I’m unsure where to start with this review, so I’ll list the good points first:

The premise is very interesting and somewhat unique, and makes for an interesting perspective on this period of history, about which there are a great many fiction novels. It is evident that the author has a real interest in history/historical fiction. I feel like she has poured her heart into writing this.

The best parts of this book were the beginning and the end - the middle felt like a lot of unnecessary filler information about the years in between the camps and the trial. The scenes in the hospital towards the end truly brought tears to my eyes. They were very well-written and the author has done a great job of creating the characters. The author has also done a fantastic job here of capturing the animosity that can grow between a mother and daughter, although it would have been good to learn more about why the relationship was this way.

I have so much respect for anyone who takes the time and effort to write a whole book. However, some things I did not enjoy whilst reading:

It was a bold move to write chapters from Helma’s perspective. One can infer that the author meant for us to be shocked by the Nazi viewpoint and opinions on Jews in particular, or Helma’s thirst for violence. However, it would be easy for a reader to be influenced by the language they’re reading. I really did not enjoy reading the chapters about Helma. As much as I wanted to know her backstory and how things turned out for her, I don’t feel it was necessary to read so many derogatory comments about Jews and the glorification of Nazism. I suppose this is why you won’t find many books written from this perspective. The way Helma talks about Jews, Jewish influence and post-war propaganda is something I have seen echoed in many social media posts, particularly since October 7. These attitudes have not gone away. They’re not just something from the past. I felt sick reading these parts, and I hope anyone who reads this book isn’t influenced into that way of thinking.

Some parts of the story were just a little bit unbelievable. I can’t say which parts as they could spoil the plot, but there is a very difficult moment for Hannah where her reaction is just not believable at all. Later in the book, a male character’s comments about sexual experiences in the camp when speaking to a 17 year old girl just didn’t sit right with me.

The way the time passed in some of the chapters was confusing. One minute, there is a newborn baby, and in the next paragraph he’s a toddler, with no indication that any time has passed. It’s often unclear what year it is and how old the characters are. The book has tried to cover so much over so many years that it speeds through them in a really confusing way.

Clearly, Helma is based on the real-life Hermine Braunsteiner. So many of the details of Helma’s life mirror Braunsteiner’s, but several details do not, including the names of Helma and her husband, yet later in the book we meet Gudrun Berwitz, who was a real person. Part of the chapter about Helma from 1939-1941 mentions her being mentored at Ravensbrück by “Irma”, which although not confirmed, seems to refer to Irma Grese, who became a guard at Ravensbrück in 1942. If Irma Grese is the inspiration behind this character, then the timeline might be slightly off. There’s also a moment with the daughter of “Heidrich Himmler”. It’s unclear whether the author has intentionally changed this name (Heinrich Himmler) slightly, or whether this is a mistake. The author should also note that “Holocaust” should be capitalised, which it is not throughout the book. It feels inconsistent to take some details of a real person’s life and create new characters based on them, but that’s just my opinion.

Finally, there are a lot of editing oversights throughout the ARC. Line breaks in the middle of sentences, question marks at the end of a statement, misplaced or missing commas, and just general grammatical errors. These interrupted the flow of the story. I even noted one sentence which said, “The old woman just stood their shaking”. Simple spelling mistakes shouldn’t be seen in published novels.

I really enjoyed this book. Set before, during and after ww2, this book follows the life of two women ~ a Jewish women who survived the horrors of the concentration camps and a German woman who was an evil nazi guard at one of the concentration camps. I found it so interesting to read from both POVs and the mindset of both characters. It’s interesting to read about the minds of the evil Nazi concentration camp guards who took part in the horrors and killings of the camps. Most historical fiction books set during this time don’t include much after the war which this book does include.
It was interesting to read about the trauma and ptsd concentration camp survivors experienced even 20 years later. The send half of this book includes the Nazi trials, which was super interesting to read and horrific to learn that the majority of these nazis had no regrets during the war.
The writing style flowed, very descriptive and overall was an enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

The fall of the carefully constructed lives of the American housewives.

A different perspective on WW2 historical fictions that I've read before.
Even though the material is extremely emotional I didn't feel connected or emotionally involved until the later chapters.

