I like it when a book ties two eras together. What’s better than a mystery? A mystery that spans generations, that’s what! And that is what the latest Brad and Karen thriller from Geoffrey Cooper delivers.
The story begins with a plan to plant a Nazi spy in the U.S. in the waning days of World War II. His mission is to act as a sleeper agent; establishing himself as seemingly an ordinary citizen and then, using his knowledge of chemistry and biology, gaining access to American laboratories and beginning work on a Nazi genetic warfare program.
It’s an ambitious plan, the kind that takes patience and commitment to unfold. It also reminded me a little of the sort of Nazi plots that Wonder Woman would have to foil week in and week out on the classic TV show.
Well, Brad and Karen are the next best thing when it comes to unraveling such plots! The book flashes forward to the present day, where the medical researcher and the veteran investigator are notified of a lead from a retired FBI agent who has picked up the trail of the scheme hatched in the 1940s.
Not that there’s much to go on. The Nazi sleeper cell hasn’t left many clues, but from the bits and pieces available, they begin to put things together. Combined with the flashbacks that fill in the details for the reader, we start to learn the full extent of the conspiracy. Not to spoil too much, but let’s just say that even though Nazi Germany is long gone, the operation hasn’t stopped.
Fans of Brad and Karen’s past adventures will enjoy the familiar dynamic between the two. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy the decades-spanning plot that sees the Nazi plan evolve across the eras. There’s plenty here for long-time readers of the series and newcomers alike. I know that in the past I’ve sometimes alluded to having “World War II fatigue” after having read so many books and seen so many films set in that period. But I made an exception to that for this book, and I’m glad I did. Cooper delivers another enjoyable yarn, with some interesting scientific info artfully woven into it as usual.
