I've read many of Marion Kummerow's books, but this one might be my favorite. Although this is the second book in the Escaping the Reich series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone, so if you are new to this author, don't let that stop you. That said, if you've read the German Wives series, you'll recognize the cameo appearances of a few characters. Because this book is set in 1943, it addresses pivotal historical events, such as the infamous International Red Cross visit to the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. (The commandant is a familiar character!) This is more than Judith Rosen's story, although she is such a fascinating character that it would have been enough for me. Her escape plan is interwoven with that of Koloss, the familiar, massive welder from the Berlin train car factory/Resistance member. Although he is 42 years old, he receives a draft notice but cannot bear to serve in the Wehrmacht. The third person of importance in this story is Countess Sophie Borsoi and her continued work with the Swedish pastor, Perwe. Combined, the tensions in the plot were almost more than I could bear. Characters that I was sure would be "safe" weren't. For the last 100 pages, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while also being afraid to see what the next page would bring. Kudos to the author for a plot twist at the end of Dark Shadows Looming Ahead that I never saw coming, but was perfect! "Without the many followers who looked the other way instead of acting, Hitler could never hold on to power. The silent masses have become the guarantors of his rule." "For every active perpetrator, there are ten people who look the other way. They are the reason the Nazis manage to do their evil work." I'll be thinking of what I learned in this book for a very long time and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction lovers.
