Book Review: The Nazi Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

“…A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR’s pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it…”

The Nazi Conspiracy

Happy publication day!

Review:

Thanks to the Cold War, it’s easy to forget that there was a time when America and Russia fought on the same side. Though Russia started off as an Axis power, by the middle of the war they were in alliance with England and America. Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin made up the ‘Big Three’. When these political superpowers agree to meet, it’s the perfect opportunity for the enemy to come up with an assassination scheme.

The book discusses a basic timeline of the war where Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin are concerned. Intertwined are bits on the Axis side from spies to soldiers both on the battlefield and in occupied cities. The main focus is on the rapport between the ‘Big Three’ Allied leaders as they correspond, eventually leading up to an agreement to meet in Tehran, Iran.

Naturally, having three of the most powerful men in the world together in one room comes with great risks. One lapse in security measures could lead to disaster. For Roosevelt in particular, getting to Tehran wasn’t a simple matter of hopping on a plane. The journey across the Atlantic alone could prove fatal.

Though well-researched, a lot of this book appears to be speculation. The potential for an assassination attempt was there and undoubtedly rumors went along with it, but whether or not any plans were set in motion or thwarted seems murky. Regardless, there are a lot of interesting tidbits to be learned. I haven’t seen too many books on this subject.

My biggest quip is really a minor one, which is that I felt two main subjects of the book could have flowed together more smoothly. With a somewhat dramatized narrative, there are a lot of cliffhangers. When going back and forth between two settings, I personally lost some of the impact getting absorbed in another plot.

Lastly, the narrator of the audiobook, Scott Brick, does a wonderful job. So many nonfiction audiobooks are read in a monotone. I appreciated the engaging tone of the narration without it becoming theatrical.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a free audiobook ARC to listen to and review.

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The writing was engaging and avoided the typical dryness often found in historical non-fiction books.
• Good research.
• It was respectful of the three allied countries as well as their leaders.

What I didn’t like:

• The pace could have been a bit slower.
• Strange pacing between the two plots.

Afterthoughts:

I’ve seen photographs from the Tehran Conference but I never fully grasped the significance. I assumed they had several of these meetings. I simply never gave it any thought. It was good to get some education on the topic as well as consider the alleged assassination plot.

Where to buy the book: