The Last Nazi

by Stanley Pottinger

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Fourth Procedure comes a riveting thriller about a deadly virus, born of the past, that threatens to destroy the present. The Last Nazi seamlessly weaves genetics, terrorism, and the very human struggle of right and wrong into a terrifying and unforgettable story.

Melissa Gale is an attractive, ambitious lawyer and investigator for the Office of Special Investigations, the Justice Department’s “Nazi Hunters.” Her quarry, known only by the name “Adalwolf,” was the brilliant young protégé of Dr. Josef Mengele, the Butcher of Auschwitz. Presumed dead for almost fifty years, Adalwolf has suddenly reappeared in the United States to take the lives of three people in a chilling, unusual way.

Melissa stalks Adalwolf to bring him to justice, only to discover that he is actually stalking her. She has something he wants: a personal medical history that holds the key to his plan for the ultimate crime. Using a deadly biological virus born of the genetic projects started in the Nazi labs, Adalwolf is about to unleash the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Melissa Gale and the baby she is carrying could be the key to his success.

Trapped in his nightmare scheme, she is forced to fight for her life. The tension builds unbearably as Melissa’s race to save her baby and stop Adalwolf from carrying out his plan forces her to confront the boundaries of good and evil---not only in him, but in herself.

Genres: Thriller, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

John Stanley Pottinger was an American novelist and lawyer. In the 1970s, he held federal offices involved with civil rights enforcement. He also worked as a banker in the 1980s.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked The Fourth Procedure by this author, so I had high hopes for this book. It was a bit disappointing. You find out who the bad guy is way too soon for my taste, and some of the plot twists are too far fetched. But it does raise some ethical questions, though they aren't addressed in any meaningful way. It's a quick read, but not one I would necessarily recommend.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a highly suspenseful but scary book. I really was scared at certain parts and it has a very scary feel the ought this book. The story though is amazing. It is really thought out well and I could not guess what was going to happen next. Everything came at perfect times and while it was scary, I really enjoyed this thriller of a book!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read of suspense. Starting in Germany in WWII and culminating in the United States some 60 years later. The atrocities committed by a teenage apprentice in Auschwitz concentration camp, his escape to America and his lifelong quest to eliminate the jewish population. His story is intertwined with the efforts of a young lady nazi hunter to catch him. The story unfolds with suspenseful twists and turns.

[Gilbert G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I have read so far this year.
Intrigue, action, excitement and an ending that will blow you away! Enjoy fellow Readers.

[Dav · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Nazi • by Stan Pottinger (2003)

The plot: Christmas Eve in Auschwitz, 1944. Hitler's Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele, and his brilliant young protégé, Adalwolf, are on the verge of a nightmarish medical discovery when the war brings it all to an end. But Mengele's insane visions for the Third Reich live on.

More than half-a-century later, FBI agent Melissa Gale's mission is to bring Adalwolf to justice before it's too late. He's emerged from the shadows of history to resurrect a biological terror and unleash it on the world.

The beloved Jewish physician Dr. Ben is a holocaust survivor. As a boy in the camp he was forced to assist Adalwolf during that terrible time. Melissa and spouse David, a Jewish couple, are seeing Dr. Ben to receive fertility treatments and Melissa is finally pregnant. The good doctor Ben is actually Adalwolf. When the Russians were closing in the young Adalwolf killed his adolescent prisoner, Ben and assumed his identity. Adalwolf grew up, went to school and became the Jewish doctor Ben.

What he's really doing with Melissa is developing a genetic virus that's ethnic specific to fulfill the final solution; extermination of the Jewish race. His plan is to make Melissa's baby a virus bomb.

Ben / Adalwolf kills David, Melissa's husband to thwart the investigation and is foiled in his attempt to make Melissa's baby that carrier of the virus. He captures her, but she gets loose and tortures him to find the location of the Harris kid he kidnapped in order to trap her. A hot iron to the stomach makes him tell her everything.

Far-fetched, the story begins rather plodding, but once we find out who doctor Ben really is, the story becomes intriguing. Some Nazi details are well done.

Mostly just OK.







•

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of those books that I couldn't wait to be done with. I knew "who done it" within the first quarter of the book. (I don't know if this is from years of watching "Law and Order: SVU" or if it's just that obvious.) With that being said, the author reveals who the bad guy is way too early in the story.

I could not stand the main character, Melissa. For someone who's an FBI agent and, I figured, has some common sense, she does a lot of stupid things. Then after she does something stupid, she can't believe the consequences of her actions or how she could've "missed something." She's very melodramatic.

There were parts near the end of the book that raised some ethical concerns for me. It's like the book went from being relatively realistic (for the story that it was) to throwing out all sense of the characters' morals and values out the window. I'm surprised the book ended as it did.

Something important to note: There were many graphic scenes in this book. If you're not a fan of detailed gynecological scenes, then I would say to be wary of picking up this book. There were several scenes that made me squirmish.

I'm giving this book 2 stars as the concept of the story is interesting, but it was not well executed.

[David Linzee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A female federal prosecutor hunts Mengele's assistant at Auschwitz through contemporary America and Europe--till he turns on her, and she finds to her horror that she is to play a key role in bringing back the Nazis. This is a spare, mordant thriller with an ingenious plot. But the book is quite short, and the characters get skimpy treatment.

[Vidya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

The Last Nazi by Stan Pottinger is a good read with a strong thriller plot.It has a fast paced story line. The novel begins in World War II-era Germany and ends in the USA. The plot follows a Nazi apprentice who escapes to the USA with a mission to eliminate all Jews and a young Nazi hunter who dedicates her life to capturing him.

