was the literary bribe, so to speak, that would get Jimmy free from Dial. It seemed like a great idea to everyone. It seemed that way because it was. Paperwork was prepapred and paperwork was signed. Voila!...To make a much longer story short, Dial accepted my novel. The editor instructed me on how to raise it to a professional level as I finished writing it over the next ten months. I followed orders perfectly. I even felt prosperous on my $7500 advance. He then had Dial release Mr. Balwin from his obligation. Not surpringly, he went on to create fine books for other publishers. Ludlum did even batter. Of the three, I'm the pauper but I've gotten my fair share and I'm alive with books coming out again now in the very near future, no small accmplishment. So no complaints from me.
That''s how I got published. I met Ludlum many times later on and Baldwin once. Ludlum liked my name "Noel" and used it for an then-upcoming charcter named Noel Holcroft. That amused me. I don't know if either of them even knew that my career had been in their orbits for a month 1975. They would have been amused. They were both smart gifted men and fine writers in dfferent ways. This story was told to me by one of the principals two years later and another one confirmed it.
Me, I came out of it with my first publishing contract, for a book titled 'Reve
My first agent, a wonderful thorughly perofessional gentleman named Robert Lantz was representing Mr. Baldwin at the time. This was around 1975. Balwin, while a brilliant writer, had had some nasty dealings with the head of Dell Publishing. Dell held Jimmy's contract at the time and he could not legally write for anyone else until he gave Dell a book that was due to them. Nonetheless, he refused to deliver a manuscript to Dell and went to Paris to sit things out.
The book was due to The Dial Press, which Dell owned. Baldwin was widely quoted as saying....and I'm cleaning up the quote here, "that he was no longer picking cotton on Dell's planatation."
The book was due to The Dial Press. The editor in chief of The Dial Press was a stellar editor who was making a name for himself and a fair bit of money for the company publishing thriller-author Robert Ludlum. A best seller every year will do that for an editor. Anyway, Baldwin fled New York for Paris. The editor followed, the asignment being to get him to come happily back to Dial. As soon as the editor arrived, Baldwin fled to Algeria. Or maybe Tunisia. It hardly mattered because Baldwin was furious and simply wouldn 't do a book for Dell/Dial. The editor returned to NY without his quarry. Things were at a standstill.
That's where I entered the story, unpublished at age 27 and knowing enough to keep my mouth shut while these things went down. I had given 124 pages of a first novel to Mr. Lantz ten days eariler. Miraculously, his reader liked it and then HE liked it. It was in the same genre that Ludlum wrote in and which the editor at Dial excelled at editing and marketing.
My agent and the editor ran into each other one afternoon in July of 1974 in one of those swank Manhattan places where people used to have three martinis for lunch. The agent asked how things had gone in Europe. The editor told him, knowing full well that the agent already knew. The next steps would be lawyers, Baldwin dragged into US Courts, major authors boycotting Doubleday/Dell, Dial, maybe some civil rights demonstrations and.......but no so fast.
Mr. Lantz offered Dial the first look at a new adventure/espionage novelist (me). IF Dial wanted me after reading my 124 pages, he could sign me, but only IF Baldwin was released from his obligations at Doubleday. I was the literary bribe, so to speak, that would get Jimmy free from Dial. It seemed like a great idea to everyone. It seemed that way because it was. Paperwork was prepapred and paperwork was signed. Voila!...To make a much longer story short, Dial accepted my novel. The editor instructed me on how to raise it to a professional level as I finished writing it over the next ten months. I followed orders perfectly. I even felt prosperous on my $7500 advance. He then had Dial release Mr. Balwin from his obligation. Not surpringly, he went on to create fine books for other publishers. Ludlum did even batter. Of the three, I'm the pauper but I've gotten my fair share and I'm alive with books coming out again now in the very near future, no small accmplishment. So no complaints from me.
That''s how I got published. I met Ludlum many times later on and Baldwin once. Ludlum liked my name "Noel" and used it for an then-upcoming charcter named Noel Holcroft. That amused me. I don't know if either of them even knew that my career had been in their orbits for a month 1975. They would have been amused. They were both smart gifted men and fine writers in dfferent ways. This story was told to me by one of the principals two years later and another one confirmed it.
