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Amalie
THEY MURDERED FAMILIES
THE FUHRER CANNOT PROTECT THEM NOW
It's not wise to murder the family of a budding assassin. Created by Auschwitz, her skill is honed by revenge.
A very different type of serial killer is loose in 1950s Europe. In Britain, a Brotherhood of powerful men takes notice and enhances the expertise and artistry of a killer.
DCI John Owen was born to serve. Recruited by MI6, he tracks an accomplished executioner whose love of luxury and the arts is second only to the love of watching an early death come to those who truly deserve it.
Join the chase. Then ask yourself...
Can there ever be only one winner?
THE FUHRER CANNOT PROTECT THEM NOW
It's not wise to murder the family of a budding assassin. Created by Auschwitz, her skill is honed by revenge.
A very different type of serial killer is loose in 1950s Europe. In Britain, a Brotherhood of powerful men takes notice and enhances the expertise and artistry of a killer.
DCI John Owen was born to serve. Recruited by MI6, he tracks an accomplished executioner whose love of luxury and the arts is second only to the love of watching an early death come to those who truly deserve it.
Join the chase. Then ask yourself...
Can there ever be only one winner?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2021
About the author
E.J. Wood
16 books154 followers Wood is just a storyteller!
E.J. Wood is a British author of crime, horror, dark romance, and psychological suspense.
Aside from her memoirs, her books feature unhinged, and morally grey characters, although, some readers may argue that even her memoirs feature some very unusual characters.
Wood started writing in 2001. She published a 3-part series of erotic short stories (The Red Death Diaries) in 2015 with Smashwords, and later with Amazon in 2017. Her debut novel, Beyond the Pale was published in 2018.
She loves to chat with her readers and is very active on her Facebook page E.J. Wood Author, so please do reach out. If you have something positive to say about any of her books, she'd be grateful if you left a review and told your friends, as most of all, she just wants you to enjoy her stories.
To be notified about future book releases press "Follow"
Book music PLAYLISTS - Spotify: E.J. Wood | Author
Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/authorejwood
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Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
E.J. Wood is a British author of crime, horror, dark romance, and psychological suspense.
Aside from her memoirs, her books feature unhinged, and morally grey characters, although, some readers may argue that even her memoirs feature some very unusual characters.
Wood started writing in 2001. She published a 3-part series of erotic short stories (The Red Death Diaries) in 2015 with Smashwords, and later with Amazon in 2017. Her debut novel, Beyond the Pale was published in 2018.
She loves to chat with her readers and is very active on her Facebook page E.J. Wood Author, so please do reach out. If you have something positive to say about any of her books, she'd be grateful if you left a review and told your friends, as most of all, she just wants you to enjoy her stories.
To be notified about future book releases press "Follow"
Book music PLAYLISTS - Spotify: E.J. Wood | Author
Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/authorejwood
Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/@_j_wood_au...
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 9, 2021
I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this book, and it did not disappoint. Having a keen interest in history myself, the particular events based around this novel left me intrigued at times, wanting to eagerly learn more. The story of revenge will have you sitting on the edge of your seat with the turn of every page, as you witness humanity through the eyes of Amalie. And the desire that drives her forward for vengeance.
I couldn't recommend enough. A must read.
I couldn't recommend enough. A must read.
March 10, 2021
Okay, I'm a bit slow on reviewing Wood's latest and I will be honest, I just didn't know what to say to best describe how much I LOVED THIS BOOK! You've probably got the jist of what it's all about by now so I'm just going to tell you what I thought
The story starts at the beginning of WW2, which was barbaric, heart-breaking and horrific and as a whole, very few stories are told. What I loved about this book was that it made me stop and think, that regardless of someone's status, if they fit the category - they were all treated the same and whether they survived or not, each person had their own story.
But, what if you survived and the experience completely changed your life's future? We are so indescribably lucky to have not gone through that, but it does make you wonder, what if you had, and survived, what would you do afterwards? "AMALIE" is a fictitious story but I wonder if there were people like her after the war.
I found some parts of the book really hard to read but it made it that much real. There are some well known people who make cameo roles throughout including The Kray twins, and although the story is in itself one of fiction it is quite plausible in those eras.
For me, as a reader, there was one chapter who was a retelling of a survivor who bore her story and I feel it is important for us to become familiar and remember the way it was, so it will never happen again.
Certainly Amalie is a twist on a historic fiction interwoven with a crime story with crime to humanity as its central focus!
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
The story starts at the beginning of WW2, which was barbaric, heart-breaking and horrific and as a whole, very few stories are told. What I loved about this book was that it made me stop and think, that regardless of someone's status, if they fit the category - they were all treated the same and whether they survived or not, each person had their own story.
But, what if you survived and the experience completely changed your life's future? We are so indescribably lucky to have not gone through that, but it does make you wonder, what if you had, and survived, what would you do afterwards? "AMALIE" is a fictitious story but I wonder if there were people like her after the war.
