Army of One
John Rossett # 3
Tony Schumacher
William Morrow
August 29, 2017
9780062499875
Historical Thriller / WW II London / Detective
Elise Cooper
An Army Of One by Tony Schumacher is a lot more mystery than
thriller. It brings back the character John Rossett, but this
time around instead of rescuing someone from the Nazi’s
grip he is investigating a murder.
It is interesting in this third installment John is still
seen as a sympathetic character that fluctuates from collaborating
with the Nazis to undermining them. The series began with
Germany controlling Western Europe after a pact is signed
in 1946. The Germans are occupying Great Britain using brutality,
fear, and consensus to control the English. The main character
John Rossett, won the Victoria Cross for rescuing his fellow
soldiers from Dunkirk. After the war he returns home to find
his wife and son killed by a bomb that was meant for the German
authorities. It can be considered an alternate history of
sorts that questions morality. Through the character’s
eyes readers examine if it is even possible to redeem oneself
after committing terrible acts. What makes this novel very
interesting is how the author creates an action-packed plot
while still exploring the questions: Could the British people
become like the Nazis, and what doors should someone open
to survive?
Schumacher sees this series as a warning where “some
people might think of these Nazi monsters as average people.
If they saw them in a pub and did not know what they believed,
they might view them as an average person, much like the serial
killer who is considered by his neighbors to be a nice person.
I hope this book entertains the reader, but also is an exchange
of information that makes people think. I want the story to
get into their heads after they are done with the book and
have put it on the shelf.”
The German atrocities are still discussed, although not as
much as in the previous books. In one scene Rossett is witnessing
the execution of innocent civilians including a child, and
unable to stop it, feels a range of emotions including guilt,
anger, and shame. However, this scene transitions once again
into to the cat and mouse game of Rossett trying to entrap
the German sniper killer, known as The Bear to prevent more
deaths. But in the course of the police investigation he uncovers
that The Bear hid a huge amount of gold. Now Rossett must
capture the killer and solve the diabolical conspiracy that
has Nazi officers and the British resistance competing to
find the gold and use it for their own purposes.
An Army Of One has a captivating plot with engaging characters.
This alternate history will have readers trembling at the
thought of what could have been had the Nazis won World War
II.
http://myshelf.com/mystery/14/britishlion.htm
http://myshelf.com/mystery/14/darkesthour.htm
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