Me, I came out of it with my first publishing contract, for a book titled 'Reve
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 23, 2019
Nail-biter
Excellent historically based novel that I had trouble putting down. The characters were believable and complex. My only complaint is that the book had a number of errors in the syntax of the sentences. A good proofreader is needed!
Excellent historically based novel that I had trouble putting down. The characters were believable and complex. My only complaint is that the book had a number of errors in the syntax of the sentences. A good proofreader is needed!
June 17, 2020
One of the best WW11 espionage stories that I have read.
This book was historical fiction with the main characters based on real people. The author's style immersed us in the action; one actually felt the fear and needs of the characters. A great read and a real page-turner.
This book was historical fiction with the main characters based on real people. The author's style immersed us in the action; one actually felt the fear and needs of the characters. A great read and a real page-turner.
October 6, 2023
High drama WW2 spy fiction
A few weeks ago, I accidentally purchased on Amazon a set of three ebooks by Noel Hynd. I had had the Amazon app open, put my phone in my pocket without closing the app out, and made an inadvertent pocket purchase. I had never heard of Noel Hynd or the book series before, but I read about them when I discovered the purchase and thought I would keep them. I read about WW2 voraciously. And spy fiction is one of my favorite genres. This book series seemed like a good match for me.
The book follows Bill Cochrane, an American spy, as he goes into Nazi Germany on a secret mission for the OSS. This is a well-plotted story that successfully interweaves the high drama of the history of the times with the fictional action.
While it appears that Noel Hynd is a successful author, I hadn’t heard of him before, so I am pleased to offer this testimonial here. I did enjoy this book and now start the prequel to see how Bill Cochrane’s story began. My pocket purchase turned out to be most fortuitous.
A few weeks ago, I accidentally purchased on Amazon a set of three ebooks by Noel Hynd. I had had the Amazon app open, put my phone in my pocket without closing the app out, and made an inadvertent pocket purchase. I had never heard of Noel Hynd or the book series before, but I read about them when I discovered the purchase and thought I would keep them. I read about WW2 voraciously. And spy fiction is one of my favorite genres. This book series seemed like a good match for me.
The book follows Bill Cochrane, an American spy, as he goes into Nazi Germany on a secret mission for the OSS. This is a well-plotted story that successfully interweaves the high drama of the history of the times with the fictional action.
While it appears that Noel Hynd is a successful author, I hadn’t heard of him before, so I am pleased to offer this testimonial here. I did enjoy this book and now start the prequel to see how Bill Cochrane’s story began. My pocket purchase turned out to be most fortuitous.
July 6, 2022
An engrossing thriller predominately set in Berlin during WWII. The story follows Bill Cochrane, an American spy, on an urgent mission that returns him to Berlin (he had been there during the early 1930’s and witnessing the beginning of the rise of Hitler and the Fascists).
It is the second Bill Cochrane wartime espionage story although you do not need to read the first to understand this novel. It offered a backdrop that had been researched so well-known characters and events added to the plot and making it an exciting fictional story with believable characters.
There were some missing or extra words at times, but I could overlook them as I read on. Overall, a suspenseful story with a good plot and sound character development; enjoyable and easy for the reader to become caught up in the action.
It is the second Bill Cochrane wartime espionage story although you do not need to read the first to understand this novel. It offered a backdrop that had been researched so well-known characters and events added to the plot and making it an exciting fictional story with believable characters.
There were some missing or extra words at times, but I could overlook them as I read on. Overall, a suspenseful story with a good plot and sound character development; enjoyable and easy for the reader to become caught up in the action.
April 24, 2021
"Return to Berlin" is a top-notch spy thriller. Mr. Hynd is right up there with the masters of this genre. The first book of his I read was "Flowers from Berlin" and loved it, and I loved this long-awaited follow-up. He is such an accomplished writer, with great flow and characters, with no added-fluff. His descriptions are just enough to give you a good picture, and don't continue on for paragraph after paragraph as with some writers who find every possible tidbit about, for instance, a particular gun, which you don't really care about and don't read anyway. I love WWII spy thrillers and if he continues to write them, I'll continue to read them.
Just noticed on Amazon there's a third book in this series due to come out in 3-4 months ("Judgment in Berlin")! I'll be picking it up!
Just noticed on Amazon there's a third book in this series due to come out in 3-4 months ("Judgment in Berlin")! I'll be picking it up!