I found some parts of the book really hard to read but it made it that much real. There are some well known people who make cameo roles throughout including The Kray twins, and although the story is in itself one of fiction it is quite plausible in those eras.
For me, as a reader, there was one chapter who was a retelling of a survivor who bore her story and I feel it is important for us to become familiar and remember the way it was, so it will never happen again.
Certainly Amalie is a twist on a historic fiction interwoven with a crime story with crime to humanity as its central focus!
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
April 13, 2021
From the opening of this book I was hooked, intrigued and drawn in. We see Amalie grow up and what she faces along the way to turn her into the person she has become today. How she survived Auschwitz, lost her family and became a woman not to be messed with, a woman to be feared.
It was a very interesting read. A lot of history within the pages and I learnt a lot from this book. You can tell the author has put a lot of research and time into this book and its paid off. I absolutely loved this book. I loved what Amalie stood her ground for I was team Amalie the whole time. I understand why she is the way she is. After all she's been through. A powerful, strong and determined character.
A brilliant read. Addictive. It left an open ending for me and I would love to see more from Amalie. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.
It was a very interesting read. A lot of history within the pages and I learnt a lot from this book. You can tell the author has put a lot of research and time into this book and its paid off. I absolutely loved this book. I loved what Amalie stood her ground for I was team Amalie the whole time. I understand why she is the way she is. After all she's been through. A powerful, strong and determined character.
A brilliant read. Addictive. It left an open ending for me and I would love to see more from Amalie. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.
March 15, 2021
Amalie is a Jew that watched her family be invaded by the Germans, some dragged to Auschwitz and separated, never to see them again.
When the camp is liberated at the end of the War, Amalie is rescued from the orphanage. Despite having everything life can offer, the thirst for revenge is too strong.
The story follows Amalie as she first realises her bloodlust and enjoyment of inflicting pain. She tries to punish those who wronged her.
DCI Owen is a great detective and spot's things others don't. He is trying to catch this killer.
I have some knowledge of the concentration camps but this seems to portray the sheer brutal regimes and the harshness of the conditions.
The absolute terror of the children, the hunger, disease, smell and constant death.
As you read about Amalie, although you realise she's different you really can't help but empathise somewhat with her mission. The people she's punishing absolutely deserve it.
As DCI Owen is chasing her you feel that he also wonders whether he really wants to catch her. Not only that but he's in love with her beauty.
Reading this is addictive, you need to know what happens. There was one bit that made me grateful I wasn't eating at the time!
The story follows the timeline from the early 1930s and through the decades. Its very cleverly written and I really enjoyed it.
When the camp is liberated at the end of the War, Amalie is rescued from the orphanage. Despite having everything life can offer, the thirst for revenge is too strong.
The story follows Amalie as she first realises her bloodlust and enjoyment of inflicting pain. She tries to punish those who wronged her.
DCI Owen is a great detective and spot's things others don't. He is trying to catch this killer.
I have some knowledge of the concentration camps but this seems to portray the sheer brutal regimes and the harshness of the conditions.
The absolute terror of the children, the hunger, disease, smell and constant death.
As you read about Amalie, although you realise she's different you really can't help but empathise somewhat with her mission. The people she's punishing absolutely deserve it.
As DCI Owen is chasing her you feel that he also wonders whether he really wants to catch her. Not only that but he's in love with her beauty.
Reading this is addictive, you need to know what happens. There was one bit that made me grateful I wasn't eating at the time!
The story follows the timeline from the early 1930s and through the decades. Its very cleverly written and I really enjoyed it.
March 31, 2021
I thought this book was amazing. It is so well written with a lot of factual history and social comment interspersed with Amalie’s story. It was an horrific childhood which paved the way for her future...as a serial killer.
Briefly, Amalie is a young girl living in Poland. Her father is British and her mother is Polish, but her mother is also Jewish. It is the start of WWII and having moved to Belgium her father leaves the family to make sure his parents in England are well. Amalie, her brother and her mother are taken by the Germans and transported to Auschwitz. Amalie survives the horrors of the camps, and a subsequent time in an orphanage, before moving to England to live a life of luxury with her uncle William. However, the abomination of her early life doesn’t leave her and she vows revenge... only one detective, DCI John Owen is determined to catch her...
This book is not just a story but a comment on the dreadful legacy of Hitlers death camps. The effect on the lives of the survivors. Did I mention that I loved this book. I have never read this author before but I’m certainly hoping this isn’t the last I see of Amalie and John Owen. Their relationship seemed to me full of a tension that had yet to be released. This was definitely a 5* read for me. Recommended. A must read.
Briefly, Amalie is a young girl living in Poland. Her father is British and her mother is Polish, but her mother is also Jewish. It is the start of WWII and having moved to Belgium her father leaves the family to make sure his parents in England are well. Amalie, her brother and her mother are taken by the Germans and transported to Auschwitz. Amalie survives the horrors of the camps, and a subsequent time in an orphanage, before moving to England to live a life of luxury with her uncle William. However, the abomination of her early life doesn’t leave her and she vows revenge... only one detective, DCI John Owen is determined to catch her...
