A political murder in Nazi Germany

Deaver sets his novel in the period around the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany. An American buttonman (hitman) to shoot publicity on behalf of US intelligence to senior Nazi Reinhard Ernst. For this he is done with the US Olympic team to Germany, where it meets one problem after the other.

The novel is narrated typical Deaver, he often jumps between the various protagonists and tells their story. Interestingly, he manages to make the three main characters appear more or less sympathetic. On the one hand the American killer, whose personal background and the desire to create with this murder once and for all, a new non-violent existence, makes him quite likeable. On the other hand, the potential victim, who is thoroughly described human and it is not always easy to have in the turmoil and intrigues of the German Nazi leadership - its inhumanity all the time can be felt, but until very late in the book in his incredible cruelty is felt. Last but not least the German chief inspector who is on the case to it, a man who wants to do his job properly, but otherwise nowhere will rubbing with the regime, but of trying to help but when it comes oppressed and humiliated people and the Nazi regime from the depths conviction despised.

Total Deaver creates certainly an interesting view of the people of this time to show and demonstrate that not all people have to stand in a dictatorship behind this. What's a bit uncomfortable regurgitates the fact that Deaver keeps trying to install the German language, whilst it is clear that he has no idea. This will for example be seen when one reads that he permanently the word "Oh" puts into the mouth every German, on the other hand, if he babbles of literal translation that does not work, and in the process examples assumes that exceptionally "literally translated" course stay.

Aside from this weakness, you're dealing with an ordinary thriller that illuminates a time which is still taboo for many. Unlike Fatherland by Robert Harris is the time but much less described drab and gloomy. Although one notices always and everywhere that people are afraid and insecure and Deaver describes this very forcefully and credibly, but Harris' novel causes significantly more anxiety.