The Fifth Column

The Fifth Column is an intriguing story about nazi spies in the US as world war two is about to start. This is interesting story about characters from seemingly everyday life. A real page turner. A different look at the war and events that took place at this time in history. Very enjoyable.

This was another hit from the author. His variety of stories always leaves me waiting for his next book. This story was filled with fun mystery and adventure. This is a book that I would recommend to all.

Andrew Gross' latest novel is a well done story dealing with falling and subsequent redemption. The book takes place in New York city during a period just prior to the U.S entering World War II. Europe is ablaze with war with Great Britain, and France confronting a German military machine set to overrun them. Feelings are running high in the U.S. with than president Franklin Roosevelt trying to keep the country out of the war. There are groups of pro Nazi sympathizers pushing an agenda for America to enter the war on the German side and others favoring the Allies.
Charles Mossman is a young man with little or no political agenda who is in the position of just losing his job teaching at the University level and also facing the end of his marriage. He is in a bar getting drunk, across the street from a pro Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan when several pro Hitler men draped in Swastika flags and drunk enter the bar. Charles gets into a fight with them and in a drunken wild swing accidentally kills a young man standing close to the melee.
Sentenced to prison for one count of accidental homicide he serves two years and is released into a situation with no prospects for a job due to his prison record and his wife not wanting him around. The only bright spot is that his wife does allow him visits to Emma, his daughter twice a week. They live in a section of New York city with many people showing support for Hitler. In the course of his visits Charles meets neighbors Trudi and Willi Bauer living across the hall from his family and develops a feeling in his gut that these people are not the Swiss they claim they are but secret Nazi sympathizers.
Mr Gross in a mesmerizing chain of events tells the story of Charles' actions and results with what he knows and what he finds out. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entrance on the side of the allies in the war are the well described background to the story. Certainly a compelling all night read "The Fifth Column" continues the author's sequence of excellent books.

Andrew Gross always writes terrific books
The Button Man was amazing
The One Man and Saboteur was Great War Stories
His latest book starts off running and keeps up the chills and thrills
I love anything Gross does
I would even listen to him read the phone book
This is one of the best books of the year

Andrew Gross is my all time favorite writer
He used to write psychological mysteries, and now he has written 3 war books
The One Man and Saboteur were terrific
The Fifth Co,u n might be his best
It is about a family that is torn apart by the ravages of war
A great story which parallels our own history
Read this book. It is so great

Andrew Gross is the master of writing historical fiction! A fast moving book and full of history about Nazis infiltrating America to further their cause. Kudos to Andrew Gross for delivering another winner!

Loved this book! I have learned more about the happenings in the US prior to entering WWII than ever before. The story is taking place solely in the US which seems strange in the beginning but it really works. Charles Mossman is the main character who returns from a short stint in prison to find his wife and daughter extremely friendly with a supposedly Swiss couple who of course ends up being nazis.
Charles falls out with his wife and only gets to see his daughter occasionally while always being watched by the Germans. Of course as it has to everything comes to a head and things end up happening very quickly.
I will definitely recommend this book and thank NetGalley, Andrew Gross and the publishers for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. An easy five stars.

It is pre-WWII and war is waging in Europe though the US has not yet entered the war. There are significant nazi sympathizers in the US who defend Hitler and the Germans, holding large scale rallies, planning and carrying out acts of sabotage.

This is a fast-paced and intricate tale of one man’s efforts to report the nazi sympathizers and saboteurs. A great read with surprising twists and turns along this Patriot’s journey to defend his country, his family and his heritage.

* will post online and list links closer to publication. Great read!