A hidden Nazi fortune. A disgraced Bletchley clerk. A mission no trained
agent could survive.
In the ruins of post-war Europe, Sophie Faulkner only wants the past to leave
her alone.
Once a gifted German-speaking clerk at Bletchley Park, Sophie’s life was
destroyed when British intelligence uncovered the truth she had tried to bury:
she was born Sophie von Adler, daughter of a wealthy Nazi industrialist.
Interrogated, imprisoned, disgraced, and abandoned, she has survived the war
with nothing but a ruined reputation and a talent for keeping secrets.
Then MI5 offers her a way back.
Her father’s hidden fortune lies in a Zurich bank account —
millions in Swiss francs and bearer bonds intended to finance the escape of
senior Nazis fleeing Allied justice. To reach it, Sophie must become the woman
Europe’s most dangerous men expect to see: the cold, entitled heiress of
a dead Reich loyalist.
But the money is only bait.
Drawn into a shadow war between British intelligence, American pragmatists,
Vatican fixers, Swiss bankers, Soviet agents, and the remnants of the SS,
Sophie finds herself trapped inside the very network she was sent to expose.
Every alliance is temporary. Every identity is a weapon. And if the men around
her discover where her loyalties truly lie, she will not live long enough to
choose her own future.
About the Author
Award-winning historical fiction from the World Wars to the Cold War.
Malcolm has spent a lifetime gathering stories, living and working in
Australia and the Middle East before returning to the UK. Today, he weaves
that global experience into gripping historical novels that explore the
intersection of crime, war, and espionage.
The Manchester Noir Series: Gritty 1990s crime with a unique twist (The Honey
Talker, The Fatal Formula).
The Aviation Collection: High-octane tales of courage and dogfights in WWI
and WWII (LMF, The Way Back, Leviathan).
The Lisbon Series : Follow ex-cop Dinis Lopes through the treacherous,
"neutral" streets of 1940s Portugal.
Cold War Espionage: Revisit the 1950s with the fast-paced adventures of
Contrail and Czechmate.
When he isn’t uncovering the secrets of the 20th century, Malcolm lives
and writes in Cheshire, England.
Before Vicky could truly understand herself, there was a story she needed to
understand in her Great Aunt Elizabeth.
Queens, 1984. Dr. Elizabeth Khayat—Palestinian-American, former pilot
and pioneering physician—is recently widowed and fiercely private about
her past. When her rebellious teenage grandniece, Vicky, is sent to spend the
summer with her, the two clash immediately. Vicky is consumed by romance and
rebellion; Elizabeth has built her life on discipline and hard-won
independence. But Elizabeth’s guarded presence conceals a wartime
history in World War II France—where, as a young doctor learning to fly,
she formed a dangerous alliance with a German-Jewish colleague and became
entangled with the French Resistance. Survival demanded impossible choices,
and not all of them can remain buried.
As Vicky’s own reckless relationship begins to spiral, long hidden truth
threatens to surface—forcing both women to confront who they are.
Discovering Elizabeth is a dual-timeline novel about legacy, sacrifice and the
complicated inheritance between generations of women.
About the Author
Alexandra Khayat Dahl is a fourth-generation American whose family’s
origins are from the Levant region of the Middle East. Raised in Washington,
DC and educated in Catholic schools, she went on to attend an international
university that set the course for a life defined by global experience. She
spent the majority of her adult years in Europe, where living across cultures
sharpened her perspective and strengthened her voice. A mother of four adult
children, she returned to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic with
a renewed commitment to preserving the stories that shape generations.
Inspired by the true life of her great aunt and godmother—a fearless
doctor, aviator, supporter of the French resistance and a trailblazer who
defied an arranged marriage to marry for love— Alexandra celebrates a
legacy of courage, conviction, and uncompromising independence.
If the newspaper reported your death and no one questioned it, would you
correct the mistake... or take the lifeline?
Dan Driscoll is consumed by
gambling debt, cornered by bookies and loan sharks, forced to bet on one last
scheme. When things turn violent and two people are shot, his best friend,
Stan Neumann, swallows what he suspects. He can't risk divulging a
closely-held family secret.
Then a body washes up on the Lake Michigan
shoreline, and the lake gives Dan what the bookies never would: a way out.
Authorities call it an accident and list him as the drowning victim. For Dan,
it's an escape route delivered in black ink.