[Jeanette Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant

[Jim Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thrilling. Full of surprises & plot twists. Has possibly the most evil villain in literature.

[Fiona Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the whole thing in a day, really enjoyed it.

[Jennifer Antulov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ethical and moral questions are posed, here. i enjoyed reading this one read novel.

[Kristen Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stan Pottinger writes this psychological thriller about Melissa Gale and attractive attorney is in charge of the Nazi hunters. Charged with trying to find all of the Nazi's the escaped to America to avoid prosecution. Stan Pottinger writes a story where maybe the people closest to you are the ones you should fear the most. Pottinger creates tension so effortlessly, by never letting the reader know who the bad guy is until the very last moment. Pottinger melds science fiction and suspense together to make this fantastic book. The tone in this book is very matter of fact, but sometimes he can be wordy which takes away some of the tension buildup. This book will leave you questioning whether or not you truly do know the people closest to you.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first it was interesting enough to keep me wondering, but then the author reveals the criminal's other identity. I had already guessed it. At that point I wondered why read on any further? I decided it was only fair to see how the other would proceed. Well, there was a great deal more action in the second half of the book and several twists and turns I would never had guessed. It was well worth my time as a mystery/thriller. As I read I kept thinking that this could make a good movie. I'm not a screen writer, but maybe you are or you know someone who is? (Note: my copy was an advanced copy that I got years ago as a bookseller, but I'm assuming the bulk of the story remained the same. There were a few typos.)

[Carl Alves · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Last Nazi is a sometimes silly, often melodramatic, and not remotely believable tale of a hunt for an old Nazi. Adalwolf, who once assisted Dr. Mengele, is now in his seventies, and is attempting to create a doomsday virus. I'm not sure how this person would have been able to keep up with scientific development and have been able to get the resources to pull of such a thing, but why sweat the details since this author hasn't. There was not a whole lot to like about this novel, other than some suspense and plot turns, but it would not be enough to recommend reading this. I would stay away from the last Nazi.
Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[Nathan Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book started out as one of those “who is the bad guy” kind of mystery novels, with lots of action. But then the author revealed who the bad guy was in the first 50 pages. It isn’t any fun anymore after you know who dunnit. I skimmed the rest of the book, not because it was riveting, but because I held out in vain for an interesting hook or twist to make the book less predictable than a train route.

[Anica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I borrowed this from the Mike Nelson Audio Library at the station. (All the others are biographies or historical non-fiction.) But right from the beginning I could tell I wasn't going to like it. The wording and imagery are bland. Also, I have trouble getting into a story with an 80-year-old villain. AND it was extremely predictable. I guess Mike Nelson and I don't have as much in common as I thought!

[Henri Moreaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good a read.

If you're a stickler for realism then the story line is a bit of a stretch, however if you can step back and enjoy it for what it is, then it's a pretty good mystery / investigation / nazi story.

The very basic plot is that an offsider of Dr Mengele of Auschwitz is fleeing American law enforcement, whilst also finishing Nazi Germany's work and exterminate all Jews.

There's a few unforeseen twists/plot developments and overall it's a pretty entertaining read.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book demonstrates some of the total depravity humans can sink to. It was a bit hard to take some times. Definitely a lot of tension. Shows how horrible the Nazis were and gives a good basis for what could happen in the future. The thought of a genetic virus being made that could wipe out a whole population of people is chilling. This would be a terrorist's dream. Not sure how the main character could keep going after all she went thru.

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast-paced, decent Nazi thriller in which the plot line was interrupted way too often by annoying scenes of a couple trying to conceive. Although these descriptions were somewhat germane to the story, I would have like more information that dealt with the Nazi's evil scheme to continue the Final Solution. It would have made for a more satisfying read.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weak three stars. The first half was dull, predictable drivel but the book mutates into a half decent thriller in it's back half. Plus the biological terrorist idea was a good one that was well presented for the layman, such as myself. So...not bad. Don't think I'll be running out to read any more by this author but one could certainly do worse.

[Anthony Greiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging book - one of those page turners you cannot put down. I loved the twists, turns and surprises of the main plot. However, there were a couple of early chapters that gave me concern I had stumbled into a romance novel. Never fear - forge through them and you will likely be happy you did.

[Ross Rawnsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, if a touch unbelievable read. I thought it was too "quick" from beginning to end, and would have liked a lot more detail and character development.

That said, it was a fun, easy listen (audio version). I would not go out of my way to find this one, but if you "stumble" across it, its worth a quick tour.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books that very few people have read. (At least people I know.) I highly recommend it. In fact, I just gave it to my mother-in-law to read. You can be sure I feel pretty good about it.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Though at times I wanted to scream at the main character to think about it more and stop making assumptions, it was a good read. The end tied things up a little too nicely though. Interesting if you like Holocaust related stories or mysteries.

[Tim Peeples · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reveal of the nazi comes too soon after the introduction of his undercover character, reducing the shock of the reveal. Motivations for killings make no sense. It is suspenseful if you can suspend disbelief.

[Kasper Lauest · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst book that I've ever read from start to finish. Worse than anything they forced me to read in school. I finished it partly out of mild curiosoty partly because it was such a light read that I never had to employ more than 1% of my brain power.

[Jenny Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. Good. Interesting. But I have to admit, I feel a little indifferent to it, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is the nature of the genre - an FBI case (A genre I don't normally read) - that left me a little disconnected.

[Jill Wilson]

So far, I'm intrigued.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining, captivating, but a little too graphic for my real liking.