Hamburg, 1947.

Adam is a young British lawyer is posted to the destroyed city to assist in the prosecution of Nazi war criminals, an exhausting, soul-destroying and demoralising task.

He falls in love with a German prostitute during a time of strict anti-fraternisation rules. Rose is beautiful, educated, clever, witty ... and Adam becomes increasingly obsessed with her.

Then a Nazi prisoner, responsible for the cold-blooded killing of hundreds of innocents, escapes while in Adam's custody. There is only one place for the desperate man to hide: in Hamburg's forbidden Dead Zone. And Adam is even more desperate to find him, no matter what the cost.

About the Author

Richard Vaughan Davies is the author of Fireweed and of In the Shadow of Shakespeare.

Richard ran a business in Chester and North Wales for many years, which grew to become one of the leading independent menswear retailers in the UK.

At one time he took a three-year sabbatical to read English and Italian at the University of Liverpool. He wrote a regular business column in the Liverpool Daily Post and also published a how-to book named Let's Talk Shop.

He and his partner Barbara retired to the Cotswolds in 2007. This was partly in order to live near Stratford-upon-Avon to indulge Richard's love of Shakespeare, where he made the startling discoveries featured in In the Shadow of Shakespeare. He has three children: Zoe, Ric and Zanna.

Reviews
James Sargeant 4.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2017

Verified Purchase A most enjoyable tale. Did he get the girl? You'll just have to read till the end. -- James Sargeant
Ralph Blumenau 4.0 out of 5 stars Experiences of a British officer in immediate post-war Germany

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 October 2017

Verified Purchase The descriptions of the landing on the Normandy beaches in 1940 and of the desolate state in 1946 of a great German city (here called Altenburg, but based on Hamburg) which had been gutted by air-raids are so vivid and gripping that one might imagine that the author is writing about his own experiences. There is, for example, an episode during the battle for Caen which had no particular connection with the story, but which is written with a sense of immediacy that seems to stem from a real experience. But the author was born in 1940, so it must all be based on what he has read and on his imagination; and that is very remarkable.

The book is also interesting in the originality of the attitudes of Adam, the central figure and main narrator in the novel. Normally such a description of the horrors on the beaches is associated with the defeat at Dunkirk rather than with the victories on D-Day. Adam is also somewhat unusual in that he has friends among the conquered Germans - the landlady of the house in which he is billeted, and Ernst Mann, an Austrian-born doctor who lives in the attic.

In 1903 Mann had known Hitler when he was a boy of "around fifteen" and had seen him being brutalized by his father. But Mann reproached himself for having kept to himself something he had suspected about young Adolf. I must not divulge what that was - the author has ingeniously adapted for his own purposes a very obscure fact that is known about Hitler's early life. Had Mann spoken out to the authorities about what he suspected, Hitler's career might well have become something totally different. Mann would have a second encounter with Hitler fifteen years later, and again he could have changed the course of history, but didn't.

Adam also befriends the people in a brothel: the Madam tells him at great length of the horror of the firestorms, and moves him to pity. All this while his job is to work as a lawyer in the War Crimes Office, and so he is steeped in the horrors of the concentration camps. He detests his work and is quite nervous about it. He does not at all exude authority when he interviews prisoners. What makes it even worse (we learn half-way through the book) is that his task is to DEFEND the prisoners, to give the appearance of impartiality to the proceedings. But he is disgusted when he is told of the policy not to be too hard on high-ups who might be useful to the Allies.

He falls in love with one of the girls in the brothel, Rose, (formerly Rosa von Schirm und Loewen), who has lost all her aristocratic family in the raids; and he wants to rescue her from that life. His relationship with her is an important part of the book. It also is one of the things that imperils his job. So does something much worse: a terrible mistake he makes the course of his work - vividly described (and with - eventually - a melodramatic end), but that is all I can say in order not to give a spoiler.

I have some mild reservations about the book. The episodes relating to the Normandy landings seem to me an add-on which have little to do with the rest of the book. I also think that it tails off a little in the last quarter or so: the inventions become more theatrical; the padding - there has always been a little of it - becomes more obvious. There are some twists at the end which makes us see some of the characters in a new light. But I found the ending too abrupt to be satisfactory. However, the book kept me engaged: it is well-written and is something of a page-turner. -- Ralph Blumenau
Patricia Storry 3.0 out of 5 stars ... eyes of the hapless British lawyer Adam and his love for the German girl Rose

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2017

Verified Purchase An immensely enjoyable book portraying post-war Germany through the eyes of the hapless British lawyer Adam and his love for the German girl Rose. The flashbacks of his experiences during the war are cleverly interwoven with his current work at the Services Legal Team in Aultenberg and that of old Ernst Mann an Austrian doctor who had met the young Hitler. No matter who, they are all ' in the shadow of Hitler' and the impact it has on their lives, even at the very end of Adam's life. One person found this helpful -- Patricia Storry
Michael Dubarry 4.0 out of 5 stars Strong debut novel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2019