He becomes a ghost, an
imposter, a chameleon. But lies don't stay buried.
As America is pulled
into World War II, Stan enlists, choosing duty on his terms before the draft
can rewrite his life. In Pearl Harbor, one chance encounter dredges up a name
he thought was long buried.
War changes everything, but it doesn't erase
unfinished business. And when the truth demands to be heard, how long can a
stolen life stay buried before the past comes to collect?
Excerpt
Lucy wasn’t smiling like she used to when she folded her letter, slipped
it into the envelope, sealed it with a kiss, and applied the three-cent stamp.
Even the spring in her step lacked the zeal she typically exhibited during her
walk to the post office. The words on the paper were true to her commitment.
They spoke of the news from the home front, stories that helped Stan’s
morale, and made sure her underlying message was being proud, supportive, and
encouraging. The words wandering around in Lucy’s thoughts, however,
were in stark contrast to this messaging. Ever since Stan was assigned to
the navy radar training school, Lucy had become more and more unsure in her
belief that things would be okay. His work as an Aviation Machinists Mate
stateside meant he was safe. And Minneapolis was relatively close to home.
Being trained as a radarman for shipboard duties meant it was more likely he
would be sent overseas into a combat zone. This caused a higher level of
worry. Like everything else this war has put in short supply, her ration of
optimism was slowly being depleted, and the resources for replenishing that
reservoir were becoming scarce. Her quandary was not letting Stan know
about this foreboding, even though he was normally her most trusted sounding
board. She tried to talk about this with her sister Millie. But Millie’s
approach to these heartfelt struggles was to fix them, make them go away, or
advise Lucy, “Try not to think about it.” This was not the type of
support Lucy needed. During her alone time, sitting staring out the
window, the overwhelming emotion that prevailed over all others was that she
really missed her husband. She now knew what being heartbroken felt like.
About the Author
While author Mark Bearss was setting the stage
for his retirement, concerned co-workers would ask, “What are you going
to do when you’re not working?” He found this question rather
curious. It should have been posed, “What are you going to do
first?” Mark knew that if travel was involved, he had had enough of
commercial flights after 28 years of teaching for the medical device industry.
Mark yearned for road trips – to visit those places he only saw from
38,000 feet. Little did he know that wish journeyed down an unexpected fork in
the road. He would become an author.
While conducting genealogy research,
Mark discovered archived de-classified military documents that revealed the
name of a U.S. Navy destroyer his father served aboard during WWII. The reason
this was a poignant discovery was because, while growing up in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, his father made no mention of this. Apart from being a U.S. Naval
Reserve flight instructor, he knew his father served aboard the carrier USS
ESSEX. But in what capacity? That, too, was not revealed. More discoveries
materialized the further he dug. In fact, there was a lot more his father
didn’t mention. This wasn’t unusual. Many WWII veterans
didn’t talk about what happened back then.Because of the pandemic, the
National Archives in St. Louis was closed and rendered Lt. Bearss’
military records unavailable. Thus began a project that challenged
Mark’s research endeavors for over two years and about 5,000 miles on
the road. The biographical sketch was sorted from creative Internet search
strings, history books, navy publications, and networking with journalists,
librarians, archivists, bloggers, aviation enthusiasts, museum and historical
society curators, navy veterans, relatives, and more. One online resource that
was instrumental in tracking his father’s journey was the weekly
newspaper published in the county where his parents grew up: The Oceana
Herald. It included a Local News section where family members and
organizations could submit a short blurb about a relative’s visit, a
social gathering, or – where a son or husband was currently
stationed.
This project culminated in 2022 with Mark’s first
publication titled, Undisclosed Stories Discovered: Honoring the World War II
Military Journey of Lt. Joseph Ward Bearss, USNR. When asked what was one of
the highlights surrounding this story, he described the road trips to seek out
and discover places where his father lived, trained and was stationed during
the war. What prompted him to write this as a biography took place during a
meeting with the curator of the World War II Home Front Museum on St. Simons
Island, Georgia. St. Simons Naval Air Station was the site for the U.S. Naval
Radar Training Station, where Lt. Bearss was trained in shipboard radar
operations, enemy interception, and Fighter Direction. While the museum
had ample archived materials about the facility, it had very little documented
about the servicemembers who trained there.
Only 250 copies were printed.
