James Patterson, the world’s #1 bestselling author, has brought us hundreds of memorable thrillers, as well as works of historical fiction and nonfiction. His latest release, which he wrote with David Ellis, is no exception and may be his most impactful novel yet.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR delves into the murders that Adolf Hitler may have committed in the wake of World War I and before his rise to power that would bring about World War II. It follows three individuals who are involved in the investigation behind the mysterious death of Geli Raubal, Hitler’s half-niece and much younger lover, who may have been killed by his own hand. This also may not have been the only vile act that he can be blamed for prior to the Holocaust.

"THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a wild ride across familiar territory, but it feels brand-new in the hands of Patterson and Ellis.... I do not know if the authors’ intention was to remind us that history often repeats itself, but it certainly was a message I took away from this intense work."

You may wonder how Hitler was allowed to take charge of Germany and ultimately be responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people if he already was a murderer. The answer is found in these pages as those investigating him face unbelievable opposition. Reading this novel is akin to watching a movie that ends in tragedy (I’m thinking Titanic or United 93), where the story and characters are so compelling that you almost forget it is not going to end well. Still, Patterson and Ellis shed light on a piece of history that is rarely talked about, which makes for a truly enlightening and fascinating read from start to finish.

Hitler had several depraved proclivities, a few of which have been well documented, but the possessiveness he had with Geli --- in addition to the unsavory acts he forced her to perform --- caused a divide between them that eventually brought about her death. Hitler’s circle makes it look like a suicide, but Detective Thomas Bauer feels otherwise and is determined to see that justice is served. To do so, he knows that he must team up with journalist Fritz Gerlich, who is eager to report the truth about Hitler and bring him down before he can permanently corrupt Germany.

In the modern-day storyline, which takes a firm backseat to the events leading up to WWII and beyond, Eleanor Robbins is an American professor who is in Europe to follow up on physical evidence that finally will uncover the circumstances behind Geli’s murder. However, Neo-Nazis are still quite loyal to the Führer and will stop at nothing to prevent her from defiling the memory of their long-departed leader.

Bauer and Gerlich are met with much resistance that threatens not only them but their families as well. Hitler and his inner circle have endowed the Nazi Party with endless power to do what they want, and they basically run every level of government and law enforcement. The fact that Geli was pregnant when she was murdered is never made public and can be added to the immense list of atrocities committed at his behest.

In a plot that rivals that of the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds, Bauer and his colleagues are prepared to see things through to the very end, resulting in a monumental showdown inside the bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery.

THE MUNICH AFFAIR is a wild ride across familiar territory, but it feels brand-new in the hands of Patterson and Ellis. The fact that the book is being released at a time when antisemitic feelings seem to be on the rise globally makes the reading experience extra chilling, but also important and necessary for all of us to absorb and understand. I do not know if the authors’ intention was to remind us that history often repeats itself, but it certainly was a message I took away from this intense work.