Midnight in Berlin

In 1939, British Colonel Noel Macrae, stationed in Berlin and witness to the rise of the Reich, decides that he might be the only Englishman with the opportunity to avert war. As he attempts to convince the British government of his mission, the colonel becomes torn between his government's orders and his own personal beliefs, especially as he falls in love with a German- Jewish woman. Blackmailed by the Nazis, the woman and her family have faced unspeakable horrors, and the colonel must do whatever it takes to help her escape. But the colonel doesn't know that the Gestapo have formed a plan of their own. Aware of the colonel's intense hatred of the Nazi regime, the Gestapo work to draw him into a fabricated plot against Hitler. As the colonel finds himself caught up in a tangled web of shifting loyalties, corruption, and shocking indifference, he soon realizes he must find a way to hold on to his sense of humanity to save not only the woman he loves but also himself. Inspired by true events and characters, James MacManus's Midnight in Berlin is a love story set against a world on the brink of war that will leave you in awe of the human capacity for self-sacrifice and resilience.

About the Author :
James MacManus has worked in the newspaper business for 46 years. He is currently the Managing Director of the Times Literary Supplement. He is the author of On the Broken Shore (The Language of the Sea, UK edition), and Ocean Devil: The Life and Legend of George Hogg which was made into a film starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. His latest book, Black Venus, is a vivid novel of Charles Baudelaire and his lover Jeanne Duval, the Haitian cabaret singer who inspired his most famous and controversial poems, set in nineteenth-century Paris.

Review :
'As pacey as any modern thriller but with a touch of the Edwardian adventure yarn. Midnight in Berlin is a vivid portrait of an entire city in turmoil, seething with intrigue and danger' The Times 'Based on real events, Midnight in Berlin is a gripping, atmospheric thriller, which brilliantly captures the oppressive, malevolent mood of the Nazi capital on the eve of World War Two. Fans of Philip Kerr and David Downing will love it' Roger Moorhouse, author of Berlin at War 'A master-class in how to write a period novel. The research must have been enormous, but it remains completely hidden. The book reads as if written by someone who was there at that time and who is giving personally lived through history a light fictional dusting. This book is written with consummate skill: period setting, historical characters and fictional characters are perfectly rendered. The history is vividly presented and flawlessly accurate. The plot is utterly riveting' Edward Wilson, author of A Very British Ending 'James MacManus's background as a foreign correspondent shines through in this vivid portrayal of Nazi Berlin's feverish atmosphere on the eve of war. A clever weaving of fact and fiction in the darkening world of the late 1930s' David Young, author of Stasi Child 'A fascinating novel. An intriguing and highly recommended book' Country Life 'MacManus clearly did tremendous research to set the novel's scene and his storytelling gifts are as strong as his historical insights' Connecticut Post 'Here is a well-informed, smoothly crafted, fast-paced novel based closely on events in Berlin during the crucial months of 1938-39, and the European politics leading inevitably to war... If you like good historical fiction, and have a penchant for international politics and an interest in the rise of Hitler and life in the diplomatic world of Germany on the brink of war, this is a recommended read emotions and all' Portland Book Review 'This book lived with me long after I d finished it as the courage and determination of those caught up in the pre-war whirlwind had dragged me into the reality and horror of the Third Reich' Diney Costeloe, author of The Throwaway Children