Mark went back on the road in his Class-B motorhome and personally donated
those copies to family members, friends and relatives, the librarians,
archivists, researchers, museums, curators, historical societies, newspapers,
The American Heritage Center, VFW Posts, airport FBOs, and other assorted WWII
enthusiasts in 12 states who helped in his endeavors. It was a two-fold
reward. Not only did his father’s story finally become told, Mark
experienced the pleasure of meeting all these wonderful people who were his
resources, advisors, collaborators, and consultants. Up until that point, they
were only names in an email contact list.
You’re probably asking,
“How is all this relevant to Mark’s new novel, Cain’s
Chameleon?” It was the research from The Oceana Herald that planted the
seed for this story. While perusing its issues, Mark stumbled on two articles
that piqued his curiosity. The first reported an attempted murder in a home
close to his family’s summer cottage on Lake Michigan. The second
reported a drowning victim that washed up on the beach right where Mark and
his friends used to play. Just two more stories never divulged while growing
up. He wondered, Were these two events related? Then Mark decided — he
would make them related.
A Gripping Journey Through History's Darkest Corridors
Historical, 20th Century, World War II & Holocaust
Date Published: March 26, 2020
History has a way of hiding its deepest secrets behind closed doors and
within silent walls. Some stories remain buried for decades, waiting for the
right moment to emerge and demand to be told. Between These Walls is not
merely a work of historical fiction, but a profound exploration of identity,
survival, and the unbreakable bonds that connect generations across time and
tragedy. Written by Michael Newman, this compelling narrative weaves together
threads of war, persecution, and redemption into a tapestry that refuses to
release its grip on the reader's heart and mind.
A Tale Woven from Three Families
In the summer of 1988, New York art curator Daniel Singer receives a
mysterious package from West Berlin, sealed with security tape that will
shatter everything he thought he knew about himself and his family. What
begins as a simple delivery transforms into an extraordinary odyssey that
spans continents and decades, pulling Daniel into a labyrinth of secrets that
have been carefully guarded for over forty years.
Newman masterfully constructs a dual timeline that oscillates between May 1945
and July 1988, creating a narrative bridge across generations. In the dying
days of World War II, on the American occupied side of Germany's Elbe River,
US Army Medical Corps Colonel Samuel Singer stumbles upon the shot-up wreck of
a smoldering SS staff car. Inside: a badly injured driver, a dead German Army
officer carrying the ID of a Nazi war criminal, and a young blonde woman, also
dead in the back seat. This haunting discovery sets in motion a chain of
events that will echo across four decades.
The story sweeps across the battlefields of World War I, through the horrors
of World War II and the Holocaust, into the founding of Israel, and through
three Middle East wars. Each historical moment is rendered with meticulous
attention to detail and emotional authenticity.
The involvement of the Mossad, Israel's legendary intelligence agency, adds
layers of intrigue and suspense to Daniel's quest. As he uncovers shocking
truths about his heritage, Daniel must navigate a treacherous landscape where
the past and present collide, where old wounds remain fresh, and where the
consequences of long-buried secrets threaten to destroy everything he holds
dear. Following one American family and two German families, Newman crafts a
narrative that explores not just acts of evil and callous indifference but
also acts of heroism, generosity, and love in the time of Adolf Hitler's rise
and eventual defeat.
A Labor of Love Rooted in Personal History
Newman's research was exhaustive and deeply personal. He traveled throughout
Europe, visiting the actual locations that appear prominently in the book. He
walked the streets of Berlin, discovering the stolpersteine, the engraved
brass plaques embedded in the cobblestone streets marking where Jewish
families lived before the Nazis deported them to their deaths in Auschwitz. He
ventured to the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden near Munich, Hitler's wartime
summer home perched high in the Bavarian Alps. Most significantly, he visited
Mauthausen concentration camp itself, where his own father had been imprisoned
by the Nazis in 1944-45.
"My visits to Mauthausen, Berlin and Hitler's summer home at Eagle's Nest were
the motivators for me to write Between These
Walls," Newman explains.
"These places provided me with the inspiration and ideas for the plot and
premise of the book. With the global rise in antisemitism, the words 'Never
again' couldn't ring truer."
The book's website features a compelling gallery of images from Newman's
travels, including photographs of historical documents, and the actual
locations featured in the story
Discover the Truth Behind the Walls
Between These Walls is available for purchase through multiple platforms,
making it accessible to readers worldwide. The novel is available in both
paperback and Kindle editions.
