Web of Secrets

Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secret #3

by Roberta Kagan

A Web of Secrets brings Roberta Kagan’s riveting historical WW2 series: Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets to a deservedly climactic end.

As Hitler’s murderous reign inches steadily towards a disastrous end, the intricate web of secrets woven by each character begins to unravel.

Oskar, handsome but terrifying, is on the verge of madness. What torments him so?
What dark secrets are buried deep within Kara’s loving heart?
Anka’s affection for her husband Ludwig is all but gone. Will he turn to the ever-open arms of a secret life?

And...

What about Abram? Will he find a way to keep his vow to God? Will he ever be with his family again?

Fans of The Girls in the Attic, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and The Venice Sketchbook will be enthralled with this riveting and heartbreaking story of love, betrayal, and ultimate redemption.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Holocaust, World War II, Audiobook, Fiction

264 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2021

About the author

I’m an American writer of Jewish and Romany decent. I write Historical Fiction and Historical Romance, most of which is set during the holocaust. Although I never discount the horrors of the time period, the main focus of my work is on ordinary people who prove to be strong heroic characters in unfathomable circumstances.

Facebook Author page:
http://www.facebook.com/Rkagan4

Facebook Book Club:
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Reviews

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fight

Action packed, heartbreaking, emotional and filled with so much love, understanding and forgiveness. The third book in the series, this book focuses on the two sisters Kara and Anka and their love for each other and for the children Greta and Karl.

Abram, a figure from the past returns and a horrible situation is brought to be. Kara suffers and Oskar shows his true colors as Kara dares to hope of a life she has dreamed of with the person she loves. Oskar will do anything to hold on to Kara.

Anka learns a secret about Oskar from her husband, Ludwig, when they reunite after a brief separation caused by his affair with another woman. When Ludwig and Anka go to tell Kara the secret a fight occurs which changes all their lives.

Will Oskar keep Kara from Abram? Is Abram still alive? Will Karl ever know his real father? This is the conclusion of the series and all questions are answered. The ending was well written and a brilliant conclusion to the story.

The characters throughout the series are so vivid and full of life. You will feel their pain, their sorrow and their love. It will frighten you, sadden you and fill your heart with happiness at times. A wonderful story of two sisters.

I enjoyed this third book and the whole series. I know that you will enjoy it as much as I did. I do recommend this book and this series.

Thanks to Roberta Kagan, The Book Whisperer, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy for my honest review.

[Daniëlle Faber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story starts just before WWI and we meet brothers Erich & Oskar, see them grow up.

When Oskar dies in the trenches during WWI, Erich is devastated. He decides to take his brothers name, to live as Oskar and through his war hero status climb the Nazi ranks.

Oskar ends up marrying Kara and she has a (dangerous) secret. But she’s not the only one harboring secrets… Secrets that eventually come to light and have serious consequences.

I really enjoyed this story, it’s definitely an easy read and might pull a bit on your heartstrings… I do suggest you check for TW before reading it.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series kept me quickly turning pages and wishing not to stop reading as I made me way through it. Without giving the ending up, I will say that the end of the last book seemed to make a hurried attempt to wrap everything up in a neat little bow. It was an excellent series of books and I highly recommend for WWII historical fiction fans!

[Toni Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Web of Secrets”, by Robert Kagan

Jews, The Third Reich and A Web of Secrets book #3

“A Web of Secrets” brings to a close a heart wrenching and moving historical WW2 fiction trilogy. The stories in each installment revolve around two sisters: Kara and Anka and in each episode we discover more details how the war affected their lives. It is always preferable to read books in sequence and I strongly suggest you do this.

In the 3rd story we go back in time when Oskar was a young boy growing up in Germany being indoctrinated into a system he was forced to be part of. Then we move to the war and Oskar takes center stage while Kara, his loving wife, is still ignorant that her beloved Oskar is the sadistic commandant in Auschwitz and to everyone who he takes a dislike to. More killing and more surprises awaits us in this terrible family saga.

Will she see the true him? What about Abram the father of her son will he survive the horror of the camp? How about Anka where will her life lead? All this is answered through the vivid lines Ms. Kagan expertly penned for our enjoyment in the final book. It is a page-tuner, no doubts.

Once I opened this book I didn’t want to put it down although at midway I asked myself seems I read this before why rehashing the past stories, then it came clear that the repetitions were warranted in order for those who haven’t read the previous books get up to speed, although I find this to be a bit of an irritant. That aside, the story is action packed, emotional and filled with naïve love. I like the characters even the evil Oskar , all were well- drawn so much so that I wanted many times to slap Kara for her to acknowledge how manipulative her killer of a husband was. But eventually Oskar secrets caught up to him and his careful crafted life crumbled around him.....and awe what an ending....

