4 out of 4 stars
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C.B. Huesing's Kill Abby White! Now! is a historical thriller following the lives of several friends whose paths first crossed in college when they witnessed a Mafia crime in 1929. For nearly twenty years and across the continents, their lives remain closely intertwined and forever changed.
Abby White is a twenty-two-year-old college senior when she and a group of friends are shot at after witnessing a Mafia crime, in Chicago. She and Dan, Karl, and Esther survive but are attacked again while they are still in protective custody prior to the Al Capone trial. Now afraid to trust anyone, they make plans to flee to Dan's family cottage, in Ireland. As a member of the Friends of New Germany organization, only Karl remains behind. After they escape to safety in Ireland, Abby, Dan, and Esther accept job offers respectively in Berlin, London, and Lyon. The three friends continue to stay in touch while building very different lives. Through the persuasion of a charismatic colleague, Dan gets entangled with a dangerous political group. Esther becomes a popular newspaper columnist and gets married. On assignment, Abby has her first encounter with Adolf Hitler, but it won't be her last...
This historical suspense was well-written and fast-paced. The author creatively crafted the plot around historically accurate events including the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the Al Capone Trials, the Stock Market Crash, and the social climate in Germany during the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler. Hand-in-hand with the plot's historical facts and ongoing espionage, there was a quirky what-if scenario involving Hitler that was quite engaging. The characters were relatable and well-developed, especially the protagonist, Abby.
In fact, what I liked most about this book was the strong character portrayal of Abby. As a young journalist in the 1930s, she was savvy, ambitious, and self-assured. She was also very adept at thinking on her feet and often delivered witty one-liners that conjured images of movies depicting that era. I also appreciated the book's full-circle ending. Loose ends were tied, and everything was wrapped up with a bow in the epilogue.
I found no weaknesses to highlight in this intriguing read, and I'm pleased to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Though there are a handful of grammatical errors, they did not detract from my reading enjoyment. I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction, espionage, and war-related stories. Though not graphic in nature, there is content related to the Holocaust which may not be suitable for sensitive readers.
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Kill Abby White! Now!
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