Liberated (Kaspar Brothers)
An American captain in post-WWII Germany must stop a criminal conspiracy by his fellow officers.
Germany, May, 1945. With the war just over, Capt. Harry Kaspar is about to take a new posting in the US occupation—running a Bavarian town named Heimgau. When Harry loses the command to a rival, he’ll do almost anything to win the job back.
Then Harry discovers a horrific scene: three German men tortured and murdered. Solving the crime could teach the locals about American justice—and help him reclaim his posting. But as Harry’s quest for the killer leads him back to American officers, he uncovers a criminal network plundering the war-torn land for all its worth. Now, for justice to mean anything at all, Harry must fight back.
“Here is the compelling, always frightening reality of the unwanted conqueror, the American victor in enemy country, once homeland for many GIs—hated yet vital, trying to stay ahead of the dangers, violence, and corruption—and always the sour taste of combat or revenge lurking in every survivor on all sides. Steve Anderson has revealed the endgame of war, tinged with GI passion—a passion twisted to violence by so many who did not want to change.” —Maria Riva, author of Marlene Dietrich
"If you like the noir novels and films of the mid-20th century, you will enjoy the prose and the femme fatale of Liberated." —Historical Novels Review, Historical Novel Society
"A compelling story of a time in German history that hasn't been covered very much in fiction. Kudos to the author for a story that captures the feel of that era." —Jim Chambers, Amazon Top 10 Reviewer
Liberated is the second book in the Kaspar Brothers series.
My newsletter post “Plunder and Corruption in US-Occupied Germany” reveals the sordid true tales that inspired me to write Liberated.