About the Author
Michael Newman brings an unparalleled authenticity to Between These Walls
because he writes not as a distant observer of history, but as someone whose
life has been indelibly shaped by it. The son of Holocaust survivors, Newman
has always had a deep interest in the Second World War, not as an academic
pursuit, but as a personal mission to understand and honor the experiences
that defined his family's existence. He received first-hand accounts of what
happened during WWII in the concentration camps, particularly Mauthausen,
where his father was imprisoned.
Newman's mother, aunt, and grandmother were hidden by Righteous Gentiles in
Budapest during World War II. His father fought in the Hungarian Army, dug
trenches in a forced labor battalion near Stalingrad, and later endured eight
terrible months at Mauthausen in Austria. In 1956, at age twelve, Newman
himself became a refugee, slogging through mud and snow, dodging guard huts to
escape into Austria after the crushed Hungarian uprising against the Soviets.
Years later, as a successful self-made real estate magnate and founder of
InterRent, a real estate investment trust on the Toronto Stock Exchange,
Newman could have allowed his professional achievements to define him.
Instead, he chose to honor his heritage by telling a story that needed to be
told. He has since taken his wife, three children, and one granddaughter on
trips to Mauthausen, ensuring that the next generation never forgets.
During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, concerned over what he perceived as
one-sided news coverage against Israel, he had the opportunity to travel,
surreptitiously, to Israel. Using a connection with an Israeli intelligence
colonel, Newman spent a week in the war zone, visiting bomb shelters, air raid
command centers, and troops in the field. This experience became a model for a
character in his book who helped Israel fight for independence in 1948.
"I am not a religious person, but I do identify myself with what happened
during the Holocaust and I am very much a Zionist and support the founding of
Israel," Newman says.
This conviction breathes through every page of Between These Walls, giving the
novel an emotional authenticity that resonates with readers across all
backgrounds.
Today, Newman lives on Toronto's waterfront with his wife, Dixie, and their
Morkie, Mia. Surrounded by five children and eleven grandchildren, he has
transformed the pain of his family's past into a gift for future generations.
Writing books, as Newman admits, is "a career change I wasn't expecting to
make at this stage of life. It's been gratifying for the ego." He is currently
working on a sequel with the working title A Daughter's Revenge, and has hired
a screenwriter on spec to craft a six-part series based on his first book.
In 1940, Leo Butlion, a young Jew studying to be a medical doctor in
Koblenz, Germany, has his future plans disrupted when Nazi forces destroy his
family and their business. His heroic escape and commitment to survive drive
him to overcome the greatest test man could ever encounter. Ivy Jacobson, a
deformed yet highly talented fashion designer, works in a textile factory in
Liege, Belgium that is ransacked by Nazi invaders. She escapes their brutality
and meets Leo. Leo explains the Hebrew word IYSH which means "champion" and
together they agree to persevere and champion the cause no matter how
difficult it becomes. Their heroism and tenacity unfold in dramatic fashion as
they are captured, separated and sent to concentration camps where their
future survival is unclear. The story develops from WWII until the Yom Kippur
War in 1973 which takes place in Israel.
About the Author
Greg Price is a writer, human resource expert and an ordained minister. He has
traveled extensively throughout the world and shares his experiences by
translating them into literary characters who inspire and motivate the reader.
Greg immigrated to the United States from south Africa and currently lives
with his wife in Mississippi.
If the newspaper reported your death and no one questioned it, would you
correct the mistake… or take the lifeline?
Dan Driscoll is consumed by gambling debt, cornered by bookies and loan
sharks, forced to bet on one last scheme. When things turn violent and two
people are shot, his best friend, Stan Neumann, swallows what he suspects. He
can’t risk divulging a closely-held family secret.
Then a body washes up on the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the lake gives Dan
what the bookies never would: a way out. Authorities call it an accident and
list him as the drowning victim. For Dan, it’s an escape route delivered
in black ink.
He becomes a ghost, an imposter, a chameleon. But lies don’t stay
buried.
As America is pulled into World War II, Stan enlists, choosing duty on his
terms before the draft can rewrite his life. In Pearl Harbor, one chance
encounter dredges up a name he thought was long buried.
