Hitler’s Secret by William Osborne

ISBN:  978-0545496469

About the book:  They’re refugees.  They’re spies and they’re out for revenge!Otto and Leni thought they were safe.  They escaped -- barely -- from war-torn Europe and are living as refugees in England.  But now the Crown has recruited them.  Great Britain wants them to go back. As spies!

Dropped behind enemy lines, Otto and Leni embark on a top-secret operation.   Code name: Wolfsangel. Their mission?  Capture the one person who can defeat the ultimate evil of Nazism!  Will Hitler’s final legacy lie in their hands? (inside jacket cover)

Review:  This was an excellent book.  Typically I am not a fan of WWII fiction, but “Hitler’s Secret” is well written with very real characters and a plot that is never dull or slow.  Although Otto and Leni are fictional characters, the author has chosen to incorporate into the story actual individuals who were very prominent during WWII such as Winston Churchhill, prime minister of Great Britain; Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s deputy in the Nazi Party; Reinhard Heydrich, Lieutenant General of the SS and regarded as one of the cruelest men of the Nazi regime. 

The author’s inclusion of these individuals as characters within the book only enhanced the historical aspect.  While the author himself states in the book of this book that he “does not claim to be historically accurate or portray factual events or relationships,” There was not one thing in this book that I could not see actually happening during this time in history.  

This book has a target audience of 12 years old and up (7th grade and up).  There are a few violent and graphic scenes within the book and therefore may not be entirely appropriate for the younger end of the target audience.  There is a murder-suicide that caught me by surprise and also a torture scene that includes Otto and Heydrich that was a somewhat intense.   But at the same time, these scenes give credibility to the historical time-frame.  As a parent, if you are considering this book for your younger child, just be aware.

Overall, I really enjoyed “Hitler’s Secret.”  If the author chose to develop this into a series, I would welcome the opportunity to read any future stories about Otto and Leni! (rev. P.Howard)

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Hitler's Secret was provided by Scholastic Books in exchange for our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.