Review: The German Heiress by Anika Scott

Title: The German Heiress

Author: Anika Scott

Published: April 2020, William Morrow Paperbacks

Format: ARC Paperback, 384 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

For readers of The Alice Network and The Lost Girls of Paris, an immersive, heart-pounding debut about a German heiress on the run in post-World War II Germany.

Clara
Falkenberg, once Germany’s most eligible and lauded heiress, earned the
nickname “the Iron Fräulein” during World War II for her role operating
her family’s ironworks empire. It’s been nearly two years since the war
ended and she’s left with nothing but a false identification card and a
series of burning questions about her family’s past. With nowhere else
to run to, she decides to return home and take refuge with her dear
friend, Elisa.

Narrowly escaping a near-disastrous interrogation
by a British officer who’s hell-bent on arresting her for war crimes,
she arrives home to discover the city in ruins, and Elisa missing. As
Clara begins tracking down Elisa, she encounters Jakob, a charismatic
young man working on the black market, who, for his own reasons, is also
searching for Elisa. Clara and Jakob soon discover how they might help
each other—if only they can stay ahead of the officer determined to make
Clara answer for her actions during the war.

Propulsive,
meticulously researched, and action-fueled, The German Heiress is a
mesmerizing page-turner that questions the meaning of justice and
morality, deftly shining the spotlight on the often-overlooked
perspective of Germans who were caught in the crossfire of the Nazi
regime and had nowhere to turn.

My thoughts: I have been on quite a role with picking up some amazing historical fiction lately and this one by Anika Scott is no exception. One of the things I love about historical fiction is that no two books are ever alike, even if they are on the same subject. Each is always a unique perspective and I absolutely love that.

This book is all-consuming and intense. I also loved that there was a hint of mystery and suspense to it that kept the tension building throughout. Clara is desperate to find out what happened to Elisa. I loved that while I was reading this, I found myself wondering what I would do if I were in Clara’s place. Would I have made the same decisions, acted the same as she did?

I loved that this book is a unique take on the typical World War II novels in that it is

told from the perspective of a German woman wanted as a war criminal by the Allied forces after the war. I liked how I never quite knew what was going to happen and as the story progresses, secrets come to light. There are twists and turns that keep you flipping the pages wondering just what is going to happen next. 

This is a character-driven story and I appreciated that. I found myself completely wrapped up in Clara’s story, wondering just what was going to happen to her. It truly is a thought-provoking book and reading it now, with everything going on in the world today puts things into perspective. If you enjoy absorbing historical fiction, I highly recommend this one.