War changes everything, but it doesn’t erase unfinished business. And
when the truth demands to be heard, how long can a stolen life stay buried
before the past comes to collect?
Excerpt
Lucy wasn’t smiling like she used to when she folded her letter, slipped it into the envelope, sealed it with a kiss, and applied the three-cent stamp. Even the spring in her step lacked the zeal she typically exhibited during her walk to the post office. The words on the paper were true to her commitment. They spoke of the news from the home front, stories that helped Stan’s morale, and made sure her underlying message was being proud, supportive, and encouraging. The words wandering around in Lucy’s thoughts, however, were in stark contrast to this messaging.
Ever since Stan was assigned to the navy radar training school, Lucy had become more and more unsure in her belief that things would be okay. His work as an Aviation Machinists Mate stateside meant he was safe. And Minneapolis was relatively close to home. Being trained as a radarman for shipboard duties meant it was more likely he would be sent overseas into a combat zone. This caused a higher level of worry. Like everything else this war has put in short supply, her ration of optimism was slowly being depleted, and the resources for replenishing that reservoir were becoming scarce.
Her quandary was not letting Stan know about this foreboding, even though he was normally her most trusted sounding board. She tried to talk about this with her sister Millie. But Millie’s approach to these heartfelt struggles was to fix them, make them go away, or advise Lucy, “Try not to think about it.” This was not the type of support Lucy needed.
During her alone time, sitting staring out the window, the overwhelming emotion that prevailed over all others was that she really missed her husband. She now knew what being heartbroken felt like.
While author Mark Bearss was setting the stage for his retirement, concerned
co-workers would ask, “What are you going to do when you’re not
working?” He found this question rather curious. It should have been
posed, “What are you going to do first?” Mark knew that if travel
was involved, he had had enough of commercial flights after 28 years of
teaching for the medical device industry. Mark yearned for road trips –
to visit those places he only saw from 38,000 feet. Little did he know that
wish journeyed down an unexpected fork in the road. He would become an author.
While conducting genealogy research, Mark discovered archived de-classified
military documents that revealed the name of a U.S. Navy destroyer his father
served aboard during WWII. The reason this was a poignant discovery was
because, while growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his father made no
mention of this. Apart from being a U.S. Naval Reserve flight instructor, he
knew his father served aboard the carrier USS ESSEX. But in what capacity?
That, too, was not revealed. More discoveries materialized the further he dug.
In fact, there was a lot more his father didn’t mention. This
wasn’t unusual. Many WWII veterans didn’t talk about what happened
back then.
Because of the pandemic, the National Archives in St. Louis was closed and
rendered Lt. Bearss’ military records unavailable. Thus began a project
that challenged Mark’s research endeavors for over two years and about
5,000 miles on the road. The biographical sketch was sorted from creative
Internet search strings, history books, navy publications, and networking with
journalists, librarians, archivists, bloggers, aviation enthusiasts, museum
and historical society curators, navy veterans, relatives, and more. One
online resource that was instrumental in tracking his father’s journey
was the weekly newspaper published in the county where his parents grew up:
The Oceana Herald. It included a Local News section where family members and
organizations could submit a short blurb about a relative’s visit, a
social gathering, or – where a son or husband was currently stationed.
This project culminated in 2022 with Mark’s first publication titled,
Undisclosed Stories Discovered: Honoring the World War II Military Journey of
Lt. Joseph Ward Bearss, USNR. When asked what was one of the highlights
surrounding this story, he described the road trips to seek out and discover
places where his father lived, trained and was stationed during the war. What
prompted him to write this as a biography took place during a meeting with the
curator of the World War II Home Front Museum on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
St. Simons Naval Air Station was the site for the U.S. Naval Radar Training
Station, where Lt. Bearss was trained in shipboard radar operations, enemy
interception, and Fighter Direction. While the museum had ample archived
materials about the facility, it had very little documented about the
servicemembers who trained there.
Only 250 copies were printed. Mark went back on the road in his Class-B
motorhome and personally donated those copies to family members, friends and
relatives, the librarians, archivists, researchers, museums, curators,
historical societies, newspapers, The American Heritage Center, VFW Posts,
airport FBOs, and other assorted WWII enthusiasts in 12 states who helped in
his endeavors. It was a two-fold reward. Not only did his father’s story
finally become told, Mark experienced the pleasure of meeting all these
wonderful people who were his resources, advisors, collaborators, and
consultants. Up until that point, they were only names in an email contact
list.
