BOOK REVIEW: The Barbarossa Secret

TITLE: The Barbarossa Secret
AUTHOR: Christopher Kerr
PUBLISHED BY: The Book Guild

This sensational book exposes a highly secret pact between Nazi Germany and the Allies that few ever knew and those that did could not acknowledge or even dare speak of.

From the darkest days of the Second World War comes an inconceivable story of a smokescreen with astounding allegations. The death of a man in Bavaria in 2020 is the first in a long line of dominos to fall as a journalist searches to uncover the truth of his family’s very personal involvement in one of the greatest hidden episodes of the war. A highly secret pact is revealed between Nazi Germany and the Allies that few ever knew, could ever acknowledge, or even dare speak of. The journalist’s investigation implicates governments, influential factions, and even royalty in an astounding disagreement at the heart of power triggering a major wartime constitutional crisis. His revelations are so dramatic that they will rock the foundations of present-day government and institutions, placing his own life at risk, as intelligence agencies seek to keep the information hidden.

This story is filled with fascinating characters, many of them despicable, such as that most wicked of men, Adolf Hitler. The author has researched everything from his favourite tea set, to where his desk was positioned and how he liked to wear his uniform. The research must have been an endless task; finding out his pet names for staff or favourite places, where he stayed and how he spoke. The research was also true of others in the book such as Sir Winston Churchill and George VI.

Many little known secrets have made their way into the novel; Operation Barbarossa was the largest land invasion in history and many in Britain supported Hitler’s aim of removing the communist Soviet Union as an entity. There are so many secrets to explore which are delved into within this work and the book raises many questions which have never been sufficiently answered or explained. 

This novel will suit anyone, from historians to avid readers of political or historical thrillers and having no knowledge of the war is no drawback. Readers will delight in the experience of an excursion into the corridors of power at a fascinating period in English history.

There is something for everyone in this book, excitement, intrigue and all the elements of a conspiracy theory, furthermore dates and times are correct and there is so much to dwell upon or lose oneself in conjecture, especially for readers who are historians.

There is a useful Biographical Index in the back of the book so that readers can find out more about those that are featured in the story. The author has created events in order to give direction to the plot but the reality of the heart of the story is one which has foundations in what was taking place and which was later covered up. In this story there are no “dry facts” but astounding components which add surprising abundance to the storyline.

Although it is a larger than average novel, it could possibly have been twice the size with still so much to explore and uncover. It is a fascinating read, one to really become engrossed in and be intrigued with; a captivating page-turner which will have many readers staying up all night to finish and once coming to the end, regretting they have finished it.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard