The Last Nazi (A Joe Johnson Thriller #1)

I don’t want to be too hard about this. I realize its genre fiction and it contains your standard tropes and cliches (the protagonist is ex-CIA for instance), but the problem I had, at least in the first quarter of the book, was the clumsy background exposition via dialogue. Maybe it’s me, but it bugs me when main characters tell each other things they both know and have no real reason to bring it up. I get that this is the first book in a trilogy, but author could have been a little more nuanced in offering us the backstory. So with that nit picked, I will say that the author is definitely capable of solid yeoman work and as the story goes forward it gets smoother and turns out to be a decent little piece of historical spy fiction. So yes, I would still recommend it.

The Last Nazi is about a-CIA-agent-turned-Nazi hunter who gets a case relating to a suspicious suicide. A reporter hires him and the two of them make their way to England in search of two Holocaust survivors’ jewelry store. As the plot unfolds, the two brothers who escaped Rosen Work Camp in Poland are taking gold that Nazis once stole during World War II. The brothers have an interesting back story. As prisoners, they were required to hide the gold deep within tunnels that they helped build. SPOILER ALERT: The brothers get their revenge by selling the gold to a former Nazi at a set price.
My Review: The story is loaded with facts as well as conspiracy theory. I loved the story, the research, and the historical angle the author used throughout the story. Although the plot could be complicated and confusing at times, the author would quickly review parts of the story so you were up to speed while reading.. I enjoyed the book immensely and will probably read more of this talented writer. I highly recommend this book for WWII buffs and conspiracy freaks like me! Dina Rae

A surprisingly good story that ranges from WWII to the present day. Both early and later portions of the story take place in an area of Poland I am very familiar with, and the book does a good job providing a historically accurate description of the area and the part it played in the war. The plot driver is a treasure of Nazi gold hidden in tunnels during the last days of the war. Two brothers who escaped the concentration camp during the war use the gold to torment a evil Nazi in hiding in Argentina. The characters are very interesting, and interact in a variety of ways as Joe Johnson, a former CIA agent turned Nazi-hunter, tracks the aged war criminal despite efforts by two governments to protect the criminal. The Nazi’s son. old friends, former lovers and enemies work with and against Joe Johnson as he tries to understand the issues and do the right thing. The writing is quite good and keeps the level of suspense high as threat after threat impacts Johnson and his team

I love the spy adventures from WW II, but this adventure from Andrew Turpin is just boring. The characters remain names on the page. The action is so slow and so UNimportant that I skipped entire chapters. After skipping several chapters and diving back in to find almost nothing had changed, I gave up on the book. I do not know how authors create believable characters that engage the reader, and unfortunately, Turpin doesn’t either.

This new author has written one of the best books I’ve read! The story covers several different locations with their individual activities then melds them into the main story. This is fast paced and will hold your attention through the whole book. He makes the characters and their purpose in this book, seem very real and believable. You’ll love this book if you like an excellent, fast paced storyline.

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