You’re probably asking, “How is all this relevant to Mark’s
new novel, Cain’s Chameleon?” It was the research from The Oceana
Herald that planted the seed for this story. While perusing its issues, Mark
stumbled on two articles that piqued his curiosity. The first reported an
attempted murder in a home close to his family’s summer cottage on Lake
Michigan. The second reported a drowning victim that washed up on the beach
right where Mark and his friends used to play. Just two more stories never
divulged while growing up. He wondered, Were these two events related? Then
Mark decided — he would make them related.
If the newspaper reported your death and no one questioned it, would you
correct the mistake… or take the lifeline?
Dan Driscoll is consumed by gambling debt, cornered by bookies and loan
sharks, forced to bet on one last scheme. When things turn violent and two
people are shot, his best friend, Stan Neumann, swallows what he suspects. He
can’t risk divulging a closely-held family secret.
Then a body washes up on the Lake Michigan shoreline, and the lake gives Dan
what the bookies never would: a way out. Authorities call it an accident and
list him as the drowning victim. For Dan, it’s an escape route delivered
in black ink.
He becomes a ghost, an imposter, a chameleon. But lies don’t stay
buried.
As America is pulled into World War II, Stan enlists, choosing duty on his
terms before the draft can rewrite his life. In Pearl Harbor, one chance
encounter dredges up a name he thought was long buried.
War changes everything, but it doesn’t erase unfinished business. And
when the truth demands to be heard, how long can a stolen life stay buried
before the past comes to collect?
While author Mark Bearss was setting the stage for his retirement, concerned
co-workers would ask, “What are you going to do when you’re not
working?” He found this question rather curious. It should have been
posed, “What are you going to do first?” Mark knew that if travel
was involved, he had had enough of commercial flights after 28 years of
teaching for the medical device industry. Mark yearned for road trips –
to visit those places he only saw from 38,000 feet. Little did he know that
wish journeyed down an unexpected fork in the road. He would become an author.
While conducting genealogy research, Mark discovered archived de-classified
military documents that revealed the name of a U.S. Navy destroyer his father
served aboard during WWII. The reason this was a poignant discovery was
because, while growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his father made no
mention of this. Apart from being a U.S. Naval Reserve flight instructor, he
knew his father served aboard the carrier USS ESSEX. But in what capacity?
That, too, was not revealed. More discoveries materialized the further he dug.
In fact, there was a lot more his father didn’t mention. This
wasn’t unusual. Many WWII veterans didn’t talk about what happened
back then.
Because of the pandemic, the National Archives in St. Louis was closed and
rendered Lt. Bearss’ military records unavailable. Thus began a project
that challenged Mark’s research endeavors for over two years and about
5,000 miles on the road. The biographical sketch was sorted from creative
Internet search strings, history books, navy publications, and networking with
journalists, librarians, archivists, bloggers, aviation enthusiasts, museum
and historical society curators, navy veterans, relatives, and more. One
online resource that was instrumental in tracking his father’s journey
was the weekly newspaper published in the county where his parents grew up:
The Oceana Herald. It included a Local News section where family members and
organizations could submit a short blurb about a relative’s visit, a
social gathering, or – where a son or husband was currently stationed.
This project culminated in 2022 with Mark’s first publication titled,
Undisclosed Stories Discovered: Honoring the World War II Military Journey of
Lt. Joseph Ward Bearss, USNR. When asked what was one of the highlights
surrounding this story, he described the road trips to seek out and discover
places where his father lived, trained and was stationed during the war. What
prompted him to write this as a biography took place during a meeting with the
curator of the World War II Home Front Museum on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
St. Simons Naval Air Station was the site for the U.S. Naval Radar Training
Station, where Lt. Bearss was trained in shipboard radar operations, enemy
interception, and Fighter Direction. While the museum had ample archived
materials about the facility, it had very little documented about the
servicemembers who trained there.
Only 250 copies were printed. Mark went back on the road in his Class-B
motorhome and personally donated those copies to family members, friends and
relatives, the librarians, archivists, researchers, museums, curators,
historical societies, newspapers, The American Heritage Center, VFW Posts,
airport FBOs, and other assorted WWII enthusiasts in 12 states who helped in
his endeavors. It was a two-fold reward. Not only did his father’s story
finally become told, Mark experienced the pleasure of meeting all these
wonderful people who were his resources, advisors, collaborators, and
consultants. Up until that point, they were only names in an email contact
list.
