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A thrillingly written account of a plot that could have altered the course of world history.

The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch was a big hit with our First Impressions readers, earning an overall average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Meltzer, a bestselling author of thrillers, previously worked with Mensch, an acclaimed writer and television producer, on two other books about historical schemes: The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy.

What the book is about:

The story centers around a possible Nazi attempt to kill Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), Winston Churchill (UK) and Joseph Stalin (USSR) while they met at the secret summit of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, in 1943, while World War II was raging. The book details the history of these three different men, how their countries were plunged into the war, the decisions they made to work together to strategically end WWII, and the pressure this war put upon them mentally, emotionally and physically (Anke V). Eminently readable, The Nazi Conspiracy uses the German efforts to assassinate the three Allied leaders as a framework to recount personal, political and military events — for both the Allies and Axis nations — as well as the geopolitical importance of Iran to both sides of the war, a subject that doesn't seem to be addressed in many books about WWII (Carol C).

Readers were repeatedly impressed with the The Nazi Conspiracy's ability to engage and tell a good story.

I found myself talking about the book with family throughout the reading of it. To me, that eagerness to discuss is a sign of such a smooth engrossing style of writing that is much different than the history book lessons we learned as kids (Melissa S). The authors kept me on the edge of my seat… This book is the best thriller I read in 2022 (Janis H). Unlike many nonfiction books, this one is well-paced, and moves along at a good clip. Much like a spy novel, the story details intrigue and subplots at a crucial time of WWII (Daniel H). The authors have put together a story that includes much of what the war was about, but also how far Adolf Hitler was willing to go to win. The meeting at Tehran was crucial for the Allies but more crucial was Hitler's plan to kill all three leaders. The book tells this so well and without a single boring war story. It is an amazing tale (Peggy K).

Many reviewers also remarked that the work contained information they had never encountered before.

School history classes give WWII short shrift, and much of this was very new to me. I plan to reread it soon and maybe pick up some other books about the era. A winner! (Barbara C). I wasn't even aware that Iran played a role in WWII. I've read a good number of books about this war yet had never heard about this particular conspiracy (Ruth O). Even though I have good knowledge of the people and events of WWII, this book taught me much I didn't know (Janet H).

Some mentioned that the book is broader than its framing might suggest, giving a fresh perspective on the World War II era and even current affairs.

I think the title does not do the work justice. Both sides of the inner workings of leadership of the war are represented as well as the multitude of actions that took place before the Big Three meeting (Melissa S). This book not only allows for an understanding of the current Ukraine issue but of issues that were imposed on various countries in the past (Babe H). While about the conspiracy, the story also tells of the culture and politics of the time (Patricia W). The authors quite thoroughly document the roles of each of the three leaders... It is one of the most readable histories of the forces driving the war effort and result (Henry W).

Ultimately, readers thought The Nazi Conspiracy should appeal both to history enthusiasts and those who don't usually read historical nonfiction.

Highly recommended to anyone who is already a fan of WWII history and wants to explore a different perspective or those who want to expand their knowledge of iconic events and leaders of the 20th century (Florrie C). Would provide plenty of fuel for book club discussions. And you don't have to be a WWII fan to enjoy this book (Vicky S).

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in January 2023, and has been updated for the January 2024 edition. Click here to go to this issue.

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