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Blood of the Reich

Review

Blood of the Reich

At almost 30 years old, Rominy Pickett believes she can determine a man's character by his location in a supermarket. One September day, Rominy gets spooked when a handsome prospect she spots in the frozen foods aisle follows her around a Seattle, Washington Safeway. Jake Barrow, the mysterious stranger, chases her out of the grocery store and then body slams her on the pavement of the parking lot, just as her beloved, brand-new silver MINI Cooper explodes into a fiery mess. In the wake of the blast, and after saving her life, Jake spirits away the shocked Rominy from the chaotic scene in his pick-up truck --- and away from the danger from those responsible for blowing up her car.

In BLOOD OF THE REICH, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist William Dietrich has created a fascinating, fast-paced thriller rich in historic detail and modern technology, with heavy doses of suspense, a dash of romance and a cast of memorable characters worth rooting for.

It is no coincidence that Jake has run into Rominy at the grocery store. He has been following her for some time, trying to verify her true identity. As they flee the scene, Jake convinces her that he is an investigative journalist for the Seattle Times pursuing a lead on a fantastic story about her connection to a deceased and mysterious millionaire. Bullets fly as he whisks her away to a remote location out of harm's way until she can claim her inheritance. And Jake is apparently not the only person after Rominy. A group of neo-Nazi skinheads is also on her trail.

Unknown to Rominy, Jake has confirmed through DNA testing that she is the great-granddaughter of a scientist involved in a 1938 top-secret mission to uncover a legendary energy source deep in the mountains of Tibet. The historic World War II-era quest pitted Kurt Raeder and his team of SS Officers against American zoologist and millionaire Benjamin Hood and his pilot, the courageous aviatrix Beth Calloway.

Through her blood lineage, Rominy's true identity holds the key to the ultimate power that was the reason for the 1938 expedition. As an heir to a vast fortune, and the blood descendent to a powerful legacy, Rominy has the resources to solve the puzzle of her family history. To help her discover the truth about her past, Jake convinces her to travel with him to Tibet, where they are led by a likable American guide to a sacred temple and the lost city of Shambhala. As the action heats up, so does the passion between Rominy and Jake. Faced with danger and death, Rominy must come to grips with the truth about her family and her role in saving the world from an ultimate evil.

Past and present, good and evil collide on a journey from Washington State, to the mountains of Tibet, to Germany and the ultra-secret underground laboratories of the CERN collider in Geneva, Switzerland. In BLOOD OF THE REICH, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist William Dietrich has created a fascinating, fast-paced thriller rich in historic detail and modern technology, with heavy doses of suspense, a dash of romance and a cast of memorable characters worth rooting for.

Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt on July 3, 2011

Blood of the Reich
by William Dietrich

  • Publication Date: December 27, 2011
  • Genres: Fiction, Thriller
  • Paperback: 576 pages
  • Publisher: Harper
  • ISBN-10: 0061989193
  • ISBN-13: 9780061989193