I hate to see this series end but it was a good journey reading it. Thank you, Ms. Kagan for providing hours of enjoyment to your reader.

I received this book from The Book Whisperer via Netgalley for my thoughts.

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Web of Secrets was intriguing book full of secrets and deceptions. Certainly a heartbreaking and emotional story about two sisters trying to overcome tragedy and adversity. Will they find happiness?
A historical fiction full of love and redemption.
I do have to say, I had a bit of a hard time getting into the flow of the authors writing style.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Web of Secrets by Roberta Kagan was a beautifully written book and I really enjoyed it. This book is about to young sisters tory of two sisters, Kara and Anka. and It takes place in Germany and Poland prior to WWII at the beginning of Hitler's rise to power. The Nazi's have started to impose restrictions on the Jewish people and then it escalates to terror. Kara and Anka are very close and have to be because of abusive father.
Kara who is the oldest sister tries to protect Anka who is her younger sister. However, as they grow older they drift apart. So many things happen and Anka marries a Nazi and Kara falls in love with a Jewish man. But, Kara is hiding a big secret from her sister and her husband and its becomes harder and harder to hide as the war progresses.

This book is So good and you can feel for both sisters within this book.

Big Thanks to Roberta Kagan, Netgalley Connect, and Netgalley U.K. for allowing me to read an early copy of the book for an honest re

[Alyson Lucille · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Loved this series!

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Finale

I loved this book out of the three of them. Wonderful ending and a twist that I didn't see coming this time. I hope that Roberta Kagan never stops writing!

[Carolyn Scarcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, I have finished 3 series saga. It is unbelievable to read this third volume of this series brings to a close this series. I skipped the first book called “My son’s secret”. I had read the second book “The stolen child”. The third and final book “A web of secrets” by Roberta Kegan. This book was really a page turner and it is a real eye-opener. These characters throughout this series are so vivid and full of life. You will feel their pain, their sorrow and their love. It will frighten you, sadden you and fill your heart with happiness in time. This story recounts is about sisters, Abram and where Oskar’s past and why he behaves bad and cruel to the Jews and everyone he hates and why does he lies and keep secrets. There is a shocking twist in his story.

[Samadhee Ismail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third and final book of the series and truth to be told, I was waiting for this book to come out soon. In this book, you will learn more about Oskar Lerch, the brutal Nazi who likes to torture and with the Germans losing the war, what is eventually going to happen, to the lives of Kara, Anka, Abram and Oskar.

The first few chapters is about Oskar and how he ended up becoming the brutal Nazi, outlining about his family and about his twin brother. I am not going to give much spoiler but let's just say there's a bit of a twist between Oskar, and his twin brother. Then comes Abram who is determined to live after he realized that Kara is alive with their son Karl and Kara who is pregnant with Oskar's child. There's also Anka's failed marriage with Ludwig and that Ludwig is supposedly having an affair. But that's where the story starts.

Just like the two previous books, I managed to finish this book within two days and didn't want to put the book down, wanting to know what is going to happen in the end. I was literally hooked into the book, hoping that Abram and Kara will reunite and survive. The author as usual has done tremendous research about the history, that Nazis not only hated the Jews but Gypsies, Poles, communists and political prisoners are also victims of the brutal regime. It was intense also as I was glued to the book, wondering what's going to happen next. However, the ending was left with satisfaction and something that I expected with Kara and Abram living happily ever after in newly formed Israel.

Nevertheless I was kind of sad to finish the series but I am looking forward to read more of the books from the author again!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Web of Secrets is the third book in the trilogy, spanning the decades from the early 1900s to shortly after WWII. The backstory of Walter and Hedy, though too hurried to me, is interesting, and we get a good look at Oskar's life before he meets his wife, Kara. He is SS with the Nazis but treats Kara and her son Karl with kindness. However, as the war reaches a crescendo, so do their lives. Deceptions and secrets abound all over the place. Kara's sister Anka and her husband Ludwig have issues of their own. In the story we see lives saved and lives wasted, genuine love and obsession, joy and tragedy, tenderness and barbarism.

My favourite aspect of the book is the twistiness, some predictable and some not. I also enjoyed learning about the psychology behind characters. The writing style is simple but effective.

Though reading the trilogy in order would be helpful, it is not critical. But of course the third book should be read last.

My sincere thank you to The Book Whisperer and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book!