Verified Purchase Great sense of place and moment. Novel has a wide appeal as a war story, love story and reflections on old age. -- Michael Dubarry
Charles Pargeter 5.0 out of 5 stars A Vivid Imagining

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 October 2018

Verified Purchase This book is set mostly in the immediate months after the ending of the Second World War in a city which is not called Hamburg, but undoubtedly is Hamburg. Adam, the hero, is a lawyer with the thankless task of defending Nazi war criminals. The atmosphere of squalor and distrust in the bombed-out landscape is convincingly created, and the management of a large cast in a variety of time settings is well realised. There is a vibrant love affair, and an investigation into the development of the Nazi ideology, both conducted, in the words of the title, 'In the Shadow of Hitler'. Richard Vaughan Davies's book is a vivid imagining of a troubled time. -- Charles Pargeter
Philip Simmonds 5.0 out of 5 stars Sex and War

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2017

Verified Purchase Sex and war is a readable combination which Vaughan Davies handles brilliantly. His empathy with the ruins of post war, destroyed Germany is immaculately researched. He also provides an interesting, imaginative side story on the childhood of Hitler. The main protaganists are well rounded characters. This is a page turner, albeit elecronically. -- Philip Simmonds
Philip Simmonds 5.0 out of 5 stars Sex and War

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2017

Verified Purchase Sex and war is a readable combination which Vaughan Davies handles brilliantly. His empathy with the ruins of post war, destroyed Germany is immaculately researched. He also provides an interesting, imaginative side story on the childhood of Hitler. The main protaganists are well rounded characters. This is a page turner, albeit elecronically. 2 people found this helpful -- Philip Simmonds
Aeschylus 5.0 out of 5 stars A cracking read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 September 2017

Verified Purchase This clever, lively book zips along with characters that are very much of their time(s). I especially enjoyed how the author interweaves time strands from 1944, 1946 and the start of the 20th century. The plotting is excellent and the ending .. well that would be telling. Most enjoyable. 3 people found this helpful -- Aeschylus
Zanna 5.0 out of 5 stars Historical love story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2017

Verified Purchase Great read! -- Zanna
Judith Done 4.0 out of 5 stars A very good read indeed

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2019

I loved this book. It's a very good example of using historical context and events as a framework for a novel. I read it soon after watching the film "The Aftermath" which is also set in 1946 Hamburg, and this story of Adam, Rose and Dr Mann brought this period to life even more. The main characters are interesting and complex, the daily privations so clearly described and in such detail. I found myself wanting to know about Adam's return to England and civilian life - always a good feeling at the end of a book to wonder what happened next. -- Judith Done
Amazon Customer 4.0 out of 5 stars A great read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2018

I enjoyed it immensely, a real page turner. I definitely recommend it! -- Amazon Customer
Debbie 4.0 out of 5 stars Deft and thoughtful handling of difficult themes - a gripping read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2018

This book took over my weekend - I couldn't put it down, engrossed by the deft handling of its difficult and complex themes. I loved the ambitious but easy to follow structure, the characterisation and the thoughtful reflections on the impact of two world wars on society across Europe. It reminded me of "The Third Man" and "Cabaret", and is equally cinematic. My only criticism mifht be a slight over-dependence on coincidence, but on the other hand that is part of what makes it such a neat, poetic and satisfying read. I will be recommending this to friends and look forward to reading more by this author. -- Debbie
Debbie 4.0 out of 5 stars Deft and thoughtful handling of difficult themes - a gripping read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2018

This book took over my weekend - I couldn't put it down, engrossed by the deft handling of its difficult and complex themes. I loved the ambitious but easy to follow structure, the characterisation and the thoughtful reflections on the impact of two world wars on society across Europe. It reminded me of "The Third Man" and "Cabaret", and is equally cinematic. My only criticism mifht be a slight over-dependence on coincidence, but on the other hand that is part of what makes it such a neat, poetic and satisfying read. I will be recommending this to friends and look forward to reading more by this author. -- Debbie
4.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, graphic but not gory

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2017

An absorbing story with sensitive and credible descriptions of life and love in post war Hamburg where the survivors are trying to eke out a living among the ruins of the City. I enjoyed the writer's sensitive and imaginative parallel of the resurgence of wild flowers and weeds amongst the rubble, symbolising the locals' struggle to recover and survive the horror. He writes of intriguing claims concerning Hitler and the terrible secret of an elderly doctor. Vaughan Davies's descriptive narrative brings the story vividly to life and the pace is mainly fast and gripping. The introduction drew me in immediately. His description of Adam and Rose's romance was deeply affecting and that of the aged Adam in his Cotswold home is empathetic and chilling. I was engrossed throughout.
Royston -- Royston
PeterG 5.0 out of 5 stars Love in the aftermath of war Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2019 A cleverly constructed story of enrequited love across teo world wars. Powerful writing without being too emotional. I enjoyed every page. I still wonder how much of the material about Hitler is true. -- Peter G
C R 5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliantly enjoyable surprise!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2019

