Imprint
- W&N
- W&N
- W&N
History, The Holocaust, Second World War, Fascism & Nazism, Espionage & secret services
The Sunday Times bestselling new book by the winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize and author of EAST WEST STREET - a historical detective story that sets out to uncover the truth behind what happened to leading Nazi Otto von Wachter
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE
'Hypnotic, shocking and unputdownable' JOHN LE CARRE
'Remarkable' THE SUNDAY TIMES
'Breathtaking, gripping, shattering' ELIF SHAFAK
'A taut and finely crafted factual thriller' OBSERVER
'A triumph of research and brilliant storytelling' ANTONY BEEVOR
'Extraordinary' EVENING STANDARD
In this riveting real-life thriller, Philippe Sands offers a unique account of the daily life of senior Nazi SS Brigadefuhrer Otto Freiherr von Wachter and his wife, Charlotte. Drawing on a remarkable archive of family letters and diaries, he unveils a fascinating insight into life before and during the war, as a fugitive on the run in the Alps and then in Rome, and into the Cold War. Eventually the door is unlocked to a mystery that haunts Wachter's youngest son, who continues to believe his father was a good man - what happened to Otto Wachter while he was preparing to travel to Argentina on the 'ratline', assisted by a Vatican bishop, and what was the explanation for his sudden and unexpected death?
More books by Philippe Sands
Praise for The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive
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A triumph of research and brilliant storytelling
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A gripping adventure, an astounding journey of discovery and a terrifying and timely portrait of evil in all its complexity, banality, self-justification and madness. A stunning achievement
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This is a burningly necessary book. Sands makes a gently unsparing dissection of deception, love, delusion and ineradicable evil. Elegant, painstaking, passionate and quietly enraging
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Hypnotic, shocking and unputdownable
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Breathtaking, gripping, and ultimately, shattering. Philippe Sands has done the unimaginable: look a butcher in the eye and tell his story without flinching
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A formidable piece of historical sleuthing written with all the pace and suspense of a thriller - FINANCIAL TIMES
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A feat of exhilarating storytelling - gripping, gratifying and morally robust - OBSERVER
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A stunning achievement
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Every bit as good as EAST WEST STREET - THE TELEGRAPH
Philippe Sands
Philippe Sands is Professor of Public Understanding of Law at UCL, visiting professor at Harvard Law School and a practising barrister at 11 KBW. He has been involved in many significant international cases in recent years, including Pinochet, Congo, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Iraq, Guantanamo, Chagos and the Rohingya. He is the author of Lawless World, Torture Team, East West Street (winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction) and Sunday Times bestsellers The Ratline and The Last Colony. He has served as President of English PEN and is a member of the board of the Hay Festival.
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