March 26, 2023
A good yarn but not very accurate
A good story marred by unnecessary historical error.
A Canadian in WW2 would never have been authorised by Germany to travel within it's borders. Should have made the alias Irish. Lucky Strike cigarettes would have been a dead give away, as would speaking English. Eating ice cream at a cafe?
If you can ignore these pointless errors the story keeps you engrossed which is ultimately the point.
Honouring the White Rose and keeping their story alive important.
A good story marred by unnecessary historical error.
A Canadian in WW2 would never have been authorised by Germany to travel within it's borders. Should have made the alias Irish. Lucky Strike cigarettes would have been a dead give away, as would speaking English. Eating ice cream at a cafe?
If you can ignore these pointless errors the story keeps you engrossed which is ultimately the point.
Honouring the White Rose and keeping their story alive important.
June 28, 2025
An important novel that provides a look into wartime Nazi Germany
The novel intrigues the reader right from the start as the historian from Chicago begins her story of Bill Cochrane to his daughter. Although fictionalized the story of the existence of dissidents in Nazi Germany are true and and the author brings them to light in a very readable manner. The 4 stars instead of 5 is just a comment on the flow and literary style of the story that some editing would have helped. I enjoyed this story very much!
The novel intrigues the reader right from the start as the historian from Chicago begins her story of Bill Cochrane to his daughter. Although fictionalized the story of the existence of dissidents in Nazi Germany are true and and the author brings them to light in a very readable manner. The 4 stars instead of 5 is just a comment on the flow and literary style of the story that some editing would have helped. I enjoyed this story very much!
July 12, 2020
Return to Berlin. Noel Hynd
This book is based on historical events as well as many of the characters depicted. The fictional characters are interwoven into this excellent read. OSS is in its infancy and the assignments are extremely dangerous. Non stop action, suspense and intrigue from the first to last page. This is a stupendous spy thriller. My highest recommendation.
This book is based on historical events as well as many of the characters depicted. The fictional characters are interwoven into this excellent read. OSS is in its infancy and the assignments are extremely dangerous. Non stop action, suspense and intrigue from the first to last page. This is a stupendous spy thriller. My highest recommendation.
July 17, 2020
The second Bill Cochrane wartime espionage story, written 25 years after Flowers from Berlin. The author’s wish to set the story in the correct historical context adds to the authenticity but takes the narrative off into areas which are tangential to the core story. So, a bit slow moving in parts but still a good read.
July 20, 2020
Exciting, interesting, informative - some grammatical issues.
Great book and story. Very factual and well researched backdrop to an exciting fictional character. I don't know if Noel has lost his proof reader, but there are several cases of missing or extra words. When I just decided I wasn't going to let that bother me, I enjoyed the book very much.
Great book and story. Very factual and well researched backdrop to an exciting fictional character. I don't know if Noel has lost his proof reader, but there are several cases of missing or extra words. When I just decided I wasn't going to let that bother me, I enjoyed the book very much.
April 23, 2022
Excellent “second chapter” in the tale of Berlin.
This book, like the one before it, details how a so-called civil society can slide into a hole so black as to defy description. While we all hope and mostly think nothing nothing like this could happen again, it is worth observing the past as presented in the story telling of this book.
I recommend this book.
This book, like the one before it, details how a so-called civil society can slide into a hole so black as to defy description. While we all hope and mostly think nothing nothing like this could happen again, it is worth observing the past as presented in the story telling of this book.
I recommend this book.
October 11, 2023
A good spy yarn
Set in a well researched historical context, with a well rounded lead protagonist in Bill Cochrane. Take a slight exception to its treatment of Alan Dulles which is quite generous as he was regarded as a bit of a liability by the Brits who learnt that his codes were broken and regularly being read by the SD.
Set in a well researched historical context, with a well rounded lead protagonist in Bill Cochrane. Take a slight exception to its treatment of Alan Dulles which is quite generous as he was regarded as a bit of a liability by the Brits who learnt that his codes were broken and regularly being read by the SD.
June 30, 2020
A good sequel
Often a sequel is not as good as the first book . This was not the case with Return to Berlin. Even though the book was fiction I always felt that during this war many heroic deeds depicted in the story could have been true .
Often a sequel is not as good as the first book . This was not the case with Return to Berlin. Even though the book was fiction I always felt that during this war many heroic deeds depicted in the story could have been true .