I wouldn't normally read a book based around wartime, but a friend advised I read it and, although there were parts which I naturally found truly sad, the story, plot and characters quickly pulled me in. Richard Vaughan Davies has a great talent for getting into the souls of all his characters, male, female, good, bad, old and young, and he writes with an amazing knowledge of his subject. A great read. -- C R
Jeanette 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 October 2018

Having read a few chapters, i realised that i had read this novel back in January, but had overlooked leaving a review. Nonetheless, it was an excellent read and one that i really enjoyed. So much so, i re-read this book. It is rare that i will read a book twice, especially within a year! A well written book and one that i would highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley and Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given. -- Jeanette
IC 5.0 out of 5 stars "In the Shadow of Hitler" - an enjoyable and thought provoking novel Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 January 2018 An enjoyable and thought provoking book, mostly set in the wreckage of a defeated Germany in the aftermath of WW2. The novel's main protagonist is caught up in the lives of the conflict's survivors eaking out a bare living in the ruins while he tries to come to terms with his work as a lawyer in the trials of suspected war criminals. To say more would give away too much - we'll worth a read....... -- IC
Steph Dell 5.0 out of 5 stars A city rising from the ashes

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2017

A real page-turner, a romance developing between Adam. the naive conscientious British officer. and the all-too-knowing Rose, in the immediate aftermath of the second World War. Adam finds himself mixed up in the dangerous underbelly of post-war Germany's starving homeless population struggling to recover, as he works for the British army's mopping-up operations and discovers that peacetime has its own conflicts. 2 people found this helpful -- Steph Dell
Caroline Shaw 5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2018

I loved this book! I heady romp set in the vividly described ashes of post-war Hamburg. Fascinating story lines interwoven. The main character British officer Adam, disgusted by the war crimes he unearths as evidence for the future Nuremberg Trials, seeking relief and oblivion in the local brothel. There he meets the flesh and blood of women trying to survive when they have lost everything. His relationship with the fascinating German doctor who drip feeds Adam, as he unburdens his soul, with revelations regarding the source of Hitler's crazed need for power and control. Flashbacks to Dunkirk and the horrors that Adam endured. A roller coaster ride. Nothing is quite what it seems. No one is quite who they appear. Everyone is trying to make sense of a senseless inferno. -- Caroline Shaw
Caroline Shaw 5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2018

I loved this book! I heady romp set in the vividly described ashes of post-war Hamburg. Fascinating story lines interwoven. The main character British officer Adam, disgusted by the war crimes he unearths as evidence for the future Nuremberg Trials, seeking relief and oblivion in the local brothel. There he meets the flesh and blood of women trying to survive when they have lost everything. His relationship with the fascinating German doctor who drip feeds Adam, as he unburdens his soul, with revelations regarding the source of Hitler's crazed need for power and control. Flashbacks to Dunkirk and the horrors that Adam endured. A roller coaster ride. Nothing is quite what it seems. No one is quite who they appear. Everyone is trying to make sense of a senseless inferno. -- Caroline Shaw
William Fricker 5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed it immensely

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 September 2017

Enjoyed it immensely. The author's voice is clear and resonant and in command of a difficult subject. The descriptions about sex...and love for Rose are honest and true, and without sentimentality. One rarely gets this in many novels. Sensitive, too. Reminds me of a Charles Morgan novel about the First War. The descriptions of battle (The Normandy Landings) will live long in the memory, as will the interrogations of an SS Officer. His knowledge of the time and his love of literary prose folds into the narrative with subtelty and nuance. A great read. -- William Fricker

Giles loves his wife Christine, but they haven't had sex for seven years, since she was violently attacked. He has no intention of leaving her, but is sleeping with Neavah, the young digital freelancer he employed to design his website.

As well as all the usual things a man risks by having an affair, Giles is also dicing with Christine's recovery. Neveah told Giles she is 22 when she's actually 15, so he's got no idea he's also flirting with a prison sentence.

The narrative is split between the perspectives of these three, and also people connected to them, including Neavah's nightclub hostess mother, Marie, and Giles and Christine's daughter, Serena, who is the victim of an online porn scandal.

It's brilliant on consent and underage sex - if a man has sex with a girl who lies about her age, is he still culpable? Compelling.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-12546357/DEBUTS.html

-- Sara Lawrence * Debuts *



Book Information
ISBN 9781739630546
Author Richard Vaughan Davies
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Inkspot Publishing
Publisher Inkspot Publishing
Weight(grams) 210g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 18mm