You’re probably asking, “How is all this relevant to Mark’s
new novel, Cain’s Chameleon?” It was the research from The Oceana
Herald that planted the seed for this story. While perusing its issues, Mark
stumbled on two articles that piqued his curiosity. The first reported an
attempted murder in a home close to his family’s summer cottage on Lake
Michigan. The second reported a drowning victim that washed up on the beach
right where Mark and his friends used to play. Just two more stories never
divulged while growing up. He wondered, Were these two events related? Then
Mark decided — he would make them related.
The Holocaust is one of those events that seems impossible, but it happened. I have no doubt that it could happen again.
The events of this terrible time in history should never be forgotten, and it is necessary to study the beliefs and attitudes that led to them.
I haven't been able to do the Readers Imbibing Peril challenge every day like I did during the past couple of years, but when I find something worth sharing, such as this documentary, I will do so.
“My long-term survival is doubtful under any scenario. Yet, I already
defied the impossible by escaping from a watery tomb and swimming to this very
spot. But luck is finite—it always peters out.”
As the island of Kefalonia falls under the harsh occupation of Italian
soldiers in 1941, British sailor Oliver Graham washes ashore, desperate to
evade capture. Rescued by the fierce and determined NatalÃa Giannatos,
he becomes entangled in a web of love, loyalty, and betrayal.
In a story that intertwines love and sacrifice against the backdrop of war,
The Weight of Loyalty explores the resilience of the human spirit and the
lengths one will go to for love. Will Oliver and NatalÃa’s
connection survive the trials of conflict, or will the brutal realities of war
tear them apart forever?
About the Author
Mike H. Mizrahi and his wife, Karen, reside in Poulsbo, WA. He is a winner of
the (indie Reader Discovery Award and a Laramie Finalist in the Chanticleer
Book Awards. His other historical novels include The Unnamed Girl, Tattered
Coat, and the Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race.
In this posthumously published collection of letters and postal cards,
William “Bill” Hanchett shares his candid experiences as a
flight-school cadet, and later as an Army Air Forces pilot in command of a
B-24 Liberator bomber during World War II.
Through Bill’s first-hand accounts, we learn that mastering the art
of flying during wartime is about more than understanding engine throttle
and airspeed. It’s about wondering when you’ll be called to
fight and if you’ll be asked to betray your ideals. It’s about
working hard and documenting the days, dreaming about the future, and
longing for home.
An extraordinary primary document, Disgracefully Easy offers us a rare
glimpse inside the military in the 1940s, a time when Americans worried
about the fate of their great country and looked to the brave and courageous
to deliver them from fear. This unique collection will be long remembered as
an important addition to the annals of aviation history.
About the Authors
Thomas F. Hanchett
Now retired from federal civil service, Thomas Forster Hanchett holds a
bachelor’s degree in government and two master’s degrees, one in
history and one in public administration. In 2016, after his father
Bill’s death, he found over three-hundred letters Bill had written
during WWII. Given Tom’s interest in military history, it seemed only
natural that he be the one to edit and present his father’s letters in
manuscript form. Tom has also written historical and educational articles
for various publications. A native Californian, he resides in North San
Diego County.
William Hanchett
William “Bill” Hanchett (1922-2016) grew up in a wealthy family
in Evanston, Illinois. His father lost his municipal bond company business
during the Great Depression, changing their family’s lifestyle
drastically. Bill attended Black Mountain College, but his time there was
cut short because of World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces,
rising from private to second lieutenant, and then to airplane commander of
a B-24 Liberator bomber. After the war, he continued his education,
worked as a civilian historian for the U.S. Air Force, and taught history
for over thirty years at San Diego State University. Bill authored numerous
articles and historical books, including The Lincoln Murder Conspiracies
(1983). He loved living in San Diego, California, where he spent time
sailing on the bay.
“Please donate generously to Mrs. Roosevelt’s charity. Every penny raised from this series of concerts along the eastern coast of the United States will help with the resettlement and care of child refugees from war-torn continental Europe.”