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

And we got to the end of the story, this book is the last book in the WWII series Jews, the Third Reich.
With her extensive historical research Roberta Kagan has written a climactic ending to this extraordinary story. We read about the fate of all the characters in the Saga, Oskar, Anka, Abram.

We learn about Oskar's past and the reason he behaves so sadistically towards the jews and everyone whom he takes a dislike to, why does he lies and weaves such a web of secrets. There is a shocking twist in his story.

Will Anka gets to find out the true nature of her husband Oskar? Will she stay with him?

What about Abram? Will he survive the horror of Auschwitz? Does he gets to reunite with his family at the end?

All of the questions that we have throughout the whole story encompassing the three books of the series are answered on this book, with lots of heartbreak and shocking events this book will keep you glued to it from the first page until the last one.

I can't recommend this book enough, truth is I can't recommend enough the whole trilogy, it is that good,

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third and final book in the series. The story starts just before WWI and we meet brothers Erich & Oskar, see them grow up. In this book, you will learn more about Oskar Lerch, the brutal Nazi who likes to torture and with the Germans losing the war, what is eventually going to happen, to the lives of Kara, Anka, Abram and Oskar. The first few chapters is about Oskar and how he ended up becoming the brutal Nazi, outlining about his family and about his twin brother. I am not going to give much spoiler but let's just say there's a bit of a twist between Oskar, and his twin brother. Then comes Abram who is determined to live after he realized that Kara is alive with their son Karl and Kara who is pregnant with Oskar's child. There's also Anka's failed marriage with Ludwig and that Ludwig is supposedly having an affair. But that's where the story starts. The story flows well and provides the insight needed to finalize the series.

Thanks to Roberta Kagan, The Book Whisperer, and NetGalley

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Web of Secrets: Jews, The Third Reich, and A Web of Secrets Book 3 is by Roberta Kagan. This third book is definitely one worth waiting for. It is so compelling you can’t put it down.
Kara has married Oskar and she and her son Karl are living in luxury. Her secret is safe for the time being. Her sister Anka has come to visit with her newly adopted daughter, Greta. After her husband leaves, she informs Kara that she has left Ludwig because he was having an affair and refused to get rid of the woman. Oskar is concerned when he finds out Ludwig is having an affair with the woman he trusted with the secret of his having kidnapped Karl and arranged to find him for Kara. Something must be done to keep his secret safe.
Abram has been in Auschwitz for some time. He has a friend, Moishe, who is with him when he has to build a garden for Oskar’s wife. Oskar’s wife turns out to be Abram’s Kara.

[Tracy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is best if you have all 3 from this trilogy on hand when you begin as each is a direct continuation from the novel before it. You’re not going to want to wait for the next instalment and just fluidly read.

Psychopaths; subhuman; the hatred of heart and torture of other people will never be something I can wrap my head around. I wish less lives were lost in these covers. Not just the prisoners but other characters in the story line. One man’s greed for power (not even Hitlers but Erich-Oskar) and poisoning ego stressed me out.

Ankas selfishness was so thick it drove me.

Definitely a good read!

One petty part that bothered me was the dog. Depending on who was talking about it Patches bounced between genders. “She’s a sweet thing”, I was always afraid of dogs til we got her’….”Don’t shoot him I love him”, ‘Abram laid him on the blanket inside”.

[Deb Beachburgmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read the first two books in this series but I was able to read this as a stand alone and could totally see the characters and how they have interacted and where the story was going in this book. I loved the storyline and the way the tangled stories of the characters. I was not a huge fan of the writing style, it felt a little clipped .....I prefer a story that flows and I get lost in the pages....that being said I had a hard time putting down as I wanted to know what happens in the end with these characters.
I gave it 3.5 stars for writing style I would have given more if the style was different.
I would recommend this series to a friend or my book club
I received a free copy from NetGalley and The Book Whisperer. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Donna Dyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Are More Alike Than We Are Different

Once again a great book by MS. Kagan. As always full of tears of sadness and tears of joy. After reading each book it seems like years before the next book comes out,but it is really just a few months. We must never forget what happened by the hands of Hitler and his regime. We are all God's children no matter our color or religion. We can't ever let what happened in Germany happen again in the world. Man can be so cruel to each other. Love for each must be. Thank you Ms. Kagan for your factual gift of writing. Looking forward to your next book to keep us remembering.

[Diane Bishop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing 3rd book in series

This is my first Roberta Kagan series. I usually enjoy historical fiction, and was enjoying book 1. Then with book 2, I began to see typos & grammatical errors, but persisted, even though this is a turn-off for me. Book 3 is just too far a stretch for me: twins conceived by two different fathers? Really?! Once I got into the second half of this novel, I had to throw in the towel - it became too much of a stretch and there were just too many grammatical & typographical errors. Who does the editing? Who wants to spend leisure reading time reporting errors? Not me. Two stars for the writing material, none for book 3’s story line.