This book is not just a story but a comment on the dreadful legacy of Hitlers death camps. The effect on the lives of the survivors. Did I mention that I loved this book. I have never read this author before but I’m certainly hoping this isn’t the last I see of Amalie and John Owen. Their relationship seemed to me full of a tension that had yet to be released. This was definitely a 5* read for me. Recommended. A must read.
August 27, 2026
This was a great story that gives us the history of Auschwitz through the eyes of Amalie. Having been there and accounting her life at nine on was very intriguing. It was hard to read what so many were it through and how many were people were lost in those tragic times. But this story moves forward with Amalies life once she gets away from there. Sent to live with her uncle William. Life there was so much better than what she’s gone through.
There was so much that took place into her twenties, she sought revenge from those that had hurt her and others while they were in the camps. And that’s what she set out to do. Unfortunately for me, I felt like there was more telling of the history that got her to where she was in her upper teens to early twenties, than there was about her exacting this revenge. While I appreciated the build up of this part, I felt like it took too long. I understand that there will be a second book to this, but there were a few things in the story that didn’t make sense to me. Such as Cole (a detective she’d met once when they were teens), and the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall though, I really enjoyed this story and a looking forward to the next one.
There was so much that took place into her twenties, she sought revenge from those that had hurt her and others while they were in the camps. And that’s what she set out to do. Unfortunately for me, I felt like there was more telling of the history that got her to where she was in her upper teens to early twenties, than there was about her exacting this revenge. While I appreciated the build up of this part, I felt like it took too long. I understand that there will be a second book to this, but there were a few things in the story that didn’t make sense to me. Such as Cole (a detective she’d met once when they were teens), and the ending felt a bit rushed. Overall though, I really enjoyed this story and a looking forward to the next one.
March 6, 2021
When I read the blurb for this book, I was automatically intrigued by it. Growing up during the second world war, Amalie found herself separated from her parents and a resident of Auschwitz alongside her brother. They manage to survive but just before they are liberated, they end up separated and she never sees him again. Totally alone she then finds herself in a home for children left without families. It is here that we start to see the extent of how the experience of what Amalie had to endure affected how she reacts and thinks. As a family member is found Amalie goes to live with her uncle in England and before long, she is “employed” by a secret society known as the brotherhood and what they want her to do she seems to take great pleasure in bringing her to the attention of MI6 and DCI John Owen.
This is definitely a book of two halves but to appreciate who Amalie becomes you have to understand what helped form her actions. Her time in Auschwitz left her with no real sense of what was right or wrong as from an early age she was shown that every bad deed ends up being punished and more often than not, that punishment was both brutal and fatal. Just as it looked like she may be given a fresh start, she was actually let down by the one person who could have protected her and possibly helped her to overcome her childhood. In her own warped way, she did have some form of moral compass as all her actions were against people who were guilty of bad things and she also made it her mission to seek out Nazi officers that she held responsible for the death of her family. Although you could not necessarily condone what she was doing, you can see why she acted the way she did. It is this grudging respect that I think is evident in DCI Owen when he is dealing with Amalie.
DCI Owen is very much a loner, not always trusted or liked by his colleagues he tries to understand Amalie. During their occasional meetings I wondered if secretly he didn’t actually want to capture her, he certainly didn’t want to kill her. Amalie herself liked to verbally spar with him as I think on some level she felt that he was the only person that could challenge her and I think they actually both like the chase, the longer it takes the more they get to delve into what makes the other person tick. There is one part of the book that I found the most honest, when DCI Owen was interviewing a fellow resident of the home, he described them as a victim. This was quickly shot down and they said they saw themselves as a survivor as to be a victim that meant that the Nazi’s had won. For me Amalie was both a survivor and a victim. She was a survivor of the horrors of the war but later became a victim of people around her and of her own sense of vengeance. This is at times both a brutal and honest book, whilst it is not fast paced it is a book that will keep your attention right to the end.
This is definitely a book of two halves but to appreciate who Amalie becomes you have to understand what helped form her actions. Her time in Auschwitz left her with no real sense of what was right or wrong as from an early age she was shown that every bad deed ends up being punished and more often than not, that punishment was both brutal and fatal. Just as it looked like she may be given a fresh start, she was actually let down by the one person who could have protected her and possibly helped her to overcome her childhood. In her own warped way, she did have some form of moral compass as all her actions were against people who were guilty of bad things and she also made it her mission to seek out Nazi officers that she held responsible for the death of her family. Although you could not necessarily condone what she was doing, you can see why she acted the way she did. It is this grudging respect that I think is evident in DCI Owen when he is dealing with Amalie.
