Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke

January 15, 2015
A former intimate of Adolf Hitler returns to prewar Germany to save her beloved, all while fighting the rising power of the Nazi Party. In this sequel to Prisoner of Night and Fog (2014), 18-year-old Gretchen returns to her native land in 1933, as the Nazis become ever more firmly entrenched in German politics. Gretchen and her Jewish beau, Daniel, seek the truth about the (real-life) Reichstag fire in order to discredit Hitler and the National Socialists. If only they can prove Hitler is lying about the arsonists, surely they can prevent him from gaining a stranglehold on German politics. The tight interweaving of Gretchen's journey with historical events lends a sense of the genuine-and results in the fascinating experience of following a quest readers know is doomed to fail. As Gretchen winds ever closer to the inevitable confrontation with her formerly loving "Uncle Dolf," it becomes increasingly unclear what she can salvage from the rising horror of Nazism. Mixed in with the bleak reality are adventure-novel goodies to maintain the pace: organized crime, prostitution and cocaine. Gretchen's too inwardly focused to see danger in Hitler's rise beyond the risk to herself and her friends, but Daniel provides rare if vital perspective. Suspenseful and clever, intertwining historical truth with action-packed shootouts. (author's note, bibliography) (Historical fiction. 13-16)

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March 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Using false identities, Gretchen Whitestone and Daniel Cohen barely escape to England as the Nazis come to power in Germany. Gretchen, now Gisele, is living with Dr. Whitestone and his family, finishing high school with the goal of becoming a psychoanalyst. Meanwhile, Daniel is frustrated working for a society column that publishes meaningless news, yearning for the work he did back home. Living in safety, they can't help but feel powerless as they hear of the terrible events unfolding in Germany. Then Daniel receives a disturbing telegram that forces him to return despite the risks. When Gretchen receives news that Daniel is wanted for murder, she knows she must face her greatest fears in order to save him. As the Nazi net tightens it grip around the pair, they find allies in the most unlikely of places. This leads to information that will not only clear Daniel's name but could taint the credibility of Hitler and the Nazi party. In the sequel to Prisoner of Night and Fog (HarperCollins, 2014), Blankman once again expertly crafts a powerful story full of mystery, intrigue, romance, and edge-of-your-seat terror and suspense. The well-researched plotlines are fascinating, while the multidimensional cast of characters drive the story. Readers will root for Gretchen and Daniel as they place themselves in danger while fighting to uncover the truth. VERDICT A captivating historical fiction title with an author's note for reference.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

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March 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Blankman's sequel to Prisoner of Night and Fog (2014) furthers her budding reputation as one able to seamlessly incorporate impressive amounts of research into a rich, surprising narrative. Gretchen, 18, and her Jewish boyfriend, Daniel, might have escaped Hitler's Germany, but a fabricated murder charge draws them back to clear Daniel's name. It's a somewhat unconvincing motivation, but after the duo hits Berlin, the book's meld of romance, action, and thriller is utterly convincing. Blankman organizes her story around a series of gangbusters set pieces: first, our heroes land at a Nazi rally; next, Gretchen goes undercover in a brothel; then, she and Daniel find themselves among a gang of tough-nosed Communist resisters; then, Gretchen finds herself at a ballroom dance, suddenly swept into the arms of the infamous Reich military leader Hermann Goringand so forth, creating a heady sweep of truth and fiction. The mystery, revolving around Goring and a mistress he might have killed, twists effectively, ramping up to a real-life historical conspiracy. Bold and brave.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)