[Victoria Baldin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Web of Secrets by Roberta Kagan

I was so happy to get my hands on Roberta Kagan’s third and final book in her latest saga, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets.

In this book we learn more about Oskar, where he came from and what he is capable of. I enjoyed reading from Oskar’s point of view, you get to know him on a personal level and when he retells what happened in the past (books 1 and 2) you see how dark and evil his heart is.

I loved this book from beginning to end, the story was fast paced and exciting and I loved the ending.

I would like to thank Net Galley and The Book Whisperer for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Sarah B White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, The War Is Over!

I am so happy that I have finished this book. The third volume of this series brings to a close this series. I am so relieved to see a resolution to the series and am happy that the main characters were able to be re-settled away from the war torn Germany. Read to find out where they were resettled. These characters are so alive in my memory and I realize that their experiences are representations of many people.

I enjoyed this trilogy and the way the story was presented. I hope you enjoy it also.

[Karen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over all I enjoyed reading this trilogy by Roberta Kagan. I loved the contrasting characters and how some grew while others stayed the same. She seemed to show how all of us have things in our lives that perhaps we don't want others to know. I just wish, Kagan had used dates throughout the entire series. At the end Kagan does use dates of the final years of WW II. I don't want to tell you anything about the third book, because I may say too much and I don't want to ruin it for you. You will need to read it for yourself.

[Matt Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Psychopath Nazis Lost in the End

We have all seen psychopaths in the work place and worse running around and causing harm in our cities and countries. In WW11 these creepy people held positions of power over the Jews and used that power in an attempt to annihilate a race
Their problem however was that despite their evil intentions and actions, decent people of the world would not stand by and let it happen. We can never forget what

happened or how it happened and this book helps us remember how sick people must be conquered and will be conquered .

[vicki reynoldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

a frightening but beautiful story

I lived for a while in Germany and loved it and admired the people I got to know. But, I struggled to understand how these friendly and kind people were part of what happened in Germany. This story helped me to understand how they were also victims of Hitlers Germany and how this happened to them. Everyone handles things differently and how coping skills help us and also make us victims at times. This story was beautiful in the end and informative into how bad things happen to good people. Thank you Roberta Kagan.

[Jane Reid-Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished Web of Secrets and I loved every minute of it. It continued the story of Oskar and Kara and Karl.
The story was riveting and painful to read, but well written !
The characters in the book became family to be. I cared about them and felt deep sorrow for them!
I especially liked how to book ended and where the family ended up after the war!
I always enjoy Roberta Kagan’s books and recommend them to anyone who reads Historical Fiction! Great job Roberta!!

[Yvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a banging ending to this series! In this story, we follow Oskar from his earliest childhood years up until the current point of the story, with Kara. His secrets are catching up to him rapidly, and his carefully crafted life is falling apart all around him. There is a dramatic climax that quickly brings resolution to Kara and Karl's journey. It's a bittersweet story that brings a fulfilling conclusion to their family's story.

[Sandra Matheny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three reviews in one of a series

These books really made me cry! History telling does not do what these books do!
They make the holocaust horrific, cruel and disgusting & real!!!!
I could not put this series of books down!
Thank God for the end of the nazi rule.
Germany is not to blame the nazi’s are w Hitler at the top
Now we have similar issues in America!
Are we going to let history repeat itself, or fight it???
America will make that decision

[Bethany Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the third in the series (which for this author means the conclusion of the original book, as you have to read all three to get the entire story), and was disappointing in my opinion, compared to the other two. I had to read it to find out what happened, but the ending could have been included in book two. There was too much filler information in this book that, in my opinion, was unnecessary for the conclusion of the book. The ending is as expected.

[Carey Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of every Kagan series I have read - this was third in this series that takes us towarda the end of WWII in Poland - German SS officer is hiding secrets from his wife that will change her life. Kara discovers her Jewish lover is alive. It all comes together in this final book of Jews, the Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets

[Martha J. Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting slant on WW2 story

I enjoyed all three of the books in this series, but at times struggled to stick with this story. You seem to lightly brush through so much of the effects of this war era and the hardships of the “rejected” people who endured . But was glad I stuck it out!

[Geoff Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

This last book in the series as in the first two books It portrays the evil shown to the Jewish people Gypsies and other people that did not got into the Nazi ideology.
The book should be in all Libraries so people do not forget the atrocities that occurred in Nazi Germany.