DCI Owen is very much a loner, not always trusted or liked by his colleagues he tries to understand Amalie. During their occasional meetings I wondered if secretly he didn’t actually want to capture her, he certainly didn’t want to kill her. Amalie herself liked to verbally spar with him as I think on some level she felt that he was the only person that could challenge her and I think they actually both like the chase, the longer it takes the more they get to delve into what makes the other person tick. There is one part of the book that I found the most honest, when DCI Owen was interviewing a fellow resident of the home, he described them as a victim. This was quickly shot down and they said they saw themselves as a survivor as to be a victim that meant that the Nazi’s had won. For me Amalie was both a survivor and a victim. She was a survivor of the horrors of the war but later became a victim of people around her and of her own sense of vengeance. This is at times both a brutal and honest book, whilst it is not fast paced it is a book that will keep your attention right to the end.
March 13, 2021
Where does an assassin begin? Through childhood horror? Or must she be trained? How easily can the horror be turned to murder on demand? For Amalie that transition was easy.
Written within historical settings, Amalie will take you through a time tunnel sprinkled with some of the best murders you'll love to see happen. Just enjoy them for what they are. And enjoy Amalie for the relentless revenge she exacts.
Written within historical settings, Amalie will take you through a time tunnel sprinkled with some of the best murders you'll love to see happen. Just enjoy them for what they are. And enjoy Amalie for the relentless revenge she exacts.
March 10, 2021
Not my usual detective read...but...I really enjoyed it. Amalie is a book where you struggle to understand the inhumanity that occurred in the second world war. Incarcerated in Auschwitz at just nine she survives until the camp is liberated. Unable to live with what she has been through she collaborates with another deadly party. A good intriguing read.
April 17, 2021
I wasn't sure what to expect from Amalie as it's a little out of my comfort zone, but I was really engaged by this fascinating novel. Wood approaches the subject of World War II and the Holocaust from a different angle to one I've read before and I was really interested to find out more. The research is done in a lot of depth, as shown by the extensive bibliography and Wood's passion for the subject really comes through.
The title character, Amalie, is brilliant. I loved her courage and her sense of humour and I felt able to connect with her, despite her having done things that I absolutely do not condone! Her character has many layers and it was interesting to read as Wood peeled them back for us.
Each chapter in the novel begins with a quotation. I loved these, as they added a little more insight into both the subject matter and the characters and helped me to think about what was happening on a deeper level.
As the novel reaches its conclusion, the tension really starts to build. I really wanted to know what would happen to Amalie and DCI Owen and I was compelled to keep turning pages until the very last one.
The title character, Amalie, is brilliant. I loved her courage and her sense of humour and I felt able to connect with her, despite her having done things that I absolutely do not condone! Her character has many layers and it was interesting to read as Wood peeled them back for us.
Each chapter in the novel begins with a quotation. I loved these, as they added a little more insight into both the subject matter and the characters and helped me to think about what was happening on a deeper level.
As the novel reaches its conclusion, the tension really starts to build. I really wanted to know what would happen to Amalie and DCI Owen and I was compelled to keep turning pages until the very last one.
March 12, 2021
An intriguing story of cruelty, torment and revenge. Amalie's story begins when she lost her family during the holocaust. A vivid portrayal of her time in Auschwitz is followed by a tale of her life as an efficient murderer. Victims are chosen based upon revenge and dispatched with ease and intense suffering. Amalie is soon noticed by The Brotherhood and her killings continue. John Owen is the detective trying to capture and halt Amalie's killing spree and the story of their relationship is intertwined with a chase through the decades. This book contains many historical references throughout and, if I had any criticism, it would be this area which I found laborious. Whilst the historical content adds background to the story, it can sometimes feel irrelevant and detracts from the storyline. At times I felt as if I was back in a history lecture theatre. For example, the in-depth background of executioner Albert Pierrepoint and his processes may be interesting but, added nothing to the plot. In parts, I felt important areas were skipped over. I would have liked to have read more on Amalie's fate, including a trial, rather than the history lessons. However, this book is still a great read and I will certainly read more from the author.
March 13, 2021
After reading the blurb for this book, I was intrigued to read it. It wasn't my usual genre, but thought I'd jump right in and I'm so glad that I did. Amalie's story begins with WW2, with a 9 year old girl finding herself headed to Auschwitz , she survives but the inhumanity and barbarity she experiences changes her forever. Amalie's life after the liberation sees her going to live with her uncle in England and she begins a journey of revenge against those who wronged her. Her life becomes one of luxury and privilege, but she cannot let the past go ~ it haunts her.
But Amalie's handiwork doesn't go unnoticed, she comes under the scrutiny of The Brotherhood, who decide to employ her considerable talents. DCI Owen is recruited by MI6 to track down the assassin and so begins a game of cat and mouse.
I loved the way the author created the background for Amalie's actions, highlighting the horrific circumstances she was forced to endure. Amalie and Owen seem diametrically opposed, but you're left wondering how things might have been, there seems to be more than a grudging respect of one another.
I received the book as an ARC from the publisher, Question Mark Press, in return for providing an honest review
But Amalie's handiwork doesn't go unnoticed, she comes under the scrutiny of The Brotherhood, who decide to employ her considerable talents. DCI Owen is recruited by MI6 to track down the assassin and so begins a game of cat and mouse.
