The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
These brilliant historians dig through the rubble of the past trying to piece together “what really happened” in a probable assassination attempt of the Big Three allied leaders of WWII, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. The Nazi Conspiracy was a fast easy read, and many of the anecdotes were fascinating, especially Hitler’s rescue of Mussolini.
However, the very things that make the Nazi Conspiracy enjoyable to some may be a distraction to others. While Meltzer and Mensch clearly know their subject matter, for me their attempt to make history read like suspense falls short. Stylistically, the language felt oversimplified, as if a high school teacher is trying to engage his students. Many sentences begin with “needless to say” and “sure enough.” Chapter endings often seem contrived. The ending is murky, which is not surprising, given the constraints of available information, but even murkiness can be clarified. Lastly, the map on the inside covers focuses on the extent of Axis dominance but is nearly useless in helping the reader identify where events in the book took place.
