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The German Wife

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The German Wife

By: Kelly Rimmer
Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon, Nancy Peterson
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About this listen

Inspired by real events, the New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan returns with an unputdownable novel of a community torn apart when a former Nazi family moves into town to work on NASA's space program

Berlin, 1934. Sofie Rhodes is the aristocratic wife of a scientist whose post-WWI fortunes change for the better when her husband, Jurgen, is recruited for Hitler's new rocket project. But too late they realise the Nazis' plans to weaponise Jurgen's technology as they begin to wage war against the rest of Europe.

Alabama, 1949 Jurgen is one of hundreds of Nazi scientists offered pardons and taken to the US to work for the CIA's fledgling space program. Sofie, now the mother of four, misses Germany terribly and struggles to fit in among the other NASA wives.

When news about the Rhodes family's affiliation with the Nazi party spreads, idle gossip turns to bitter rage, and the act of violence that results will tear apart a community and a family before the truth is finally revealed - but is it murder, revenge or justice?

'Once again, Kelly Rimmer has turned my emotions upside down. With every book of hers I read, I become a more thoughtful and empathetic person, but The German Wife is, without a doubt, the jewel in her crown' SALLY HEPWORTH
'A fast-paced, emotional and utterly riveting tale of love, loss and the choices we make to protect our families - a must-read' KRISTIN HARMEL
'exceptional ... The German Wife is an impressive and addictive read that will grip you until its last dramatic page' Canberra Weekly
'Compelling' Weekend Australian
'a thoroughly enjoyable read, one that challenges and informs' Living Arts Canberra
'Rimmer is a master at finding a little-known part of a huge topic like world War II and exploring it through fascinating fiction' Herald Sun
'riveting' Sunday Telegraph

Praise for The Warsaw Orphan:
'A love story full of despair, grief and even some hope and kindness' Herald Sun
'It is about human deprivation and racial hatred but also survival, the power of the human spirit to prevail, the enduring love of family and ultimately it's a beautiful love story' Daily Telegraph
'Kelly has a special gift of capturing the essence of what it is to be human in her novels. This book, a reminder of what it means to find hope, strength and generosity of spirit in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak, is one that I'll never forget' VANESSA CARNEVALE
20th Century Historical Fiction Fiction Marriage
All stars
Most relevant
A lovely story, and tremendous character development. Very engaging, almost too engaging if you want to get some sleep.

Top story and masterfully narrated

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A wonderful heartfelt story.
It’s not often you find a story focused on the moral compass of a German during the Nazi era.

I never thought myself how deep the propaganda flowed into the community’s and the aftermath that followed. The German wife is a fantastic novel especially in its approach to many different views on the same horrific time.

A thought provoking story.

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Beautifully written and told. I enjoyed the going back before the war and then afterwards!

Excellent

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an unusual look from the German side.. such an accurate description of the absence of choice from those Germans who did not toe the party line..

the 2 narrators did an incredible job on this one

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This story clung to me until I finished it over a 24 hour period.
The characters and their attributes are so well drawn and natural and the story is a rare glimpse into the lives and backgrounds of refugees at the end of WW2.
I'm putting all of the authors other books on my wish list. Bravo.


Engaging

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