I loved the way the author created the background for Amalie's actions, highlighting the horrific circumstances she was forced to endure. Amalie and Owen seem diametrically opposed, but you're left wondering how things might have been, there seems to be more than a grudging respect of one another.
I received the book as an ARC from the publisher, Question Mark Press, in return for providing an honest review
July 11, 2026
This is the second time I have read Amalie although this book is the updated version and once again I am blown away by this work of art.
Praise for Amalie a wonderfully written book. The story is set between 1939 to the 1970’s and follows Amalie a strong willed 9 year old and her family during and post WWII in a gut wrenching tale that takes the reader from Hungary to Belgium, Germany to Paris, England and Wales.
Although Amalie is a work of fiction, running parallel is a timeline of historical events.
Some of the topics included in the book are murder, separation, revenge and an unrelenting strength of a young girl whose life pans out from orphanage to living with her Uncle William. I love how influential and protective William is over Amalie.
The descriptive writing, detail and depth created by this author is second to none… it is sublime.
Praise for Amalie a wonderfully written book. The story is set between 1939 to the 1970’s and follows Amalie a strong willed 9 year old and her family during and post WWII in a gut wrenching tale that takes the reader from Hungary to Belgium, Germany to Paris, England and Wales.
Although Amalie is a work of fiction, running parallel is a timeline of historical events.
Some of the topics included in the book are murder, separation, revenge and an unrelenting strength of a young girl whose life pans out from orphanage to living with her Uncle William. I love how influential and protective William is over Amalie.
The descriptive writing, detail and depth created by this author is second to none… it is sublime.
March 20, 2021
Surviving the horrors of the concentration camps, Amalie grows to become a woman with a mission to exact vengeance on the people who murdered her family.
This is a fascinating, extremely well written book which draws you in from the very beginning as it follows her from becoming a child to a woman and because of this, you learn how she becomes what she is and why. Although at times brutal, it is never gratuitous as I found myself rooting for her and fully sympathised with her reasoning.
The research E J Wood has done to bring this book to life is nothing short of amazing, and because it references so many parts of history it made me become more involved in the story than I would have ever thought.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I know it certainly won’t be the last.
This is a fascinating, extremely well written book which draws you in from the very beginning as it follows her from becoming a child to a woman and because of this, you learn how she becomes what she is and why. Although at times brutal, it is never gratuitous as I found myself rooting for her and fully sympathised with her reasoning.
The research E J Wood has done to bring this book to life is nothing short of amazing, and because it references so many parts of history it made me become more involved in the story than I would have ever thought.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I know it certainly won’t be the last.
March 24, 2021
A new author for me, I was lucky enough to get the chance to read this through an ARC group. This book definitely didn't disappoint - intriguing, bloody, brutal and harrowing. The book follows Amalie through the horrors of the holocaust onto a new life as an assassin.
I'd highly recommend this - I finished it in three sittings, definitely a page turner.
I'd highly recommend this - I finished it in three sittings, definitely a page turner.
July 7, 2022
Where to start? Quick synopsis: Amalie is just nine years old when the second world war broke out. She and her family go into hiding. With her mother and brother she is sent to Auschwitz, survives but seeks revenge for their death. I don't want to give away too much but I absolutely loved the historical facts interwoven throughout, it adds a sense of realism. I learnt a lot too. Love Amalie. If you love killing eve, give this book a go. I want to read more.
March 23, 2021
Not the type of genre I normally read, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Very well written and kept me in suspense the whole time!
March 23, 2021
I’m a new reader to this author and I’ll definitely be checking out other titles!
Very well written and handles some difficult circumstances with a lot of respect. I would recommend.
Very well written and handles some difficult circumstances with a lot of respect. I would recommend.
March 23, 2021
This is the first book I've read by EJ Wood and couldn't put it down. Will be reading more by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2021
Fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt for the main character
September 16, 2026
Amalie, 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amalie takes us into the life of what it was like being a child during WW2. More specifically, a Jewish child.
The story starts off deep, gut wrenching, horrifying, yet it’s beautiful.
In the beginning we met Amalie and her family. They’re living in Hungary EU. Everything seems normal this fine day when they’re called inside (Amalie and her brother) they get home and they notice somethings wrong but their parents aren’t truly telling them why… They end up packing and moving. But that’s only the beginning to their horrible, broken story.
Amalie and her brother are tired of the moving, never being in the same place for longer than what feels like a few months. Tired of going hungry, worrying about their next meal or of they’re going to pack and move again. Things are getting more difficult as the days go on. And one day, when they think they’re safe from the soldiers, they’re found… They’re brought to the camps and suddenly, Amalie and her brother are forced from their mom. They fear they’ll also be separated. I can’t say I blame them. They’re somewhere scary and all they have is each other. They make sure they stay together as much as they’re able to and luckily they are. Hearing the stuff they went through in those camps had me sick to my stomach. You hear about the concentration camps, where those Kids and every other person went through. The life they were forced to live and you can’t help but feel sad for every person there (in this story and in real life too 💔)
As the story progresses, we watch Amalie grow into an amazing badass assassin. Dealing those same cards she was handed early in life. And then she meets someone. No, not someone she was expecting but something about him is intriguing and catches her eye..
