A magical novel about the surprising acts we are capable of in the name of love
Set in 1942 New York and Berlin, A Master Plan for Rescue is an enchanting novel about the life-giving powers of storytelling and the heroism that can be inspired by love. In essence, it is two love stories: that of a child who worships his parents, then loses his father to an accident and his mother to her resulting grief, and that of a young man who stumbles into the romance of his life, then watches his beloved decline, forever changing the arc of his future. Each story is propelled by the belief that if one acts heroically enough, it will restore some part of what--or whom--has been lost.
But when they meet, this boy and this man, their combined grief and magical thinking allow them to dream the impossible. Sharing stories of the people they have lost, they are inspired to join forces and act in their memory--to do something so memorable that it might actually bring their loved ones back--even if only in spirit.
A Master Plan for Rescue is a beautiful tale, propelled by history and imagination, that suggests people's impact upon the world doesn't necessarily end with their lives, and that, to some degree, we are the sum of the stories we tell.
About the Author :
Janis Cooke Newman is the author of the novel Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln. She is a member of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto, on the board of Litquake, and a founder and organizer of the Lit Camp writers conference.
Vikas Adam is a classically trained actor with numerous credits in stage, film, commercials, and television, in addition to his hundreds of recorded audiobooks. In 2025 he was named a Golden Voice, AudioFile magazine's lifetime achievement honor for audiobook narrators. His narrations have garnered numerous other awards and nominations, including more than twenty-five AudioFile Earphones Awards, various Best of the Year lists, and the prestigious Audie Award. He was an inaugural inductee into the Audible Narrator Hall of Fame.
Paul Boehmer attended his first Shakespearean play while in high school; he knew then that he was destined to become the classically trained actor he is today. Graduating with a master's degree, Paul was cast as Hamlet by the very stage actor who inspired his career path. A nod from the Universe he'd chosen aright! Paul has worked on Broadway and extensively in regional theater. Coinciding with another of his passions, sci-fi, Paul has been cast in various roles in many episodes of Star Trek. Paul's love of literature and learning led him by nature to his work as a narrator for audiobooks, his latest endeavour. Paul is married to the love of his life, Offir, and they live in Los Angeles with their two midnight-rambling tomcats, Dread and David. Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman's The Genius, Cory Doctorow's Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin's Selections from Dreamsongs.
Judy Young is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.
Review :
"A Master Plan for Rescue tells several stories: a young boy coming to terms with bullying and death; a mother's inability to deal with grief; a man haunted by the woman he left behind...And all these stories are told with insight and an almost-magical belief in possibilities."
-- "Booklist"
"A delicate, surprising novel about the ties that bind family and those we love over the ravages of time. This is a World War II novel, but unlike any I'd read before. Janis Cooke Newman is just so wonderful at bringing details of the past to life. She one of the best historical novelists we have today. I loved this book."
-- "Katie Crouch, author of Girls in Trucks"
"A magical novel with the power and resonance of a fable. A Master Plan for Rescue is about seeing and being seen, the importance of bearing witness, the lengths we will go for love, and the enduring capacity for hope."
-- "Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author"
"Two dreamers create an audacious plan to rescue a group of Jewish children. Newman makes vivid the daily risks and courageous choices individuals face in wartime."
-- "BBC.com"
