The German Wife

Inspired by True Events, an Absolutely Gripping and Heartbreaking WW2 Historical Novel

By: Debbie Rix

Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard

Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Germany, 1939: Annaliese is a doctor’s wife, living in an elegant grey stone house with ivy creeping over the balcony. But when her husband is ordered to work at the Dachau labor camp, her ordinary life is turned upside down by the horrors of war. And Annaliese finds herself in grave danger when she dares to fight for love and freedom. 

America, 1989: Turning the pages of the newspaper, Annaliese gasps when she recognizes the face of a man she thought she’d never see again. It makes her heart skip a beat as a rush of wartime memories come back to her. As she reads on, she realizes the past is catching up with her. She must confront a decades-old secret - or risk losing everything.

Germany, 1942: Annaliese’s marriage is beginning to crumble. Her husband, Hans, has grown cold and secretive since starting his new job as a doctor at Dachau. When a tall, handsome Russian prisoner named Alexander is sent from the camp to work in their garden, lonely Annaliese finds herself drawn to him as they tend to the plants together. In snatched moments and broken whispers, Alexander tells her the truth about the shocking conditions at the camp. Horrified, Annaliese vows to do everything she can to save him.

But as they grow closer, their feelings for each other put them both in terrible danger. And when Annaliese falls pregnant, she has to make an impossible decision between protecting herself and saving the love of her life. Inspired by a true story, this is a heart-stopping, unforgettable tale of ordinary people fighting for survival in the darkest of times. Fans of Orphan Train, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and My Name Is Eva will be utterly gripped by this beautiful, tragic World War II novel.

Audiences love Debbie Rix:

"Incredibly heart-wrenching.... It’s just mind-blowing.... I adored this book from start to finish.... If I could give it 10 stars, I would." (Confessions of a Bookaholic)

"I was so gripped.... A beautifully written story that captivated my mind and heart.... A perfect historical fiction novel that fans of this genre are going to love." (By the Letter Book Reviews)

©2022 Debbie Rix (P)2021 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Ridiculous story

This book says it’s based on a true story. I have been unable to find any historical reference to the premise of this book. Yes, Dachau existed as well as doctors that did horrific things to innocent people during WW2. As for the rest of the story, completely predictable.

Shallow characters

I’m very disappointed with this story. The main character is a woman who is unable to self-regulate her emotions enough to avoid putting the lives of people she cares about in danger. The other women in the story are equally as incompetent or more so. In this story women are feeble minded and ruled by their emotions. Men are generally rational and cold.

Well….

Not nearly as good as The Italian Girls. The main character, Anna, is so naive and gullible. I nearly stopped, several times. Her belief that a man with Hans’s past was actually a good man disgusted me. Rix is a great story teller and obviously did a lot of research. My issue was the character. Just a very shallow woman.

Absolutely incredible

Debbie, you’ve done it again! Such a wonderful story and based on a true story. I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much.

Captivating

I love every moment of this book. Beautifully written, remarkably read… take the time to listen to this book!

Great story!!

Interesting hx of Nazi Germany prisoners and staff. Horrible is not a strong enough word about prisoner treatment.

Great Story

Loved the meetings that happened throughout this book. Also loved the trueness of Alexander’s inability to cope with his past.

Enjoyed it very much

Enjoyed this book. Beautifully narrated. Lovely story line... Recommended to those that enjoy war time fiction.

Great read

I loved the plot. Well written and narrated! Would definitely recommend.
Interesting twists and turns!

Wonderfully written story

I cannot imagine what it was really like for the citizens, soldiers & prisoners of this time period but this story really paints a picture. I am always grateful for excellent stories that make me feel like I am invested in the characters. Well done!

a book review for this book

amazing book .Best one I've listened to brilliant story and emotional. excellent would recommend to everyone

An enjoyable novel

Firstly the narration was really good The storyline was good a bit of naivety in the main character I struggle to imagine she was so oblivious to events that her life was attached to I appreciate it was a story and view point Overall good

Loved this!

The intricate relationships are described so well. I loved the story. Yes it is a story about a horrific time in history but the story is also about love, duty and expectations.
Would 100% recommend.

Terrible.

Repetitive, dull and yet played on really sad and horrific crimes against humanity which deserve a better narrative. Characters were flat and one dimensional. Got 70% through it, and gave up.

Unrealistic and narrated accents were awful.

Struggled to finish this. I have noticed many of Debbie Rix's books are "inspired by a true story" and yet we are never told anything about that story.

great read

loved it from the beginning to the last page ....great story.....exciting fast paced...I didn't want it to end

Utterly compelling.

How interesting to consider the predicament of an unwilling SS officer during the war. The effect of liberation upon the prisoners and the families of both prisoners and officials. So terrifying.