Dark Shadows Looming Ahead
A champion on the run. A deserter with nothing to lose. One impossible escape.
She fought for gold. Now, she fights for her life.
Olympic champion Judith Rosner once had the world at her feet. But after Austria’s
annexation by Nazi Germany, her victories no longer matter—only the fact that she is Jewish.
Friends turn away, the Gestapo is closing in, and survival becomes her only goal.
Hiding with a fearless woman who risks everything to protect the persecuted, Judith meets
Koloss, a German deserter with nowhere left to run. But when the SS arrests their protector,
the two must make a desperate escape.
Their only hope? Switzerland—just across the treacherous waters of Lake Constance. But
with patrol boats on the prowl and strict regulations on rowboats, the journey is nearly
impossible.
Will they find freedom—or will the lake claim them forever?
A gripping WWII escape thriller for fans of Catherine Hokin, Kate Quinn, and Kristin
Lisa G. –
I’ve read many of Marion Kummerow’s books, but this one might be my favorite. Although this is the second book in the Escaping the Reich series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone, so if you are new to this author, don’t let that stop you. That said, if you’ve read the German Wives series, you’ll recognize the cameo appearances of a few characters. Because this book is set in 1943, it addresses pivotal historical events, such as the infamous International Red Cross visit to the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. (The commandant is a familiar character!)
This is more than Judith Rosen’s story, although she is such a fascinating character that it would have been enough for me. Her escape plan is interwoven with that of Koloss, the familiar, massive welder from the Berlin train car factory/Resistance member. Although he is 42 years old, he receives a draft notice but cannot bear to serve in the Wehrmacht. The third person of importance in this story is Countess Sophie Borsoi and her continued work with the Swedish pastor, Perwe. Combined, the tensions in the plot were almost more than I could bear. Characters that I was sure would be “safe” weren’t. For the last 100 pages, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough while also being afraid to see what the next page would bring. Kudos to the author for a plot twist at the end of Dark Shadows Looming Ahead that I never saw coming, but was perfect!
“Without the many followers who looked the other way instead of acting, Hitler could never hold on to power. The silent masses have become the guarantors of his rule.”
“For every active perpetrator, there are ten people who look the other way. They are the reason the Nazis manage to do their evil work.”
I’ll be thinking of what I learned in this book for a very long time and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction lovers.
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Rosemary De Gouveia –
Book 2 starts in Berlin, August 1943 titled Dark Shadows Looming Ahead, that immediately gives me hope that some of the characters might survive.
This book involves Koloss, a German factory worker who does not like Hitler and what is happening around him, since the war started. He is shocked when he gets conscription papers that he has to go fight on the front, he decides he would rather be a deserter than take up arms against another person.
His friends put him in touch with Mimi, who shelters him. The other person is Judith an Olympic champion, who because she is Jewish, is wanted by the Gestapo. She is also helped by Mimi.
Judith & Koloss get to become friends and feel safe until one day, the Gestapo arrive at Mimi’s place. She makes them hide in the cellar, they ransack the place and arrest Mimi. Koloss and Judith have no choice but to leave. Judith says they will have to swim across the icy cold lake to get to Switzerland. Koloss is not a good swimmer but realises there is no other option.
I recommend reading the book to find out if they make it across safely especially as there are German patrol boats on the lake.
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Rachael R. –
What a fantastic story about people trying to escape the Nazi regime. Once I started, I had to continue reading this book, which is set around Lake Constance. It’s a compelling story and has an unexpected ending.
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Andrew B –
This was a very well written book that kept me needing to read on to find out what happened. It covers very dark events but people’s courage in the adversity and life threatening situations they found themselves in shone out like a beacon. Throughout the book I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster just like the characters.
The best feature of the book though has to be the characters, which were incredibly well-written, and you found yourself caring deeply for them and all they went through trying to escape from the Third Reich.
It may be the first one I read in this series but I will certainly be reading the others and strongly recommend this book to others.
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