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.

A good listen

Original and thought-provoking. Kept me interested, and not the stereotypical story. Well examined characters.

Captivating

I couldn’t stop listening to this gripping historical novel but a shocking reminder of the shocking acts of cruelty human beings are capable of.

Fast Read

This WW2 novel was easy to read and I finished it in a couple of days. I liked the story and the authors writing style. I felt that it could have been more suspenseful and the story line predictable. There were areas that could have been expanded. I felt for the heroine, who did not have an easy life. Loved the narrator! The book fit the bill for me, and I would give it a thumbs up!

Great story, don't DNF after the prologue

After the prologue, I almost DNF, but I made a deal with myself to give it at least 5 chapters. By the end of chapter 2, I was fully invested. The performance was wonderful, though the use of British accents rather than German and Russian was a little distracting.

Terrific

I loved this book. It gave a true picture of what it was like to live under the Nazis. And the lasting effects on survivors. I didn’t want to stop reading. Couldn’t wait to learn what’s next. I recommend it.

Must read!

Very Captivating! Great history mixed with romance, trivial times - overall very interesting! Worth the money!

Good read. Hard swallow.

This was a good read. I just did not like Annaliese. A truly flawed character that I found hard to relate to. This story also tried to humanize Hans, her husband who was in the SS, and who participated in human experimentation conducted at the Dachau Concentration Camp. That was a hard swallow. All in all though, a good book.

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.

Enchanting!

Monumental story well narrated. Could not put it down!! And there again a war is raging…….

WWII romance/drama-warning-spoilers

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I read a lot of WWII historical fiction and liked that this incorporated several points of view, including that of an SS officer. However, it did leave me wanting for something, perhaps more depth in the storyline. I wish the romance between Annaliese and Aleksander had been developed more. It was odd to me that he came back to her so easily and then left so easily again. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I would read/listen to another. The narration was great.