First I liked the ending of this book, and I did learn some things while reading it. That’s always a win for me in a book. However, this book was very gory and incredibly sad in parts. I realize it was likely fairly true to the real world during that time in that place but I had a tough time with it. I also found the language to be unnecessary. But one other thing I Loved about this book was the narrators accent! I would LOVE to listen to more by this narrator in the future.

I could not get into the subject matter of this book. It was too difficult for me.

It’s snowing outside and Block 10 looks even bleaker than usual. Gioele Errera, a young Jewish boy imprisoned in the camp, finds the body of an SS officer. Detective Hugo Fischer is sent to investigate the unexplained death of the renowned Nazi. But Hugo is hiding a secret – he is suffering from a degenerative disease. The only way for him to survive is to give his support to the Reich and hide his condition.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy for my honest review.

The holocaust is something that I have always been drawn to reading about. This book was no different when I saw it was releasing I was very interested in reading and learn from another persons perspective and experience while in the camp. I don’t think I have ever read a Holocaust book that’s focus was on the German perspective.

Ramunno shares a story inspired by her great uncles and his experience going to Auschwitz to investigate a murder of an SS Officer. It feels wrong to read a story about an investigation of a murder of one SS Officer (a doctor) inside of a camp that had killed over a million other men, woman and children.

Ramunno was able to show how one SS Detective was able to overcome his obedience to the Nazi’s to do the right thing. This novel starts out as a murder mystery and ends up being a story of hope. Each of the main characters had great development. I was especially drawn to the little boy in this story.

This book has some of the most horrific scenes I have ever read. It was extremely well written but hard to believe that some of these things actually happened in these camps. Between researching and her great uncles account of his time in Auschwitz there was no sugar coating what went on in the camp. There was vivid detail on the cruel medical experimentation that was carried out on women, children and twins under Mengele and other SS Officers during the war. I respect Ramunno’s decision to not brush over this and keep it as raw and accurate as it was. History needs to be told as it was so we may never forget the horror these individuals lived through.

I gave this a 4 star and would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Holocaust and learning more about others accounts/perspectives within the concentration camps and can handle descriptive accounts of horrible abuse.

I definitely plan to see what other books Ramunno has published. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

It is winter in Auschwitz and a Nazi officer's body has been discovered in the snow. Detective Hugo Fischer, thought to be the best, is sent to investigate. Hugo is well indoctrinated in the Nazi Aryian superiority. propaganda. But from his first moment of arrival at Auschwitz, Hugo will see horrific things that challenge his thinkng.

There is a mystery to be solved in the book, for the mystery lovers. But there is a much larger story about how one German, thoroughly complicit in the "Nazi solution", comes to realize the horror of "the final solution". I found this aspect of the book very heartbreaking--some of the violence is very hard to read. But I think it is important to keep talking about and reading about our history. We have some very uninformed, ignorant people in our country who need to be more informed so they can learn lessons from the past.

I listened to an audio version of the book, and found the narrator very easy listening, despite the fact his accent was different from my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Oriana Ramunno, and Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

First off I want to thank NetGalley, the author Oriana Ramunno and HarperVia for allowing me to listen to an arc of this book. The narrator, Saul Reichlin did a fantastic job. Thank you Saul Reichlin for bringing this story to life for me.

This book was very hard to listen to with all the gory details about what was going on with the Jews. I understand that this was loosely based on author's uncle. I am so sorry that, that her uncle had to endure and go through such horrific things. I can't imagine what it was like. So thank you for sharing your uncle's story with us.

An 8yr old Jewish boy, Gioele who Joseph Mengele experimented on is who found the dead SS doctor. At first they think he choked on an apple but then they realize it was murder. Hugo (the detective) is sent in to figure out what happened. What transpires after that was some of the most unimaginable horrific violence that at times it was hard to stomach. I thought I knew what went on in the concentration camps but after listening to this book, I was sorely uneducated. WOW, just WOW.

I would only read this book if you can read about extreme violence, rape, pedophilia and dismemberment. The author did not leave anything out. You can definitely tell she did her research. This was my first book by this author and I would definitely read more books by this author.

#AshesintheSnow #NetGalley

Ashes in the Snow is a whodunit set in Auschwitz in 1943. An SS officer doctor is found dead in his office from what, at first, appears to be an accidental choking. Hugo Fischer, an accomplished criminologist is called to the camp to investigate,

This is an atmospheric, dark mystery. The setting is very much it's own character and detracts from the plot a bit as there is one horrifying image after another that Detective Fischer has to move past in order to focus on the mystery. All of the clues are presented to the reader as the story progresses but the who remains a bit of a mystery until the final chapters,

A bit graphic and yet, devil may care with certain horrifying descriptions. Well written and well narrated but just not the book for me.

4.5 stars rounded up for "Ashes in the Snow," a tense and immersive detective story set in Auschwitz during WWII. The narrative doesn't shy away from describing holocaust atrocities with frank and shocking detail, so it's not always an easy listen. Going into it and knowing the setting, these harsh descriptions shouldn't be surprising, but they do still pack a punch. It's interesting to note that the novel is inspired by the author's great-uncle's experiences in a Nazi concentration camp.

Hugo Fischer, a leading criminiologist in the Kriminalpolizei, has been called to Auschwitz to help investigate the death of one of the camp's leading doctors. What seemed, on face value, to be a simple accident is quickly shown to be a murder. The detective work has an old-school Hitchcock or Agatha Christie feel to it, almost like a closed room mystery. Simple contextual clues are there for you to grab ahold of, but there are also enough red herrings to lead your suspicions in multiple directions.

One small note of discontent for me: the inclusion of the Fischer's chronic illness was an interesting choice. I found myself wishing for it to have resolved or come to larger prominence than it did; perhaps it was included simply for the grim reality of "anyone could become a target,” and it was successful in that respect. I think I just wish it was either more an integral part of the plot progression or not there as a distraction at all.

The Boy With Odd Eyes

This is a story within a story. A murder investigation in Auschwitz by a detective named Hugo. He is sent to investigate the death of an SS Officer found by a young Jewish boy named Gioele.
As Hugo investigates the murder he realizes what the camp of Auschwitz is about and the final solution that Hitler has mandated.

Hugo questions the young boy Gioele and finds out much about the camp. He finds out about the doctor known as the angel of death, who experiments on twins and that Gioele's twin brother is being tortured by Dr. Mengele. Hugo is sickened by what he learns in his investigation.

As circumstances occur and Gioele's life is in danger Hugo wants to help Gioele survive. Can Hugo succeed in saving Gioele, or will both Hugo and Gioele become victims of Auschwitz and the Nazi evil?

This is an interesting book, you will enjoy reading this mystery written in a time of war.

Thanks to Oriana Ramunno for writing a great mystery story, to Saul Reichman for the great narration to Harper Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audio book to listen to and review.

I didn't realize this was about the Holocaust when I first picked it up and I just do not have the ability to read that right now so. I'm DNF thing it because I just can't read something so emotionally intense right now.

This is just so unfortunate because this book is gorgeously written but I simply can't do it right now. You know it's just deeply uncomfortable and deeply stressful and I'm not capable of doing it at this point.

Oh OK

This is my first from Ramunno. Ashes (as a title) is symbolic - and haunting. A thriller that, while fiction, has elements that still need to be told.

Auschwitz, 1943 — Detective Hugo Fischer is asked to investigate the mysterious death of an SS Officer Nazi. Throughout his perilous search, many inner demons are faced in this senseless war against a human race. Hugo is not all he shows on the outside — he’s suffering from a degenerative disease that he must keep hidden for fear of his own euthanizing, and in doing so, he compromises some inner moral codes. He needs to figure out what is most important to him and who he can save in the process. He is flawed…what he sees (and smells) is gut-wrenching at times, but important for readers to experience. The descriptions of camp and death are realistic, however the past must not be forgotten.

But that’s not all this book is about — this thriller has twists, and plenty of suspects. It was fast paced and the audio narrator had the perfect accent. The fact that some of these characters really existed and are documented makes this even more harrowing and important to share.

Thank you to Harper Collins for this advanced audio in exchange for an honest review. I fully recommend this book.

Beautiful and haunting. Such an unusual setting for a mystery. Really good novel. I look forward to more from this author.

"Ashes In the Snow" was a very thought provoking book. I enjoyed reading it but kept on wondering "What If". The story was interesting. The characters were well developed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in WWII and the prison camps that the Germans built.

Stories revolving around the Holocaust are always an emotional rollercoaster because of the horrific events. This story was hard to put down and well written/clear to understand.

Great world war 2 novel. Not the typical hardboiled detective story with the world war 2 backdrop. Quite poignant.

It is 1943 and Hugo, a criminologist, is brought to Auschwitz-Birkenau to investigate the sudden, suspicious death of a doctor who works with Dr Josef Mengele. As Hugo uncovers the horrific acts that are being committed in Auschwitz, he is torn internally. Hugo has empathy for what is occurring but doesn’t know what to do to stop any of it. Hugo soon befriends one of the twins that Mengele and the other doctors were experimenting on, and the twin becomes a key character in the investigation by providing sketches of the crime scene. There are a lot of secrets that are being kept by most of the characters, including Hugo who is hiding that he has a degenerative disease. There are many books that cover aspects of the holocaust, but this point of view was a first for me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job portraying the characters. If you like historical fiction, some murder mystery and can stomach the atrocities that occur, then this book is for you.

A murder mystery meets historical fiction set in a prison camp during the Holocaust. "Ashes in the Snow" held my attention from the start.

The thoughtful take on a genre that has been attempted often, this book was less focused on the horrible conditions and terrible atrocities that occurred at Auschwitz and Berkinow (It did go into vivid detail (trigger warning: murder of children, horrible abuse of children, strong violence). It more focused on the untimely death of a doctor who worked at the camp and the criminologist trying to solve the case. Not every prisoner accepted their fates at the death camps, some used investive methods to fight back.

Loved this genre mixing novel that blended WW2 historical fiction with a classic whodunit mystery. I've read a ton of books about Auschwitz but actually learned some unknown details particularly about Mengle and other doctors and their unethical and cruel experiments.

The author did a brilliant job of creating a fast paced, jaw dropping, story whose focus was solving the mystery of who killed Dr. Brown. In comes Mr. Fisher, a criminologist with a degenerative disease. Of course he keeps that bit quiet for fear of being euthanized by his fellow Nazi men. Along the way, Mr. Fisher learns about the gruesome and shocking activities that are happening at Auschwitz, to which he hadn't prior knowledge. The whole story takes place over the course of a week over Christmas.

I listened to the audio and loved the narrator. He was the perfect reader and added an element of Agatha Christie like flavor to the story. A gracious thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#AshesInTheSnow

4.5⭐️

In December 1943, criminologist Hugo Fischer called to the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau to investigate the death of Dr. Sigismund Braun, a colleague of Dr. Josef Mengele. “the angel of death”. Dr. Braun’s body was discovered by eight-year-old Gioele, one of a set of Jewish twins whose family was deported to the concentration camp. Though the crime scene has been compromised, Hugo deduces that Dr. Braun was poisoned. A favorite of Dr. Mengele for reasons that are gradually revealed, Gioele is a perceptive child, who has a talent for drawing. Hugo befriends him and in exchange for tracking down his parents' whereabouts in the camp, Gioele agrees to help Hugo. His drawings and recollections of the crime scene prove to be helpful to Hugo’s investigation. The narrative follows Hugo as he tries to find a murderer among the deceased doctor's colleagues, family, and other SS officers all the while bearing witness to the brutality exacted upon prisoners in the camp. Surrounded by death and violence, Hugo bears witness to atrocities beyond his imagination. Suffering from a medical condition that he cannot reveal, Hugo is compelled to keep his head down and concentrate on the job at hand all while hiding his true feelings about everything that is happening around him. Hugo soon discovers that the deceased doctor had more than a few enemies amongst those with whom he associated, and some people would rather he not discover the truth and let an innocent man take the blame. Not everything is as it seems, and many are harboring secrets they would do anything to protect. When Hugo finally discovers the truth, he is faced with a difficult choice between doing his duty or listening to his conscience and following what his heart deems to be the right thing to do.

Inspired by the author’s Great Uncle’s experiences in a Nazi concentration camp, Ashes in the Snow by Oriana Ramunno is a dark but compelling work of historical fiction. Primarily a murder mystery set in a Nazi concentration camp, this novel also sheds light on the atrocities inflicted upon prisoners in these camps. Deemed ”subhuman” in a “place where everything was allowed, where the guinea pigs were easily disposable human beings”, inhuman medical experimentation was conducted on Jewish prisoners and children specifically chosen for that purpose. The author also gives us a glimpse into the efforts of the German Resistance who worked within these camps, risking their own lives to help in whatever way possible. Hugo is an admirable protagonist. The author does an excellent job of depicting Hugo’s pain, compassion and internal conflict. The mystery is well crafted and suspenseful with several red herrings and surprises along the way, leading up to a satisfying ending. Superb writing, an intricate evenly paced plot, the atmospheric setting and powerful characterizations render this novel a riveting read.

I combined my reading with the audiobook narrated by Saul Reichlin, who did a brilliant job of voicing the characters and breathing life into the story.

Many thanks to HarperVia, Harper Audio and NetGalley for the digital review copy and the ALC of this novel.

Needless to say, this is not an easy read. Detailed descriptions of medical experiments on children, abuse, and one particularly graphic episode of brutality toward the beginning of the novel may be disturbing for many.

This book hurt my heart and enraged me in equal measures...which is what should happen when reading realistic accounts of the Nazis and concentration camps. I am so glad that Hugo turns out to be a good guy and takes risks to keep people safe while still trying to do his job under the noses of the SS. This was my 1st book by Oriana Ramunno but will most certainly not be my last!!

#AshesintheSnow
#NetGalley

Ashes in the Snow is a fictional mystery set in Auschwitz. An SS officer has died under suspicious circumstances. Detective Hugo Fischer is called to investigate. Fischer has a painful neurological disease which he must hide from Hitler's associates at all times lest he suffer the same fate as the prisoners who surround him. During his investigation, he discovers the truth of what is really going on at Auschwitz and other "work camps". The violence in this book is brutal and graphic. I had a hard time connecting to or caring for most of the characters. There were a lot of characters to try to keep straight also. I typically enjoy WWII fiction, but this one just wasn't for me.

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for a review copy of this audiobook.