Read more of Amalie to find out what happens and where the story goes before Amalie Rising releases October 2, 2026.
Huge Thank you to E.J. Woods for allowing me to read yet another one of her amazing books! 🥰
Amalie takes us into the life of what it was like being a child during WW2. More specifically, a Jewish child.
The story starts off deep, gut wrenching, horrifying, yet it’s beautiful.
In the beginning we met Amalie and her family. They’re living in Hungary EU. Everything seems normal this fine day when they’re called inside (Amalie and her brother) they get home and they notice somethings wrong but their parents aren’t truly telling them why… They end up packing and moving. But that’s only the beginning to their horrible, broken story.
Amalie and her brother are tired of the moving, never being in the same place for longer than what feels like a few months. Tired of going hungry, worrying about their next meal or of they’re going to pack and move again. Things are getting more difficult as the days go on. And one day, when they think they’re safe from the soldiers, they’re found… They’re brought to the camps and suddenly, Amalie and her brother are forced from their mom. They fear they’ll also be separated. I can’t say I blame them. They’re somewhere scary and all they have is each other. They make sure they stay together as much as they’re able to and luckily they are. Hearing the stuff they went through in those camps had me sick to my stomach. You hear about the concentration camps, where those Kids and every other person went through. The life they were forced to live and you can’t help but feel sad for every person there (in this story and in real life too 💔)
As the story progresses, we watch Amalie grow into an amazing badass assassin. Dealing those same cards she was handed early in life. And then she meets someone. No, not someone she was expecting but something about him is intriguing and catches her eye..
Read more of Amalie to find out what happens and where the story goes before Amalie Rising releases October 2, 2026.
Huge Thank you to E.J. Woods for allowing me to read yet another one of her amazing books! 🥰
May 17, 2021
There are sometimes debates on whether serial killers are born that way or if life creates them. Well, this one was created by things experienced and seen. The story begins in pre-war Germany and follows a family as they move from Germany to Brussels. Then the father returns to Britain but, the mother, son and daughter are sent to Auschwitz. The chimnies are belching out thick white smoke when they arrive by train, they will never see their mother again. To survive, they have to do things that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
The story jumps quite quickly through the pre-war years and the time that they spend in Auschwitz until the day when the children have to choose, what to do as the war comes to a close. So many war criminals return to normal life, but what they did will never be forgotten. When relatives in the UK are found it means a new start for the child, who will live with a very wealthy uncle.
Now things become interesting, and money is no object. In Auschwitz, you learn quick, and now that knowledge could be put to the test. There was a lot of war criminal targets and an organisation to back getting even. There was only one problem, an ex DCI assigned to the new spate of killings John Owen, now working for MI6 and he is after the one named the executioner.
It is not a story for the faint-hearted as war criminals pay the price of their crimes in some very imaginative ways. The executioner is skilful and enjoys the work a little too much. It is a great cat and mouse game between them both, with banter galore. I instantly liked Owen, who works out of Stafford, ironically not far from me. That always makes it more interesting. You don’t have a lot to work out in this book, but the story is still brilliant.
I wish to thank the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
The story jumps quite quickly through the pre-war years and the time that they spend in Auschwitz until the day when the children have to choose, what to do as the war comes to a close. So many war criminals return to normal life, but what they did will never be forgotten. When relatives in the UK are found it means a new start for the child, who will live with a very wealthy uncle.
Now things become interesting, and money is no object. In Auschwitz, you learn quick, and now that knowledge could be put to the test. There was a lot of war criminal targets and an organisation to back getting even. There was only one problem, an ex DCI assigned to the new spate of killings John Owen, now working for MI6 and he is after the one named the executioner.
It is not a story for the faint-hearted as war criminals pay the price of their crimes in some very imaginative ways. The executioner is skilful and enjoys the work a little too much. It is a great cat and mouse game between them both, with banter galore. I instantly liked Owen, who works out of Stafford, ironically not far from me. That always makes it more interesting. You don’t have a lot to work out in this book, but the story is still brilliant.
I wish to thank the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
April 22, 2021
Amalie's progress through the latter half of the Twentieth century has a thread running through it of moral culpability and the nature/nurture of evil. The anti Anne Frank, this is a traumatised and abused young girl whose formative years are spent hiding, on the run and then imprisoned, first in Auschwitz and then in a brutal orphanage.
Her letters to the English side of the family,recovered from the remains of her childhood home after the Auschwitz liberation by Allied Forces gives Amalie an escape route to post war England.
Her uncle, William, plays a Professor Higgins role in getting this child with her adult sensibilities and associated traumas, to be inserted in the 1950's society of London. Interwoven with this acclimatisation, are key events from the decades as they pass. As Amalie moves from one to the next, she leaves a swathe of bodies behind her, actions which catch the attention of M16 as well as a masonic-esque organisation named The Brotherhood, who want to bring her down or use her as the ultimate assassin.