Over dinner with J Edgar Hoover in Washington, Tommy Haupner is shocked to learn that his forgotten and empty Swiss bank account has been topped up regularly with staggering sums of money … deposits that originate in Nazi Germany. Could this bank account have something to do with anonymous letters posted to him at home in London, their contents a single blank slip of paper on which are written two words: NAZI GOLD?
When he returns to Britain, he soon discovers that not only is his own life in danger but also those of his nearest and dearest who become pawns in a savage game of revenge.
Excerpt
I knew he’d tell me if he knew anything; we’d pledged never to keep secrets after our first foray behind enemy lines in early 1941.
“All right, I’m listening,” I said.
“I’ve been told not to bring anything. No personal items and no documents, not even a toothbrush.”
“Uh-oh,” I said. That sort of deployment, where clothes, right down to underwear, toiletries and everything else would be supplied, indicated that whatever the mission was going to be, it wouldn’t be a local training course. “How long will you be away? Any idea?”
“Minimum three weeks, maybe more. That’s all I know.”
“I know duty calls, but what a shame. I was looking forward to having dinner with you again at Xavier’s. And your parents will be very disappointed; I know they were excited about travelling to Washington for the presentation of your Silver Star.”
“Yeah, I know, babe. Me too. I’ve just finished writing a letter. Will you give it to them?”
He must have seen the sudden change in my face, because he laughed softly then pulled me down on to his lap.
“No, it’s not one of those sorts of letters, Tommy. I just want to let them know how sorry I am not to be able to catch up this trip, but I’m sure there’ll be another opportunity. Who knows: maybe this secret mission might be in the USA.”
We both knew that that was hardly likely to be the case. Reporting for deployment with absolutely no personal items except the clothes you were wearing indicated a place, or a situation, where the threat of capture was a reality. My mind ran quickly through the possibilities: occupied France or Italy were top of my list.
“What about your niece’s birthday party?” I asked. “I know she had something special planned that included both of us.”
“Helene will cope. I’ll put five dollars for her in the letter to Mom and Pop.”
“Money isn’t the same as a present. I’ll see if I can find something from us both when I get there.”
“Tommy …”
“Yes?”
“We knew a day like this would come. I’m not being dramatic or anything, but we’ve been so lucky so far. We’ve talked about what it’s like for everyone else: husbands and wives and lovers separated by the war, families bereft of their sons, wondering where they might be. It’s the life we’re all faced with now and I have to go; I simply don’t have a choice. You understand that, don’t you? And I promise I’m coming back.”
“You’d better, soldier,” I said, willing myself to believe it. Although I was trying to sound calm and collected, inside I felt more than a little anxious. Yes, we’d known a day like this would come, but I’d wished with all my might that it never would. I had no qualms about being sent away myself, but Shorty … well, that was a different thing altogether.
“Have you eaten?” he asked.
“Not yet.”
“Well, the family’s out having dinner with your uncle Otto, so …”
“So what?” I asked.
“I brought ham, cheese and a loaf of fresh white bread home from the embassy—even a slab of butter, believe it or not. Fancy a sandwich, naked, in the dark, mister?”
It was a crazy thing to do, but our relationship had been filled with small madnesses. Wearing just our garters and socks, we sat on the kitchen table eating ham and cheese sandwiches, washing it down with glasses of milk, also purloined from the embassy kitchen. He’d brought home enough for everyone else too, including a spare large bottle of the almost-impossible-to-obtain white stuff.
With a soft burp he wiped the milk moustache from his upper lip; I was about to do the same but he stopped me. “Let me, Tommy,” he whispered low in his throat, and wiped it away with the flat of his tongue.
I knew the family wouldn’t return unexpectedly and catch us in the kitchen, so I pushed him on to his back on the kitchen table. Not wanting to waste our last evening together for another month, I got to work on him, promising my man a good hour at least of looking after him.
“An hour, Tommy?” he said, laughing into my mouth.
“Who says it only has to be once?” I replied as I kissed my way down his body.
About the Author
From the outback to the opera.
After a thirty-year career as a professional opera singer, performing as a soloist in opera houses and in concert halls all over the world, I took up a position as lecturer in music in Australia in 1999, at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music, which is now part of CQ University.
Brought up in Australia, between the bush and the beaches of the Eastern suburbs, I retired in 2015 and now live in the tropics, writing, gardening, and finally finding time to enjoy life and to re-establish a connection with who I am after a very busy career on the stage and as an academic.
