Auguste Duchene realises that the task to track down a Gestapo Oberführer for the French and Americans is one that he cannot refuse. France has been liberated from the Germans, and the Parisians believe that Duchene is a German collaborator. Duchene knows if he does not get out of Paris it is only a matter of time before his body is found in the street along with the other traitors. With no choice Duchene heads to Berlin to try to find the Oberführer.
The Germans have been defeated, the alliance between America and Russia is frayed, close to snapping. The two cannot decide on what will happen with the city of Berlin, let alone Germany. Berlin is a wasteland of rubble carved into two halves, one controlled by the East, one controlled by the West, and there is a palpable tension growing between the two.
The story is not only set in Berlin 1945, but also Paris 1936. Sabine, Duchene’s wife is introduced in the 1936 timeline and her backstory is built. It is here we find Sabine is a communist with an unshakable belief in socialism. Sabine then turns up in the 1945 timeline working with the Russians against Duchene.
As the novel unfolds and the search continues, it becomes evident that there is much more at stake than just simply finding this Oberführer. It is a novel that explores the power of love existing between two ideologies and the problems that result. This is the second novel featuring Duchene. The first being The Paris Collaborator.
Reviewed by Neale Lucas
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A W Hammond was born in South Africa and emigrated to Australia as a child. He graduated with an Arts/Law degree from the University of Melbourne. He currently works for RMIT University and lives in Melbourne with his wife and two daughters.
The Berlin Traitor is his forth novel and sequel to The Paris Collaborator. He has also published two other books under the name Alex Hammond. His debut Blood Witness was shortlisted for the 2014 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. Its sequel, The Unbroken Line, was described as ‘a taut and intelligent thriller’. Both were optioned as a TV series. Each novel was also selected to be part of the State Library of Victoria’s Summer Read by a panel of judges in the year they were released. Alex toured regional Victoria on behalf of the Library as part of these events.
Alex is Chair of Writers Victoria board of directors. He has presented workshops and spoken about writing at the Emerging Writers Festival, Writers Victoria, Stonnington Literary Festival, Monash Literary Festival, State Library of Victoria, NSW Writers’ Centre, Casey Winter Arts Festival, City of Yarra ad Melton City Council.
Alex also writes screenplays.
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