Was Amalie created in the ashes of Auschwitz? Was her experience of losing all her family, seeing the unbearable numbers of deaths on a daily basis which forged her into a sword of vengeance against those who stood by, whose defence was 'I was only doing my job'?
Although the cover of the book makes it look like a horror novel, it is more an adaptation of historical fiction, which fits a wide expanse op time and events into its pages. The syntax and grammar is sometimes clumsy, and the characterisation of John Owen, the nemesis of our 'heroine', is thin, the sense you get from the story, and Amalie herself, is that she bears witness to, and claims justice for her people. It is a challenging read as the author does not shy away from the horrors of the Second World War, but, then , neither shoudl she.
As she states in her afterword, we live in a day and age where freedom of speech means people can stand up and say that the Holocaust never happened.
And as long as there are people saying things such as this, there will be so many standing up to shout them down, keep the memory of the worst atrocity ever committed by humans alive so that the deaths of millions are afforded the proper and correct respect. Often you will also hear 'that was such a long time ago, why do we have to keep learning about it?
My response would be that well known phrase, that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And until we can be fully sure that this cannot happen again, it is al our collective responsibility to call out ignorance, derision and 'dismissal of genocide around the world. What is happening in other countries makes it clear that it is still continuing, the religious and cultural persecution which has claimed so many lives. And for that reason, books like Amalie remain important, as, if we could, wouldn't we want vengeance on those whose humanity is so lacking that they can lead others to their deaths?
This is what makes Amalie such a complex creature-is she the product of her experiences? Without the influence of her uncle , would she have gone further and done worse in the name of revenge? And, is she wrong to want to wreak havoc on those who see her as a weak woman, ripe for picking off the vine?
An interesting and layered read, this leaves the reader with lots of questions.
Her letters to the English side of the family,recovered from the remains of her childhood home after the Auschwitz liberation by Allied Forces gives Amalie an escape route to post war England.
Her uncle, William, plays a Professor Higgins role in getting this child with her adult sensibilities and associated traumas, to be inserted in the 1950's society of London. Interwoven with this acclimatisation, are key events from the decades as they pass. As Amalie moves from one to the next, she leaves a swathe of bodies behind her, actions which catch the attention of M16 as well as a masonic-esque organisation named The Brotherhood, who want to bring her down or use her as the ultimate assassin.
Was Amalie created in the ashes of Auschwitz? Was her experience of losing all her family, seeing the unbearable numbers of deaths on a daily basis which forged her into a sword of vengeance against those who stood by, whose defence was 'I was only doing my job'?
Although the cover of the book makes it look like a horror novel, it is more an adaptation of historical fiction, which fits a wide expanse op time and events into its pages. The syntax and grammar is sometimes clumsy, and the characterisation of John Owen, the nemesis of our 'heroine', is thin, the sense you get from the story, and Amalie herself, is that she bears witness to, and claims justice for her people. It is a challenging read as the author does not shy away from the horrors of the Second World War, but, then , neither shoudl she.
As she states in her afterword, we live in a day and age where freedom of speech means people can stand up and say that the Holocaust never happened.
And as long as there are people saying things such as this, there will be so many standing up to shout them down, keep the memory of the worst atrocity ever committed by humans alive so that the deaths of millions are afforded the proper and correct respect. Often you will also hear 'that was such a long time ago, why do we have to keep learning about it?
My response would be that well known phrase, that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And until we can be fully sure that this cannot happen again, it is al our collective responsibility to call out ignorance, derision and 'dismissal of genocide around the world. What is happening in other countries makes it clear that it is still continuing, the religious and cultural persecution which has claimed so many lives. And for that reason, books like Amalie remain important, as, if we could, wouldn't we want vengeance on those whose humanity is so lacking that they can lead others to their deaths?
This is what makes Amalie such a complex creature-is she the product of her experiences? Without the influence of her uncle , would she have gone further and done worse in the name of revenge? And, is she wrong to want to wreak havoc on those who see her as a weak woman, ripe for picking off the vine?
An interesting and layered read, this leaves the reader with lots of questions.
June 21, 2022
I found this a very absorbing story that is not always a really easy read.Set from the Second World War we meet Amalie, a girl who had a horrific start in life. She was sent to Auschwitz as a Jew during the war years. She survived that experience then end up in one of the many orphanages that sprung up after the war. Amalie found no refuge there, the children were treated almost as cattle there too. Is it unusual to say she became an assassin after her torturous and demeaning life?
Amalie almost reduced me to tears with the life she had. The descriptions of Auschwitz really got me. I have been to a Nazi labour camp in Holland and that killed me, reading about Auschwitz made me think if I had survived that horror I would want to repay the Nazi's that aided that camps horror too! DCI Owens is the man attempting to catch her, but is he hunter or prey? What happens when a case becomes obsessive? You will have to read it to find out.
A story that has been meticulously researched and woven together to bring a book that I was enthralled with. A heartbreaking tale that on one hand brings a tear to your eye and on the other a gasp of disbelief! I for one was (in my head anyway) holding people down for Amalie, they deserved everything they got….my opinion for what it's worth!!
Amalie almost reduced me to tears with the life she had. The descriptions of Auschwitz really got me. I have been to a Nazi labour camp in Holland and that killed me, reading about Auschwitz made me think if I had survived that horror I would want to repay the Nazi's that aided that camps horror too! DCI Owens is the man attempting to catch her, but is he hunter or prey? What happens when a case becomes obsessive? You will have to read it to find out.
A story that has been meticulously researched and woven together to bring a book that I was enthralled with. A heartbreaking tale that on one hand brings a tear to your eye and on the other a gasp of disbelief! I for one was (in my head anyway) holding people down for Amalie, they deserved everything they got….my opinion for what it's worth!!
July 1, 2021
This is the first time I have read a book by E J Wood, wasn't sure what to expect but WOW! What a story! This book captured my attention right from the very start and I really could not put it down. I read from start to finish in 2 days.. the quickest I have read a book in quite a while. The story follows Amalie,the lead character, from her childhood right through to adulthood with a lot of twists and turns on the way. Sometimes through very harrowing and tragic circumstances that were all part of WW2 and the Holocaust. You can tell when reading that the author has a real interest and knowledge of these historical times from our past. I, myself have visited Auschwitz and the parts of the book based here are very factual.. it took me right back there and I could imagine exactly where the events of Amalies' story unfolded.
An absolutely brilliant, accurate, well written story. I loved it!
Thank you Emma J Wood... I can't wait to read your next book ❤
An absolutely brilliant, accurate, well written story. I loved it!
Thank you Emma J Wood... I can't wait to read your next book ❤
June 19, 2021
A book with an interesting blend of genres. An historically accurate depiction of the true horrors of World War II intertwined with the story of Amalie, a young girl who lived through it all and developed into a serial killer. I do enjoy crime and thriller type novels but normally wouldn't be enticed into reading anything historical, however, I must admit that this aspect of Amalie did keep my interest throughout the book. In addition, Amalie's character is so complex (she is funny, confident and outspoken) that you cannot help but like her despite her dark side.
June 20, 2021
This was an enjoyable read, well written and with characters that really made the story. It touches on a couple of historical events that I find interesting (not in a morbid way) and the way the author tied the facts and information in to the story was great. Amalie is a Jew and we know the despicable, tragic history of Jews. Is a serial killer born or are they created from a chain of horrific events. Is Amalie righting the wrongs, is what she doing really so bad or is it just vigilante revenge. I was rooting for Amelie even though she was technically the baddie in the story.
March 12, 2022
Apart from the dreadful cover!!!! I found AMALIE to be one of the best books I've read lately. Lightly gory....but not too descriptive..as we are talking about a female serial killer....product of the horrors of Auschwitz(well described)....who actually endeared me to her...but really so!!
An original story, accurate historically, fast paced and enlightening, that introduced me to London's gangster underworld and the ways and endings of many other serial killers.
Not my type of reading usually but so glad someone in the club published it...I looked it up as I just couldn't believe that the cover would hold such a good read.
4.5 stars as in parts I found it confusing and had to re-track to find out where the character had appeared before.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE.. Don't let the cover put you off...it is NOT a serial B chainsaw murder.
Will read more by this author.
An original story, accurate historically, fast paced and enlightening, that introduced me to London's gangster underworld and the ways and endings of many other serial killers.
Not my type of reading usually but so glad someone in the club published it...I looked it up as I just couldn't believe that the cover would hold such a good read.
4.5 stars as in parts I found it confusing and had to re-track to find out where the character had appeared before.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE.. Don't let the cover put you off...it is NOT a serial B chainsaw murder.
Will read more by this author.
June 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amalie by E.J. Wood 🍴 🤚
If you are looking for a historical fiction thriller set during the Holocaust era of World War II, this is the book you need to read. It was amazing from beginning to end. The emotions, suspense, and drama were felt through every page. I was completely hooked by the storyline and the vigilante justice. You already know vigilante justice is always going to be a winner for me, and this book definitely delivered! Great job, E.J. Wood!
If you are looking for a historical fiction thriller set during the Holocaust era of World War II, this is the book you need to read. It was amazing from beginning to end. The emotions, suspense, and drama were felt through every page. I was completely hooked by the storyline and the vigilante justice. You already know vigilante justice is always going to be a winner for me, and this book definitely delivered! Great job, E.J. Wood!
May 12, 2022
Not my usual detective read...but...I really enjoyed it. Amalie is a book where you struggle to understand the inhumanity that occurred in the second world war. Incarcerated in Auschwitz at just nine she survives until the camp is liberated. Unable to live with what she has been through she collaborates with another deadly party. A good intriguing read.
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