Hannah survived the Holocaust and rebuilt her life in New York. Helma, a cruel concentration camp guard who killed Hannah's sister as well as countless others, also rebuilds a life in New York after the war. They end up living in the same neighborhood, and Hannah eventually testifies against Helma's war crimes.

This book was well researched, but the writing fell flat for me. It rambled a bit too much, and seemed disjointed at times. Helma's characterization was not as deep as I would have liked for it to have been. It was almost a DNF, but there was enough plot to keep me going.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was enthralled from the beginning to the end of this book. The subject matter is difficult, but the story is very well told. It has a good mix of history and fiction which keeps the reader engaged. I would definitely read more books by the author and have recommended this book to others.

Story about the survivors of a Nazi concentration camp, Hannah and David, and a guard, Helma, at a camp. Set in 1950's Queens, New York. Such emotional insight into the lives after the war and Holocaust. It is hard to imagine moving on from there and the bravery it took. Such great historical fiction.

This is a well researched book about the Holocaust and the fate of some of the participants on both sides of events in the subsequent years, namely the 1950s.

Survivors of a concentration camp, Hannah and David decide that they will put the past behind them, at any cost. Unfortunately the cost for Hannah turns out to be a kind of emotional frigidity.

Meanwhile, having been a cruel Nazi camp guard during the war, Helma is keeping her secrets close to her chest in her new life in America, in an attempt to whitewash the past - not least for herself.

The story is interesting, but feels as though it lacks a certain emotional depth, which is strange given how emotional the subject matter is. I would recommend it for readers who are interested in World War II because it provides a different kind of insight into the events of that period.

This book presents a vivid picture of the way a person can allow their past to cripple them. When David and Hannah decided to never tell anyone, or even talk to each other, about their experiences in the concentration camps, Hannah practically locked herself away from love. This book explores her life and feelings (or lack thereof). It also explores Helma’s life and why she became the sadistic, feared guard at various camps—and how a person can delude themselves about their own innocence. I appreciated this exploration of what makes people into who they are. What I did not enjoy was the graphic descriptions of violence at the camps—although I know it was real. It is not pleasant to read about—but probably good to see at times. I also noticed a number of instances of language I don’t like. For a secular book, I found this one fairly clean, with only veiled references to marital intimacy—and one near-affair.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The author Stacy Kean doesn't glorify or vilify the characters, she instead presents their struggles with empathy and real depth showing us the horrors of the war didn't end when it did.

This book is a testament to Stacy Kean's careful research, thought-provoking and empathetic writing.

Given the subject of this book & the title, you know that you're entering a dark chapter in history and the fact the book is drawn from actual events can make it feel quite unsettling and rather uncomfortable.

Powerful storytelling full of raw emotions; guilt, fear, confusion, shame. Of the scars left not only on the world but individual lives too.
A sobering, emotional read that I don't think will leave me.
Proving the impossibility of outrunning your past while showing us humanity's ability to carry on despite the weight of history. A history we will never forget.

The Nazi Housewife of Queens, New York is not just a historical account, but a moving reflection on identity, morality, and the lasting impact of war.
It is tense and it is shocking but it is also deeply moving.

There are a lot of painful/uncomfortable realities to confront in this book about the lasting consequences of hatred, complicity and ideaology.
Hard to write this review but Stacy Kean did such a wonderful job writing this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Level Best Books and Stacy Kean for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted so much more from this book. There was too much tell and not enough show in the writing. I did not enjoy the characterization of the Nazi guard. I never want to read fiction about Nazis that is apologetic or dismissive of what they did, but I wanted more depth in the character. She really just came across as a shallow, pathetic human incapable of looking beyond her own petty wants. Perhaps that was true of some of the Nazi perpetrators, but I wanted more in a fictional story.

The Nazi Housewife of Queens, New York: a novel” by Stacy Kean, is a historical women’s-fiction about Helma, a vicious female Nazi camp guard turned NY Housewife, and Hannah, a holocaust survivor who lost her entire family, later seeking justice as an adult.

The title is shocking and jarring and I think the author intended it as so, just as the NY Times paper shocked the world with a similar headline.

This historical women’s fiction story is told over six decades, in dual POV of a Nazi camp guard and of a holocaust survivor — an intriguing mixed story-world that intersected several times. Over the course of the book, the reader experiences the fear and shock of what Hannah endured, and admittedly it’s tough at times to read. The reader witnesses Helma’s hatred of Jewish people, stoked by Hitler, and her willingness to “do her job” to feel accepted and worthy by her father and country.

I really felt for Hannah. Seeing her growth over several decades was a unique experience. I liked seeing her life before she went into hiding, before the light of the world dimmed and her family (like many others) were caught up in an unimaginable nightmare. Her perspective of the atrocities that happened at the camp was extremely disturbing, especially against Helma’s indifferent POV at the same time. The juxtaposition was eye-opening and there were several frightening parallels to current society, not limited to the “lying press” (“fake news”) and vile hatred of a group/groups stoked by a leader. With many countries in conflict across the globe, it’s worrisome to think that history could repeat itself. Stacy Kean reminds the reader to never forget, nor become complacent.

Later, Hannah is incredibly brave and a bit of an amateur sleuth in her search for justice, when once again, her and Helma cross paths, leading the reader on a rollercoaster journey of highs and lows. The conclusion was extremely satisfying — even though it made my heart race!

Overall, I found the story to be well-researched and thought-provoking. The book is authentic in its emotional rawness, evoking feelings of sorrow and empathy. This book touches on extremely sensitive subject matter but can still be a powerful resource as a teaching tool.

5 stars.

MANY THANKS to Netgalley and the Author

Thoughtful variation on the usual WWII Nazi trope and the fact that it is loosely based on a true story added to the allure.

I appreciated the dual narration and clear delineation of who's chapter it was and the time frame covered. Furthermore, the realistic portrayal of Hannah's family life added to the validity. In the moment, I found both husbands almost too good to be true, especially Helma's American GI, but learning this was based on fact it softened my views on the husbands to some degree.

I am compelled to add a few lines about the writing quality/style - simplistic? Choppy? I struggle to find the right adjectives but something was "off" and I found myself going back and re-reading every now and again. The repeated use of the nickname Stomping Mare got to be annoying, at some point I found myself thinking "I get it, enough." More than the content, I think the writing makes this a 2.5 rounded to 3 star read.

The story spanned many decades and ultimately closed the loops related to both Hannah and Helma - what are the chances that they would end up just blocks apart in Queens! It was enlightening to be shown a glimpse into how some people did/still justify what was done in the camps and then have these glimpses countered by the Jewish perspective.

I had to read this book when I saw the cover. It is based on a true story and I couldn’t believe that a real Nazi lived in Queens. I don’t know if that shocked me or the fact that she wasn’t sorry about anything she did. This is based on a true story.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I enjoyed all the twists and turns of this story. It’s based on a true story of two women in America after WWII. And oh what a story they have! Great read.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book but this is a DNF for me.

The chapters are very long & cover a HUGE time period - in every single chapter there are many time jumps which is fine but it’s very randomly placed. I feel it could have been better to either make it a new chapter or do a page break. In chapter 12 alone within 3 pages there’s “over the next few months” “a few months in” and “over the next few months” again. There is no variety of language used.

The writing and vocabulary is extremely simple to the point I thought it’s written for children but then the content & tragedy within the book is very explicit that is doesn’t match up with the writing style. Chapter 8 where it says “Helma you don’t look very good.” this segment feels like I’m reading a child’s work at school.

Such a shame as it started out well and I love historical fiction but a real disappointment.

Hannah, a Jewish Holocaust survivor living with her husband and children in Queens, sees news article about a former female Nazi concentration camp guard who is also living in Queens. This is the guard who was exceptionally cruel and killed Hannah's older sister in the camp. The book then goes back in time to the early decades of the 20th century and alternates between the stories of Hannah and the guard, Helma. Once it becomes known that Helma is living in the US, Hannah is persuaded to testify against her in an extradition trial. This decision causes a rift between her and her husband, also a survivor, who is determined to keep the past in the past and not let it intrude on their lives in the US.

This novel covers a lot of ground, moving through most of the 20th century but focusing a lot on the trial in the US and then later in Germany. As such, most of the book reads almost like a lengthy magazine feature instead of a novel. The writing isn't the book's overall strength. It's the story that is most engaging, especially since it's based on a real Nazi housewife found living in the US in the 1960s.

It was a challenge to fill in Helma's story, explaining why she turned out as she did, but not making her a sympathetic character. The author succeeds in this regard.

I recommend the book based on the strength of the story, which is compelling.

I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a disturbing novel, based on a real story about two women. One is a young Jewish girl whose family is obliterated by the Nazis in a concentration camp and the other, a full blown believer, whose cruelty and sadism set her apart from all the other cruelty and sadism that was so rampant. The first part of the book covers the early years leading up to and including the war. That Hannah survived is in itself a miracle. So few did but little did she expect to discover was her tormentor and the murderer of her beloved sister was blithely living the good life in her own neighbourhood in New York. It beggared belief that such a travesty could occur after all the horror but when the light is shone on The Stomping Mare, Hannah has a chance to obtain some small degree of justice.

The book covers the first trial which leads to the deportation back to Germany where she will stand trial for war crimes. Despite the hardships, Hannah has the courage to come forward and testify with other survivors. At no time throughout the book does Helma, the guard, ever consider anything she has done to be wrong nor does accept any blame. She would do it again in a heartbeat and still harbours the same evil beliefs that permeated her life.

Hannah travels to Germany to testify with other friends and survivors. She is a most admirable and strong woman but she is haunted by Helma. And it is not until the end of the book when she sees her nemesis for what she has become that Hannah finally is free. I would defy the reader to not feel admiration for the journey Hannah has taken- and satisfaction that in the end, she triumphed. Five purrs and two paws up.

The Nazi Housewife of Queens, New York is loosely based on a real female prison guard from a women's concentration camp, and I thought it brought something new to the Holocaust literature genre. Initially I had a bit of a tough time getting through the book as I felt like the writing style was somewhat simplistic, and I had a really tough time with Helma's background. It almost seemed as if the author was excusing her cold-heartedness by giving her such an awful father and meek mother to explain how she could become such a monster. I did feel that Hannah was a well-drawn character, although I think the author glossed over the heartache it must have caused her to have such a strained relationship with her daughter. I thought the author did an excellent job portraying the sometimes hidden and often overt anti-Semitism expressed by many Americans in the decades covered in this novel including the group the Silent Help, probably unknown to many readers. I also thought her portrayal of the way many Holocaust survivors chose to bury the past while at the same time were unable to put it completely behind them in the form of creating stockpiles of food and valuables or other PTSD behaviors was highly true to life. The latter parts of the book were highly moving, and I felt the writing evolved as the book progressed. This would make an excellent book for a book group with many weighty topics to discuss.

The premise of this one was intriguing; a Holocaust survivor discovers that the concentration camp guard that murdered her sister is alive, well, and living close by in Queens, New York. It becomes her life goal to make sure that the “Stomping Mare” is punished for her war crimes, after decades of the woman living a charmed life in America.
I was disappointed in the quality of this novel. The writing was choppy, there were endless run-on sentences, and many grammar and spelling mistakes. As well, the story line was difficult to follow, because single paragraphs sometimes covered periods of years of time passing, with little explanation.
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

As a Jewish reader, it is only very recently that I've been able to get past my own emotions and carefully delve into Holocaust historical fiction. I'm very leery of anything that tries to exploit the Holocaust, of course. The title and cover of this book immediately caught my attention, as it is meant to do. Reading that it was based on "actual" events, I thought it would be worth reading. I should have paid more attention to the buzz words like "astonishing" and the use of "shocking" not once, but twice in the description.

Reading it was one of the most horrifying experiences I've ever had with a book. But as I continued reading and reached the end of the book, I started to wonder who the author is and why she is telling this story. Is it her story to tell? It seems not. She has simply exploited a discovery of a Jewish reporter and capitalized on that. Why did she choose to write about it?

Many will be intrigued by the cover and the title. And, let's face it. We all have a voyeuristic pull towards tragedy porn. For those readers, this will certainly be a shocking revelation and introduction to the Holocaust. We Jewish readers may have a different response. It hurts. It actually hurts.