Katastrophe

Description

The new blockbuster thriller from Graham Hurley set against the final stages of the Second World War. Confidant of Goebbels. Instrument of Stalin. What's the worst that could happen? January 1945. Wherever you look on the map, the Thousand Year Reich is shrinking. Even Goebbels has run out of lies to sweeten the reckoning to come. An Allied victory is inevitable, but who will reap the spoils of war? Two years ago, Werner Nehmann's war came to an abrupt end in Stalingrad. With the city in ruins, the remains of General Paulus' Sixth Army surrendered to the Soviets, and Nehmann was taken captive. But now he's riding on the back of one of Marshal Zhukov's T-34 tanks, heading home with a message for the man who consigned him to the Stalingrad Cauldron. With the Red Army about to fall on Berlin, Stalin fears his sometime allies are conspiring to deny him his prize. He needs to speak to Goebbels - and who better to broker the contact than Nehmann, Goebbels' one-time confidant? Having swapped the ruins of Stalingrad for the wreckage of Berlin, the influence of Goebbels for the machinations of Stalin, and Gulag rags for a Red Army uniform, Nehmann's war has taken a turn for the worse. The Germans have a word for it: Katastrophe. Katastrophe is part of the SPOILS OF WAR Collection, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events of World War II. From the mind of highly acclaimed thriller author GRAHAM HURLEY, this blockbuster non-chronological collection allows the reader to explore Hurley's masterful storytelling in any order, with compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the globe. Reviewers on Katastrophe: 'A taut, detailed and compelling read' The Sun 'A penetrating, compelling, and skilfully vivid slice of historical fiction' LoveReading Expert Review 'An immaculately researched historical thriller... This series cannot be recommended too highly' Mike Ripley 'Inventive and thought provoking' Crime Time Reviewers on Graham Hurley: 'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times 'Tense, absorbing and faultlessly plotted' Sunday Times 'Beautifully constructed... This is one of Hurley's finest' Daily Mail 'Hurley's capable and understated characterization makes his lead's story plausible and engaging' Publishers Weekly

Graham Hurley is the author of the acclaimed Faraday and Winter crime novels and an award-winning TV documentary maker. Two of the critically lauded series have been shortlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Award for Best Crime Novel. His thriller Finisterre, set in 1944, was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Follow Graham at grahamhurley.co.uk

A penetrating, compelling, and skilfully vivid slice of historical fiction set as the war-torn fight for survival and their future. Fascinating yet thrilling, stimulating yet shattering, this riveting read opens a path into the very nature of humankind. As the Second World War nears its end the defeated, vultures, and peace brokers continue using intelligence gathered by three very different men. The Spoils of War series is one of my favourites, its epic scale from the intimacy of the chosen few highlights the searing and hidden tragedy of conflict. If you've not yet met these books, do introduce yourself as this is a series not to be missed... Katastrophe hits with immense impact, it is a true powerhouse of a novel and comes as highly recommended by me * LoveReading Expert Review * To anyone who likes an immaculately researched historical thriller (and the depth of Hurley's research is breath-taking) which seamlessly blends fact and fiction, this series cannot be recommended too highly -- Mike Ripley A taut, detailed and compelling read * The Sun (4.5 stars) * Hurley's mastery of historical detail allows him to fashion a portrait of Germany on the verge of Goetterdammerung that bears comparison to Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series. Very highly recommended * The Times * Richly textured... A smart, original read * Financial Times * This novel is inventive and thought provoking, it offers an original take on familiar events. The true nature of war, its grim reality and the hardship of life in the gulag are all vividly portrayed * Crime Time FM *