August 26, 2020
Read like a history book but enjoy like a novel
For those that are WW II buffs this is a must read. For those who like a spine chilling novel, this is a must read. If you enjoy both, like me, you won’t put this book down
For those that are WW II buffs this is a must read. For those who like a spine chilling novel, this is a must read. If you enjoy both, like me, you won’t put this book down
September 4, 2021
2nd book in this series, this continues the story of the American spy, Bill Cochrane, who is sent back to Berlin on an urgent mission. His harrowing escape spins quite the tale! Onto the third book in the series now!
September 16, 2021
Read and learn!
I love to read this type of historical fiction I wish more people of this day and age would try to educate themselves as to the dangers of socialism and Marxism ,before we destroy our own country Historical fiction makes it easy to understand, it you open your mind
I love to read this type of historical fiction I wish more people of this day and age would try to educate themselves as to the dangers of socialism and Marxism ,before we destroy our own country Historical fiction makes it easy to understand, it you open your mind
October 4, 2022
Wonderfully written and researched book
Smart, thoughtful history! Wonderful. History brought alive. I enjoyed it immensely. I also appreciated the follow up regarding the truthful characters in the boom.
Smart, thoughtful history! Wonderful. History brought alive. I enjoyed it immensely. I also appreciated the follow up regarding the truthful characters in the boom.
July 12, 2023
Excellent Excellent Excellent
Sometimes it is possible to improve upon perfection. This is the proof. The first title in this series is a tour de force. This second title is even better. All thumbs up. Bravo!
Sometimes it is possible to improve upon perfection. This is the proof. The first title in this series is a tour de force. This second title is even better. All thumbs up. Bravo!
October 29, 2023
Thoughtful ---
A reminder of German history . One man who upset world order!! Could his happen in USA
with a leader that WAS and could be again out of control! Thinks only of what the presidency does for him.
A reminder of German history . One man who upset world order!! Could his happen in USA
with a leader that WAS and could be again out of control! Thinks only of what the presidency does for him.
June 29, 2024
Good OSS story
Simple story of a rescue mission, and the adventures entailed. Great setting of the scene and quite a bit of historical context. Good read for anyone who enjoys WW2 Nazi drama.
Simple story of a rescue mission, and the adventures entailed. Great setting of the scene and quite a bit of historical context. Good read for anyone who enjoys WW2 Nazi drama.
August 3, 2024
fascinating and also so sad
I always love a historical story of what WWII was like. It’s hard to believe how an entire world could be at war. May it never happen again. This read was on point and revealed a lot of how people lived during that time.
I always love a historical story of what WWII was like. It’s hard to believe how an entire world could be at war. May it never happen again. This read was on point and revealed a lot of how people lived during that time.
November 19, 2024
I enjoyed the international intrigue, especially when its in a WW2 setting. Candidly, the writing was average, and read more like a "beach read" than a serious novel. With a good script-doctor it would make a good streaming series.
Read
March 15, 2025This series is well written and has the reader grateful to be living in freedom secured by real people who would have been like the characters in the books.
The horrors lived by the citizens of Berlin and surrounding areas are frightening and moving at the same time. Moving on to book #3.
The horrors lived by the citizens of Berlin and surrounding areas are frightening and moving at the same time. Moving on to book #3.
March 24, 2020
Top WWII novel
Great story, with actual characters and events as it's basis. Fast paced, action packed with excellent character development. Well written.
Great story, with actual characters and events as it's basis. Fast paced, action packed with excellent character development. Well written.
April 23, 2020
Great spy and page turner!
June 21, 2020
Excellent sequel to Flowers from Berlin
September 11, 2020
an excellent read...easy reading and difficult to put down. Thoroughly enjoyable
January 24, 2021
Great War novel
Great detail, much of it historical!
Suspenseful, great plots, character development. Reads quickly. Very enjoyable. He does an excellent job
Great detail, much of it historical!
Suspenseful, great plots, character development. Reads quickly. Very enjoyable. He does an excellent job
May 5, 2021
as good as Flowers From Berlin. The best of historical fiction covering WWII.
July 1, 2021
A thoroughly researched historical novel of the lives and events of the Second World War. The parallels to present day reminds us that the stories repeat themselves. Well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews